MLA’s supporters stifle attempted ousting

Estranged Yukon Party member Brad Cathers, who currently sits as an independent in the assembly,

Estranged Yukon Party member Brad Cathers, who currently sits as an independent in the assembly, is still his Lake Laberge Riding Association’s MLA of choice following a heated meeting last night in which the riding association’s current executive stormed out and a replacement was elected.

Agenda items for the association’s annual general meeting, held at the Hootlinqua Fire Hall, included electing a new board and naming six delegates to the Yukon Party’s annual spring convention slated for May 29.

According to riding association and party member Al Falle, then-sitting president David Ford’s attempts to discuss replacing Cathers started the acrimony among approximately 60 people who attended the meeting and the board.

“They came into the meeting, had an agenda and it was passed and voted on, then they decided they were going to ... question Brad’s loyalty and wanted him out of the room and out of the party,” Falle said today of Ford, his wife, Shirley; brother Calvin Ford; and Mike Blumenschein – members of the now-ousted board.

“I guess that didn’t go over very well, and it was completely out of order.”

This morning, David “Smiley” Ford admitted defeat at the constituency level, but stands behind his attempt to prevent Cathers from representing the Yukon Party as Lake Laberge’s MLA and as a delegate to the party’s spring convention.

Under the Yukon Party’s constitution, each spring convention offers the potential for delegates – six from each riding – to vote for a leadership review.

Ford said changing leaders more than a year before a general territorial election, which under Yukon law must take place before the end of 2011, would destabilize the party at a time when most of its 250 members have little notion of who could serve as a legitimate replacement.

Ford said he hoped to be named a delegate to the May 29 convention so as to help prevent a leadership review.

“That would be the nice thing to have happened and it didn’t go that way ... myself and Mike Blumenschien – here’s a farmer and a carpenter standing there in front of people who wanted to see political blood out of us,” Ford told the Star this morning. “But Cathers hijacked the meeting and got all the delegates.”

“If we don’t have a successful coup attempt, Dennis himself is going to call for a leadership convention in 2011… it’s my understanding that he is,” Ford added.

Attempts to contact the premier for comment were unsuccessful as of press time early this afternoon.

Party president Linda Hillier said this morning she had no comment on last night’s events.

Cathers, a party Wunderkind and considered Premier Dennis Fentie’s right-hand man, announced on Aug. 28, 2009 that he could no longer serve in good conscience under the premier.

The MLA for Lake Laberge, who was then Energy, Mines and Resources minister, charged Fentie lied to caucus and then to the public, about negotiations with Calgary-based energy giant ATCO to privatize the territory’s public utility.

Talk of ousting Cathers emerged following a now-widely publicized meeting April 7 between Fentie and party loyalists from the riding; those who believe Cathers erred in judgment when he resigned from cabinet and caucus.

Falle charged the meeting was secret and therefore unconstitutional, but Ford defended the gathering and, in an earlier interview, threw down the gauntlet.

“Brad can either take the mandate back when he started or we’ll find another candidate,” Ford said.

But Cathers and his supporters would rule the day, and this morning the Lake Laberge MLA thanked those who support him, as well as those who don’t, yet chose to stay at yesterday’s AGM.

“Lake Laberge is probably the largest (Yukon Party) riding in terms of total membership and a large number of them turned out to voice their opinions,” Cathers said.

“I appreciate all of those who took the time to make their views known and cast their ballots as they so chose.”

Approximately 100 card-carrying Yukon Party members call the riding of Lake Laberge home.

Cathers said he would be voting for a leadership review at the party’s spring convention, noted he has no desire to replace Fentie but remains, as he has since vacating the ruling Yukon Party’s cabinet and caucus, committed to returning to the government’s side of the house under a new leader.