The federal officials are launching an examination of the Yukon Nominee Program and the Business Nominee Program.
In a June 21 letter addressed to the Yukon Legislative Assembly’s public accounts committee, the office of the Auditor General of Canada confirmed that work will begin later this year with a goal of presentation to the legislative assembly in the fall of 2025.
The Yukon Party released the letter this week, as party leader Currie Dixon chairs the committee. The party said the decision to release the letter was approved by committee members only recently. That’s why Dixon delayed speaking out on the issue, according to party spokespeople.
“The Yukon Party official Opposition welcomes the announcement by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG) that they will be conducting a performance audit of the Yukon Business Nominee Program and the Yukon Nominee Program,” the party said in a statement released this morning.
“We continue to hear significant concerns from the business community about ongoing issues with these programs, as well as the government’s abrupt decision in May to halt applications from businesses in Whitehorse,” said Porter Creek North MLA Geraldine Van Bibber. She is the party’s critic for economic development.
“Since the decision was made to halt new applications to the Yukon Nominee Program in Whitehorse, we have heard from businesses and individuals that have been caught up in the abrupt decision,” Van Bibber added.
“We look forward to the Auditor General of Canada taking a close look at these programs and will be directing those that have raised concerns with us to the OAG,” added Van Bibber.
NDP Leader Kate White said her party “has been raising concerns about this program since the Yukon Party was in government. We have continuously highlighted how the lack of adequate government oversight for this program puts participants in incredibly vulnerable positions,” White said.
“We continue to hear major concerns from business owners and participants alike.”
On May 16, the Yukon government announced it had put the Whitehorse component of the program on hiatus until next year after having been overrun with applications.
The Yukon government released a somewhat feisty response to the Yukon Party’s criticisms this morning.
Cabinet spokesperson Jordan Owens said “we hope that as part of their investigation, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada will be looking into connections between the Yukon Party, Conservative Party of Canada, and the only business that has been banned this year from participating in the Yukon Nominee Program: Destination Family Hotel and Antoinette’s Restaurant.
“And with respect to the Yukon Party’s comments about the pause to the Yukon Nominee Program, the Government of Yukon was allocated 430 nominee spots by the federal government this year and received 590 applications.
“Either the Yukon Party caucus skipped the day in elementary school math class where students were taught about ‘greater than, less than,’ or they think the government should have kept businesses in the dark and continued to accept new applications, even though many would definitely not be processed or approved.”
Owens also posed a question.
“Can we assume the Yukon Party would have continued to let businesses waste their time with applications that would not be processed this year?” she asked. “Either way, the Yukon Party owes businesses an explanation.”
