Premier Ranj Pillai appears to have been in a feisty mood in recent weeks – and the City of Whitehorse is yet another party on the receiving end of sharp-tongued remarks.

Pillai criticized the city during remarks he made in late July at the Council of Yukon First Nations’ annual General Assembly. The subject was downtown safety in Whitehorse, a subject that has bedeviled the premier for nearly a year.

“Our efforts to make downtown Whitehorse a safer, more welcoming place for everyone in the community – regardless of where they are in their health and wellness journey – is missing a valuable partner in the City of Whitehorse,” Pillai told the General Assembly, held in the Lake Laberge area.

“In their absence, we are doing our best to work with Yukon First Nations to have more culturally supportive, appropriate treatment options for substance users, but we need the city to come to the table.”

On Monday afternoon, Matthew Cameron, a spokesperson for the city, provided a response to those comments in a prepared statement after The Yukon Star asked to speak to Mayor Laura Cabott about the premier’s comments.

“The City of Whitehorse remains committed to improving public safety in the downtown core.  We have been working within our jurisdiction and together with partners, including the Yukon Government and the RCMP, to address downtown safety for the past several years,” the statement said.

“While that work is complex, it is vital for the health and well-being of our citizens and requires a whole community response. The city, like all levels of government, has a role in this and continues to collaborate with partners to identify solutions and support residents and businesses,” added the statement provided by Cameron.

“We recognize that the Yukon Government has taken additional steps over the past few months to address concerns around the shelter at 405 Alexander Street. It is clear that more work needs to be done and that all partners need to work together collaboratively to make progress on this issue.”

The Yukon Party also weighed in on the issue Monday, taking a jab at the Liberal government over Pillai’s remarks to General Assembly delegates.

“In that speech, the premier criticized the city for their alleged absence in work to keep downtown Whitehorse safe,” the Yukon Party said.

“The premier needs to explain these comments and why he claims the city has been absent in issues related to downtown safety,” the party reiterated.

“The premier seems to be yet again trying to deflect the blame for his government’s failure to address the issues associated with the operation of the Whitehorse

Emergency Shelter, and not properly resourcing the RCMP for many years,” said Brad Cathers, the party’s justice critic. “It is neither fair nor accurate for the premier to place the blame for property crime and other problems in the downtown core on the City of Whitehorse.

“If the city has been asked to take certain actions, but has not done so, the premier should explain what those actions are; otherwise, it would appear he is simply using the city as a scapegoat.”

Cabinet communications staff also provided a prepared statement.

“As Premier Pillai stated at the CYFN General Assembly, working to improve safety and security in downtown Whitehorse requires a strong partner in the City of Whitehorse,” the statement said.

“The City of Whitehorse has the opportunity to step up its role in enhancing downtown community safety across a number of areas. These include enhanced bylaw enforcement, improved waste management, and through the maintenance and beautification of Alexander Street, including addressing the need for public washrooms – something we’ve heard from many Yukon businesses and stakeholders.”

The statement added “we will continue to explore practical solutions and constructive partnerships for downtown Whitehorse. We won’t be taking direction from acting leader of the Opposition Brad Cathers, whose track record of strained municipal relationships during his time in government speaks for itself.”

Years ago, a former mayor of Whitehorse said he could no longer work with Cathers when the latter was Community Services minister under a Yukon Party government.

In his remarks at the General Assembly, Pillai also criticized the mining industry’s track record in the Yukon, citing historic examples of companies abandoning mine sites and leaving taxpayers to clean up major environmental messes.