Yukon premier reveals $1B budget to chamber

Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie gave the territory's business community a sneak peak of his $1-billion budget, two days before he presents it in the legislature.

Fentie, who is the Yukon's finance minister as well as premier, told members of the Yukon and Whitehorse chambers of commerce about his record $1.07 billion budget at a breakfast meeting Tuesday, although the budget will be officially tabled on Thursday.

It is unusual for a finance minister to release parts of a budget before it is tabled in the legislature, but Fentie has been giving the chambers and members who have paid to attend the breakfast meetings budget sneak peaks for the past few years.

"I guess we do feel privileged to be able to have access to the information before it gets announced to the general public," Sandy Hachey, executive director of the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon, told CBC News after Tuesday's session.

No respect for process, MLAs charge

The opposition Liberals and New Democrats, who will notget toview the budget until it is tabled on Thursday, have accused Fentieof disregarding the parliamentary process,saying governments usually do not reveal budget details until they are tabled.

"That's the way that it's been done in the past, and I think that it's the way that it should be done," NDP MLA Steve Cardiff said.

On Monday, while announcing funding from the budget for youth groups, Fentie said he is simply trying to keep Yukoners informed on issues of the day.

"That's more important to government in addressing those issues than worrying about definitions of who interprets what when we make these announcements," Fentie said.

But Liberal Opposition Leader Arthur Mitchell said elected representatives should be the first to get a look at budget numbers, and dismissed Fentie's claim of releasing such details early in order to inform Yukoners.

"Well, then, he should be making announcements every week, all year long. But the fact of the matter is that there is a process," Mitchell said.

"This premier has gone, over the last few years, as far as announcing parts of his budget at Chamber of Commerce meetings and it shows a lack of respect for the due process."

Importance of private sector

Among the budget highlights revealed on Tuesday, Fentie said his government will spend more than $15 million for residential and agricultural land development across the territory.

During his chamber address, the premierclearly indicated the importance of the private sector, noting that his cabinet committee includes private-sector representatives in all of its budgeting decisions.

Ray Wells, the second vice-president of the Yukon Chamber of Commerce, said the premier's emphasis on business is understandable, since it's one of the biggest drivers of the Yukon's economy.

As for the pre-budget speech, Wells said he didn't believe Fentie "let out too many specifics that we'll hear in a couple of days," adding that the chamber event allows members to talk to the premier.

"I think anytime you get a chance to ask questions of the premier directly and get answers, you're fortunate," Wells said.