There appears to be some confusion regarding the status of the chair of Yukon Energy’s board of directors.

Earlier this month, Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker told the Star that Lesley Cabott, the current chair of the board, has been reappointed.

A source who did not want to be named had suggested to the Star that Streicker had asked Cabott – the sister of Mayor Laura Cabott and a former city planner – to “consider her future” with the board.

When contacted, Cabott confirmed only she has been reappointed.

However, last week, the Star obtained an email sent by Streicker to board members and others stating, “Dear members of the Standing Committee on Appointments to Major Government Boards and Committees.

“At your upcoming meeting, I believe you have the Yukon Energy Corporation (YEC) board on your agenda.

“The current chair, Lesley Cabott, and I have been in conversation about the board and her term as chair. Ms Cabott is considering stepping away as chair; however, we felt it would be better to allow some time for overlap (to) the transition of a new chair.

“Could I please suggest that you make a recommendation to me for a new chair to come into effect this spring and thus allow several months for a smooth transition. I would like to thank Ms. Cabott for her leadership and service to Yukon Energy.”

The Star contacted Cabott again last Wednesday about the situation.

She said only, “At this time, it my intention to continue to serve as a board member.”

In an interview with the Star last Thursday, Streicker gave a more detailed response. He picked his words carefully, though, when asked directly if he had requested Cabott’s departure.

“Lesley and I have been in conversation about her time on the board and she said to me that she wanted to step down but she wanted some time to transition to someone else,” he said.

“We talk often. I discussed it with her and also discussed it with the vice-chair, and the thinking was for her to go to two more board meetings, which would take us to May.

“It was her suggestion to step down in May,” the minister reiterated. “This has been an ongoing dialogue between myself and the chair.”

Streicker said he has put the matter over to the standing committee that manages appointments to the board, and asked if it had a recommendation on who to appoint as chair.

That committee, Streicker said, chose not to offer a recommendation.

“They just were silent on it. They didn’t make a recommendation back to me.”

So Streicker said he made the recommendation for Cabott to serve for those two board meetings, advancing the process into May.

He explained there is no formal process to transition from one board chair to another.

Cabott has served two three-year terms as chair.

Streicker said he has informally a candidate in mind, but it is “still unfolding,” and he wasn’t prepared to offer any names at present.