Yukon opposition MLAs question bureaucrat's credentials

Opposition politicians in the Yukon legislature are questioning some of the credentials of a senior bureaucrat in the Education Department.

The Yukon Teachers Association initially raised concerns about Albert Trask, the assistant deputy minister for public schools. The association questions whether Trask's PhD comes from an accredited university that meets Canadian standards.

The New Democrat's education critic MLA Jim Tredger wanted Education Minister Elaine Taylor to clarify the use of academic titles.

"Does the minister of education approve that an education ADM uses the title 'doctor' without having a PhD from a recognized institution," Tredger asked.

Taylor refused to answer. She says she's shocked that someone would expect a cabinet minister to get involved in a personnel matter.

"I'm hoping that the member opposite is not referring that we politically interfere in that particular process," says Taylor.

Tredger says it's relevant because Trask heads the Yukon's teachers' certification board.

Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski also took up the issue. He says his government would not interfere politically in a personnel issue.

Trask issued a statement Monday about the controversy.

He says he was hired as an assistant deputy minister based on three decades of experience in the education field, together with a bachelors and a masters degree in education from Newfoundland's Memorial University,

Trask says he also holds a masters and a PhD in theology from accredited institutes.

He says the PhD entitles him to refer to himself as 'doctor.'