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Yukon Ombudsman threatens legal action in response to finance minister's meddling

Wednesday, 22 January 2025 14:25

By Juliann Fraser @chonfmpwilson

Yukon's Finance Minister Sandy Silver (CHON-FM newsroom photo)

The government's actions are a departure from the legislated budgeting process

Jason Pedlar, Yukon's Ombudsman/Information and Privacy Commissioner, has announced he will take legal action to address the former premier's "unprecedented insertion into his budgetary process."

Despite Pedlar's request for Finance Minister Sandy Silver to cease his meddling, and "to follow legislated procedures", the minister has refused to stop tampering with the budgets of three oversight bodies, including Elections Yukon, Yukon Child and Youth Advocate Office, and the office of the Yukon Ombudsman/Privacy Commissioner.

All three have spoken publicly about the government's unusual decision to interfere with budgets that are normally off-limits.

Even one if its own, Speaker Jeremy Harper, wrote to Silver on December 19 to ask why the minister was contradicting legislation.

"This concerning change in practice undermines the independence of the above offices as separate entities from the Yukon Government," Harper said in a letter available on the government's website. https://yukonassembly.ca/committees/msb

The three organizations are protected from political interference by having an all-party committee, led by Harper, approve their budgets.

All three have complained to Harper that their already-approved budgets have been cut, and that government interference will compromise their work, and their independence.

PHOTO: Finance minister and former premier Sandy Silver is under attack for meddling with the budgets of three oversight bodies that are legally protected from government interference.

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