A Quebec New Democrat MP presented a petition on behalf of Yukoners in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

More than 1,600 Yukoners signed the petition asking the federal government to reopen the Revenue Canada office in Whitehorse that was closed in September because of federal cutbacks.

Whitehorse tax consultant Carol Church, who organized the campaign, said Yukon Conservative MP Ryan Leef should also be standing up for Yukoners.

“I don't think he's been expressing our concerns in the House of Commons enough for the numbers of people that have tried to contact him or the numbers of people that have signed that petition,” she said.

Church said the closure of the Revenue Canada office in Whitehorse will deprive citizens and business of a much-needed service.

Church said Leef did offer to table the petition himself but she decided the opposition NDP would be more effective at getting the Revenue Canada office reopened.

NDP MP Hoang Mai, who tabled the petition, represents the Brossard-Le Prairie riding in Quebec and is the official opposition’s critic on national revenue issues,

Mai told the House of Commons on Wednesday that Leef has had since September, when the office closed, to raise the matter in Parliament.

“Since then the member from Yukon has used five statements to attack the NDP,” said Mai.

“Not once has he mentioned this closure here in this House, Mr. Speaker. When seniors, families and businesses are being hurt by Conservative cuts, New Democrats are standing up for all Canadians, even if their members don't.”

Church said she hopes getting the petition tabled in the House will help their cause.

“We worked long and hard to get those signatures and I think that getting it in the House of Commons is a big step,” Church said. “Hopefully we can take it from there and make things happen.”