The Yukon Party – the Official opposition – and the governing Liberals have found a new way to be at odds.

On Tuesday, Yukon Party MLA Brad Cathers introduced a written motion calling for ministerial statements – a regular part of legislative sessions – to be approved prior to reading from at least one of the opposition parties.

He says that was a change suggested by an all-party committee in recent months.

His primary concern is that Liberal ministers are using the statement to rehash announcements and news releases that have already been made available to the public.

Cathers suggested the time is precious during the legislative sessions, and the ministerial statements are wasting valuable time.

Earlier this week, Jordan Owens, the head of cabinet communications, sent out a strongly-worded statement to Yukon media organizations on the motion by Cathers.

“If (the motion) is moved and passed, this will limit debate in the House and have a significant and negative impact on ministers’ ability to provide information to the legislative assembly and the public,” she wrote.

“This is a significant attack on free speech by the opposition, as it will require concurrence from opposition party House leaders on the topic and text of ministerial statements.

“We do not believe that the opposition should be able to gate-keep or censor government information intended for the public.”

She did not acknowledge that approval would be needed from only one of the opposition parties for the statements.

Owens went on to write that “Currently, ministerial statements are provided in writing to the opposition no later than 11 a.m. each day they are delivered, giving them ample time to develop and deliver a response.”

She went on to explain the Yukon Legislative Assembly’s Standing Order 11 addresses ministerial statements.

“While the opposition has been raising complaints in the legislature lately about ministerial statements ‘not containing new information,” Standing Order 11(4) says that ‘a member who has been designated as a cabinet commissioner may make an announcement or statement related to his or her commission.

“There are currently no limitations around the topic.”

For his part, Cathers told the Star Wednesday that as far as he is aware, this is the first time a Yukon government has completely ignored the recommendations of an all-party committee advising on government procedures. He has been an MLA since 2002.