Community Services Minister John Streicker found himself enmeshed in controversy during a legislative debate on the emergency act after an email fiasco Tuesday.

He wasn’t the only high-profile MLA under fire. The controversy also threatened to involve the Speaker of the legislature.

The assembly was poised to debate a motion to establish an all-party committee to examine whether the Civil Emergency Management Act needs to be overhauled after its use over the past nine months to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Yukon Party had been strenuously resisting the inclusion of Streicker on the committee.

Party representatives argued it would be a conflict of interest, although Streicker would be called as a witness before the committee, the party said.

Party leader Currie Dixon said Streicker’s inclusion would be akin to allowing him to “grade his own report card.”

The debate took an interesting – and embarrassing – turn after Streicker “inadvertently” sent an email to a Yukon Party official Tuesday morning outlining research and suggestions to his Liberal colleagues as to how the debate should be handled.

Streicker told an afternoon media scrum he had been researching issues involving the formation of the committee when he made the error.

Once a fellow cabinet minister pointed out the mistake, Streicker said, he released the information to NDP officials as a matter of courtesy.

Yukon Party MLAs, including House Leader Stacey Hassard, pounced on the issue during question period.

They bombarded Streicker and the Liberals with accusations that he and the government were trying to exert undue influence in the matter.

The emails, Hassard alleged, highlighted how Streicker allegedly manipulated the process to ensure his inclusion on the committee.

Streicker answered questions on the issue during the media scrum. He said the situation was personally and professionally embarrassing for him.

“(Monday) night, I was working on the selected committee motion I brought forward,” he said.

“I was looking at past committees, how they were struck. I made an error and sent it to the Yukon Party.

“Anytime I make a misstep, I’m pretty hard on myself. So yeah, I was pretty chagrined. I’m pretty proud of the words I wrote.

“I think it’s a good evaluation of the situation. I hate when I make mistakes. I think we all do.”

Streicker also sent the email to Speaker Nils Clarke, which he acknowledged was another mistake.

The Speaker, usually elected from the governing party, is expected to maintain a strict neutrality and maintain independence from the legislative process.

Clarke nominally is a Liberal member, but must maintain an arm’s-length relationship.

Streicker said he had no problem with the idea of a committee. He always expected the government’s actions with the emergency act would be reviewed at some point.

He said his research indicated it wasn’t uncommon to have a cabinet minister on such a committee.

“It’s my job to research this,” he said.

Dixon said the Yukon Party believes it’s “inappropriate” for the minister to be a member of the committee evaluating his own work.

“(Tuesday) morning, we learned two things. The minister clearly has his fingers all over this thing, and has been orchestrating the government’s response. He’s been co-ordinating the agenda and preparing the notes.

“We think this whole process is a sham. We think this whole thing is flawed, and we think it’s pretty clear he’s been co-ordinating with the Liberals and he’s been co-ordinating with the Speaker.

“That throws into question the neutrality of the Speaker. You don’t plan for a game with the referee in the room. That’s not how it’s supposed to work.”

NDP Leader Kate White was also concerned about the role of the Speaker in the matter.

“The issue here is that this isn’t the first time the Speaker has been incorporated into an issue,” she said.

“We’ve had concerns before when he’s interjected himself into the process. He’s represented the Liberal government before in advertising and giving speeches at events.

“I appreciate mistakes happen, but it shows something in combination with other events.”

Ultimately, the Liberals used their majority to appoint Streicker to the committee. It will report back to the legislature with its findings next summer.