Phelps proposes new kid on the political block
Former Progressive Conservative government leader Willard Phelps is coming out of political retirement and touting a new political alternative to the Yukon Party, Liberal and New Democratic parties.
Photo by Vince Fedoroff
NEW VENTURE PLANNED – Willard Phelps, seen Thursday, served as the former Yukon Conservative government’s land claims negotiator in the 1980s. He replaced Chris Pearson as the Conservatives’ leader in 1985, remaining in that post until 1991.
Former Progressive Conservative government leader Willard Phelps is coming out of political retirement and touting a new political alternative to the Yukon Party, Liberal and New Democratic parties.
Phelps held a press conference Thursday afternoon to present poll results that the ex-energy corporation chair believes bolsters the need for a “non-partisan ... big-tent” political party that attracts members from across the political spectrum.
“We’re going to seek broad support and we’re going to urge all citizens from every walk of life,” said Phelps of what he is calling the United Party.
“We want left, right, unions, corporations, we want first nations, we want young and old and, of course, female and male.”
In the recent DataPath Systems poll on territorial politics, Phelps and some partners paid to include questions gauging public support for Phelps’ resignation from the energy corporation board and his possible return to politics.
Of those polled, 87 per cent heard of Phelps’ decision to leave the energy corporation board to protest what he viewed as Premier Dennis Fentie’s attempts to privatize the public utility.
Of those who said they knew enough to comment on Phelps’ actions, 89 per cent were in favour and 47 per cent would vote for Phelps were he to run in the respondents’ riding. Phelps called the latter result, “pretty good news for any ex-politico.”
And when survey respondents were asked whether they supported Phelps as the Yukon’s premier, stacked against alternatives – the current premier and leader of the Yukon Party, Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell or NDP Leader Elizabeth Hanson – the four were in a dead statistical heat, each polling in the range of 14 to 17 per cent.
But the nature of Phelps’ proposal for a new political party, not the favourable poll results, is causing some confusion.
“I’m absolutely sure that is the first point that people will make,” said Phelps when asked whether it is possible to create a non-partisan political party.
“I think we’re going to try and work through how we make sure we don’t become partisan. We’ll have a platform ... we have to ensure that we reflect the values, particularly of a broad-based, big-tent membership.”
In a perfect world for the 68-year-old Phelps, there would be no political parties at all.
However Phelps, who acknowledges he was a driving force in the late-1970s behind the installation of party politics in the Yukon, said to reform the current system, one must work within the confines of party politics.
He will hold a meeting on Nov. 18, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Gold Rush Inn’s conference room, and invites anybody interested in the idea of a “United Party” to come out and help lay the groundwork.
“Most Yukoners can reach consensus on the issues we face,” Phelps insists of why his idea for an inclusive Yukon political movement can be successful.
Mitchell, who polled the highest in Phelps’ survey on the question of who voters favoured as premier with 17 per cent support, insists the Liberal party is the “big tent” political movement.
“It includes union members, civil servants, people from the private sector ... from the right of centre and from the left of centre,” Mitchell said today of his party.
“The principles Phelps is espousing are the same ones that we espouse. But, if we have four parties, so be it. I would never discourage it because that’s democracy.”
Hanson agrees that another party or even political discussion amongst Yukon voters is good for democracy.
And if Phelps’ idea gets off the ground, it would bode well for the NDP as Hanson suspects support for the new party would derive largely from disaffected Yukon Party and Liberal members.
“I’ll be fascinated to see what direction they take and what the party platform that will be different from the conservatives and Liberals,” Hanson said before questioning Phelps’ assertion that most Yukoners can find common ground on the issues of the day.
“People will rally around causes and social issues because there’s a strong sense of community here, but people express it in very many different ways. The real question comes with, ‘how are you going to do that?’ Achieving consensus on ‘how’ is always the big part.”
But Hanson, Mitchell and Fentie are uncertain whether Phelps is forming a party or looking to move the Yukon towards a consensus government similar to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Confusion notwithstanding, from Fentie’s perspective, Phelps’ reinvigorated drive for political reform comes at a moment when the government is behind former NDP leader Todd Hardy’s bill for legislative renewal.
“His timing is pretty good because the legislative assembly has unanimously agreed to strike a select committee and go out and engage with public on legislative renewal,” Fentie told the Star early this afternoon.
“So Mr. Phelps has an important venue to present his views and ideas.”
JC
Nov 6, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Where else can dreamers experiment than in the Yukon. No matter what, and no matter what political party gets in, the Federal government will always take care of the finances. After all, we are supposed to be ensuring the North’s sovereignty. So, who really cares who runs the government up here. We’re still a Federal welfare case.