The Yukon government has only itself to blame for lacking information about federal parolees living in the territory. Justice minister Doug Phillips has criticized the federal government for not telling him a convicted murderer and child molester was released on parole to a Whitehorse halfway house. But before the Yukon Party came to power, the territorial government had such information at its fingertips, says Brian Lang, northern district director of parole with the Solicitor General's office. Before 1993, YTG was contracted by Ottawa to supervise federal parolees living in the territory. The only groups that currently have extensive knowledge about the six federal parolees living in the territory are the RCMP, the Salvation Army, the halfway house they may be staying in and any of their victims who have asked for notification.
People have a certain right to privacy.
It is very difficult, of course. There are all sorts of legal and ethical types of issues. And there is always some conflict between what people want to know and the act. Lang came to Whitehorse from his office in Prince George, B.C., to assure residents the territory is not a dumping ground for murderers and sex offenders. Currently, six parolees from federal prisons are living in the territory.