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Monday, December 5, 2011 —=
1:00
p.m.
Speaker: I will now call= the House to order. We will proceed at this time with prayers.
Prayers
DAILY ROUTINE
Speaker: We will proceed with the Order Paper.<= /p>
Tributes.
TRIBUTES
In remembrance of Stephen Roy Cardiff
Ms. Moorcroft: Mr. Speaker, on= behalf of the Official Opposition, I rise to pay tribute to a dear friend and a fo= rmer member of this House, Stephen Roy= Cardiff, who left us in July of 2011.
Steve’s devotion to his large= family and to his friends, and his compassion for those less fortunate were inspirational. I recognize the presence in the gallery today of Steve’= ;s wife Rachel Cardiff and her children, Anne and Stewart; Steve’s son, = Jessen Cardiff, and Jessen’= ;s mother, Kathy Hanifan; Steve’s parents, w= ho have travelled from British Columbia to be here today: Steve’s mother, Elizabeth Ritchie and Steve’s father, Norm Cardiff, and his wife Gret= a. Unable to be with us here today are Steve’s stepsons, John and Michae= l, his brother Bill and sister Julie, and SteveR= 17;s grandchildren, of whom he was so proud.
I would also like to acknowledge th=
ere are
many of Steve’s friends and colleagues with us in the House today.
Steve loved politics, and his love =
of
politics was probably inherited long ago through his great-grandfather, Ste=
wart
Beatt, who ran for the Cooperative Commonwealth
Federation in Nelson,
Steve was a formidable campaigner f=
or over
20 years, helping many other New Democrats to get elected before he threw h=
is
own hat into the ring. He had many campaign stories he liked to tell, inclu=
ding
the time he was bit by a dog while campaigning for me in
Before politics, Steve was a proud = sheet metal worker who served on the Yukon Federation of Labour executive and as president of his Local 310 of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters for 16 years. He believed in being an act= ive community volunteer and was appointed to the Yukon College Board of Governo= rs for nine years, acting for three years as chair of the board.
Steve had a real passion for educat=
ion and
working with youth. He supported Yukon Women in Trades and Technology, prom=
oted
youth trades training and the protection of young workers’ safety und=
er
workers’ compensation. After many years of community volunteerism and
political activism, in 2002 Steve stepped forward himse=
lf
and ran for the New Democrats in the riding of
He was successfully elected to the =
Yukon
Legislative Assembly in the general election of
Steve was known as a constituency politician, the kind who stays close to his community and the voters who elected him, who works hard to represent their interests and makes the commitment to always be available on the phone, at their door when invited,= and at the many community meetings that take hours in evenings to attend. He fe= lt that this was his obligation and privilege.
Steve also had a great respect for =
the
Assembly and he took very seriously the honour of being a member of =
Steve read the newspapers cover to =
cover
and his radio was always on at news time. He was a voracious reader and a m=
eticulous
note taker, and he took great efforts to come prepared and informed and to =
act
with the dignity and respect that this office demanded of him. He also
recognized there was room for improvement, and he brought a cooperative app=
roach
as the NDP member on five select committees that did extensive work consult=
ing
with Yukoners in every community.
Steve Cardiff will be remembered as=
the
rock for the New Democratic Party and for
Steve was a passionate social democ=
rat. He
never failed to urge us to do more for the less fortunate, especially the h=
omeless,
the destitute and our youth. He was an advocate for Angel’s Nest. He
never forgot the days he spent searching for the missing young woman, Angel=
Carlick, and remained to the end committed to provide=
Steve stood in solidarity with the
women’s community, and he advocated for Kaushee’s Place and the=
ir
need for second-stage housing for women fleeing abuse, and it won’t be
soon forgotten that Steve and his wife Rachael were the first to be there w=
ith
food, supplies and encouragement for the “tent city” residents
camped on the lawn of the Legislative Assembly building throughout this pas=
t summer
and fall.
Those who were fortunate to spend t=
ime with
Steve will remember him in the coming years as a respectful politician, a
willing friend, a loving family man, and an active community volunteer. His
passing is a big loss to
Steve’s beliefs are embedded = in the J.S. Woodworth prayer he liked to say at gatherings:
“We are thankful for these an= d all the good things of life.
“We recognize that they are a= part of our common heritage and come to us through the efforts of our brothers and sisters the world over.
“What we desire for ourselves= , we wish for all.
“To this end, may we take our= share in the world’s work and the world’s struggl= es.”
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; It is with a heavy heart we in the Liberal caucus pay tribute=
to
our friend and former colleague, Steve Cardiff, the NDP MLA for
Steve left us suddenly in a tragic = car accident in July of this year and we all mourn the loss of a gentle man who= was committed to helping others. Steve was a compassionate individual, a strong advocate and a defender of those who needed help.
He was a man of dedication and comm= itment, be it to his family, friends, his constituents, or the many causes he champ= ioned. He was an excellent MLA and representative in this Yukon Legislative Assemb= ly.
I sat beside Steve for five years i= n this Chamber. Everyone knew he wore his heart on his sleeve, and I became a bett= er MLA for knowing him. I was fortunate to have worked closely with Steve on m= any select committees in this Legislature, where we travelled throughout the territory. Steve was a good listener and contributor and we had many great conversations. I am going to miss those conversations.
I remember one time when I was in a= heated exchange in this House in Question Period with the former Premier Fentie. I= was getting pretty upset by the way the debate was progressing, and during a response from the Premier, Steve handed me a note that said something to the effect of “I’ll buy you lunch for a week if you can slip in the name Bart Simpson in your next question.” That’s the type of guy Steve was. He knew people, and he was a good judge of character, and I think that day that note saved me from getting sat down.
Steve moved to the
He worked as a certified sheet metal
journeyman for over 20 years. He always put workers and workers’ righ=
ts
first, and his concerns for safe working conditions for all
We wish to express our deepest symp=
athy to
his wife, his children, his family, his friends and his colleagues. Be prou=
d of
the man he was. He has left his indelible mark on the
“Do not stand at my grave and=
weep,
“I am not there; I do not sle=
ep.
“I am a thousand winds that b=
low,
“I am the diamond glints on s=
now,
“I am the sun on ripened grai=
n,
“I am the gentle autumn rain.=
“When you awaken in the
morning’s hush,
“I am the swift uplifting rus=
h,
“Of quiet=
birds in
circling flight.
“I am the soft starlight at n=
ight.
“Do not stand at my grave and=
cry;
“I am not there. I did not di= e.”
Mr. Speaker, there is a saying in p= olitics: People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care= . Believe me when I say that many, many Yukoners knew how much Steve Cardiff cared ab= out our territory and its people. He will be missed but never forgotten. Rest in peace, my friend.
[Member spoke in native language=
. Text unavailable.]
Hon. Mr. Cathers: I also rise today in tribute to Ste= ve Cardiff. Like other colleagues in this House, I was also shocked when we he= ard the news of Steve’s tragic accident this summer. I worked with Steve = for quite a number of years and in this House all too often the divisions along party lines tend to make us cordial acquaintances, at best, with many of th= e members. Steve was someone that I would call a friend and I was very truly sorry to learn of his passing.
I enjoyed working with him. I worke= d with him in a number of areas: as House leader and on committees, notably the Se= lect Committee on the Safe Operation and Use of Off-road Vehicles being one of t= he more challenging ones we dealt with. The issues that fell under that commit= tee were complex. They were very polarized among Yukoners and had feedback from more than 2,000 Yukoners who had submitted perspectives with widely varying views on what they wanted to see. I think Steve really deserves a lot of the credit for the fact that we actually reached an agreement.
At one point, I was not optimistic = that we would be able to reach a final report. I give him credit for the fact that = he played a role with all members of the committee by emphasizing the importan= ce of respecting the more than 2,000 Yukoners who had taken their time to prov= ide their views and wanted to see us complete the job and come up with a report= .
In this House, even when I was on t= he receiving end of questions and debate from Steve, the one thing I always fe= lt was that Steve was fair, and that is something that, unfortunately, we can’t always say about other members in this House. I really always f= elt that he was trying to be fair, even when you disagreed very intensely on a policy matter. There was a focus on the policy and an attempt to remain respectful to fellow members even when he disagreed with them strongly.
I would echo the comments made by t= he Member for Copperbelt South and the Member for Vuntut Gwitchin. I know that there are many people across this territory whose lives were touched by Ste= ve and who appreciated his approach in engaging in debate. I would encourage n= ew members of this House to take a look at some of the excerpts from Hansar= d in looking at Steve’s approach to debate and consider taking that as a model for their own approach to engaging effectively but strongly in debate while remaining cordial to those with whom they do not always agree.=
In conclusion, = to all of his friends, to all of his family and all whose lives he touched, my sincere condolences.
Speaker: Are there any further tributes?
Introduction of= visitors.
INTRODUCTION OF VISITO=
RS
Mr. Elias:<=
/b> I ask your indulgence, and I ask all members to join me in
welcoming in the House today Ms. Lorraine Netro=
, a constituent
of mine and also a former MLA for the Vuntut Gwitchin riding and, or course,
Mr. Steve Cardiff’s former colleague.
Applause
Speaker: Returns or documents for tabling.
TABLING RETURNS AND DOCUMENTS
Speaker: = 194; The Chair has for tabling the following documents:
The 2011 Annual Report of the Yukon= Child and Youth Advocate; the 2010-11 Annual Report of the Yukon Conflict of Inte= rest Commissioner; the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of the Yukon on Electoral Financing and Political Contributions 2010; the 2010 Annual Repor= t of the Yukon Information and Privacy Commissioner; the 2010 Annual Report of t= he Yukon Ombudsman; the Yukon Human Rights Commission Annual Report April 1, 2= 009 to March 31, 2010; the Report on Travel Expenses of Members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly 2010-11; and a Report of the Clerk of the Assembly made pursuant to section 39(6) of the Legislative Assembly Act regarding = the absence of members from sittings of the Legislative Assembly and meetings o= f committees of the Legislative Assembly.
Are there any further returns or do=
cuments
for tabling?
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
Speaker: Under reports of committees, the Chair has for tabling the 18= th Report of the Standing Committee on Appointments to Major Government Boards= and Committees of the 32nd Legislative Assembly.
Are there any other reports from committees?
Are there any petitions?
Are there any bills to be introduce= d?
Are there any notices of motion?
NOTICES OF MOTION
Ms. Hanson:&= #8195; I give notice o= f the following motion:
THAT this House will make good gove= rnment and democratic reform a priority by:
(1) working collaboratively within the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges to improve legislative processes; and
(2) working through other means, such as new select committees, in order to advance dem= ocratic reform.
Ms. Moorcroft: I give notice o= f the following motion:
THAT it is the opinion of this Hous= e that
(1) housing is a human right; and
(2) in keeping with the principles =
of
Yukon’s current Human Rights =
Act
and the United Nations’ Unive=
rsal
Declaration of Human Rights, to which Canada is a party, Yukon’s =
Human Rights Act should be amended=
to
recognize housing as a human right by adding the following to the Bill of
Rights contained in the act: “Every individual is entitled to adequate
and affordable housing and to protection from eviction without cause, parti=
cularly
in cases where eviction will result in homelessness.”
Ms. White: Mr. Speaker, I give notice of the following motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Yukon to work with all governments, including First Nations, as well as non-profit and private housing providers, to develop a Yukon housing strate= gy and policy framework that will:
(1) include all
(2) have performance and risk-manag= ement measures;
(3) be comprehensive, innovative, practical and achievable;
(4) increase the housing supply;
(5) improve housing affordability; and
(6) support individuals and families in greatest housing need.
Mr. Barr: I gi= ve notice of the following motion:
THAT this House urges the Yukon gov= ernment to enact a residential tenancy act in response to the recommendations of the Select Committee on the Landlord and Tenant Act in order to:<= /p>
(1) provide a legal framework for rental homes;
(2) outline the rights and responsi= bilities of both landlords and tenants;
(3) set = basic health and safety standards to be met in all rental units;
(4) provide education to help tenants understand their rights and responsibilities; and=
(5) provide a
dispute resolution process which is easily accessible and avoids the use of
courts to resolve conflicts.
Mr. Tredger: I give notice of the following moti= on:
THAT this House urges the
(1)=
protect one of the last remaining pristine wilderness
watersheds in
(2)= respect the time and commitment of the parties —= the First Nation of Na Cho Nyäk Dun, the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, the Gwich’in Tribal Council = and countless Yukoners and local businesses — that have invested in their efforts to reach a fair balance between preservation and development; and= span>
(3) respect and validate the processes of the Yukon Land U= se Planning Council and the First Nation final agreements.
Mr. Tredger: I give notice of the following moti= on:
THAT the House urges the Yukon gove= rnment to implement an immediate moratorium and conduct a full and rigorous scient= ific review and public consultation on the effects and desirability of hydraulic fracturing, a non-conventional form of natural gas extraction — also known as “fracking” — before = any regulatory approvals or permitting is allowed in the Yukon.
Ms. Stick:= 8195; I give notice o= f the following motion:
THAT this House urges the Yukon gov= ernment to take immediate steps to complete and implement its social inclusion stra= tegy in view of previous work done in this regard in order to achieve a territor= y in which everyone lives with purpose, dignity and satisfaction and to ensure t= hat the strategy:
(1) is b= ased on consultation with stakeholders and the public;
(2) demonstrate= s evidence-based policies;
(3) responds to the recommendations in the Task Force on Acutely Intoxicated Persons at Ris= k; and
(4) applies across all government departments.
Mr. Elias:= 8195; Mr. Speaker, I rise to give notice of the following motion:= span>
THAT this House urges the Minister = of Justice to undertake a full review of the territory’s family, child a= nd property laws with a view to introducing amendments to this legislation by = the fall of 2013, and that the review address the issues of:
(1) custody and access;
(2) property;
(3) spousal support;
(4) same-sex couples; and
(5) the = definition of a common-law relationship.
Mr. Speaker, I also give notice of = the following motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Yukon to move quickly to:
(1) articulate<=
/span>,
negotiate and implement a clear definition of the role and jurisdiction of =
the
Yukon Water Board in the context of Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic
Assessment Board assessments and the Government of Yukon decision documents=
on
project. The role and jurisdiction of both the Yukon Water Board and the Yu=
kon
Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board must be made explicitly c=
lear
and unambiguous; and
(2) investigate= the concept of a process charter, which sets out how the overall assessment= and regulatory process works, including the role of all relevant bodies.=
I also give notice of the following= motion:
THAT this House urges the minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation to explain, by way of a m= inisterial statement, the government’s commitment to “planning the construction of large-scale hydro-electric projects to meet medium- to long-term needs.”
Mr. Silver: I ris= e to give notice of the following motion:
THAT the House =
urge
the Government of Yukon to work with health care professionals and stakehol=
ders
in
I also give notice of the following= motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Yukon to amend the Elections Act = i>to address concerns raised by voters with regard to rules for enumeration and voter identification.
I also give notice of the following= motion:
THAT this House urges the Minister = of Finance to reach a settlement, without going to court, with the owners of t= he Top of the World Golf Course to ensure the facility is available to the pub= lic for the 2012 tourism season.
I also give notice of the following= motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen=
t of
Yukon to live up to commitments made during the 2011 election campaign and
build a new recreation centre in the community of
Mr. Hassard: I ris= e to give notice of the following motion:
THAT this House urges the Yukon gov=
ernment
to improve Yukoners’ access to doctors, nurses, medical specialists a=
nd
other health professionals by implementing a new health human resource stra=
tegy
with components including:
(1) doubling the
family physician incentive to $100,000 over five years for physicians who h=
ave
recently graduated in exchange for working in the
(2) creating a new family physician recruitment incentive to help medical clinics with the cos= t of recruiting and supporting new doctors;
(3) increasing<=
/span> the
medical education bursary by 50 percent to $15,000 per year for
(4) doubling the
incentive for students who enter medical residency in a
(5) increasing<= /span> the nursing education bursary by 50 percent to $7,500 per year;
(6) increasing<= /span> the health professions education bursary by 50 percent to $7,500 per year for Yukoners training for other health professions;
(7) increasing<= /span> funding supporting multi-disciplinary collaboration, including offering med= ical practices new funding to add nurse practitioners and RNs to their clinics;<= /span>
(8) piloting a collaborative primary care clinic in cooperation with the health care community; and
(9) offering the Yukon Medical Association funding to expand supports to visiting specialists and medical graduates in residency.
Ms. McLeod: I rise to give notice of the follow= ing motion:
THAT this House urges the Yukon gov= ernment to provide new supports for people looking after sick or disabled family me= mbers, including adults and seniors needing extra care and children with severe disabilities by taking steps including:
(1) establishin= g a new caregiver tax credit for families caring for a relative with a disabili= ty, including seniors and adults and children with severe disabilities;<= /p>
(2) providing= span> additional funding for therapies as well as money for specialized equipment, ramps and lifts, to assist disabled children through an expanded family sup= port for children with disabilities program;
(3) helping seniors stay in their homes longer by assisting with minor home repairs and upgrades; and
(4) enhancing= span> the home care program, including providing more help for respite care of childr= en and dependent relatives.
Speaker: Are there any further notices of motion?
Hon. Mr. Cathers: I rise to give notice of the follow= ing motion:
THAT this House urges the
(1) working with
farmers and industry associations including the Yukon Agriculture Associati=
on
and the Growers of Organic Food
(2) developing<= /span> a “Yukon-Grown Food Policy” aimed at significantly increasing the production and use of locally-grown vegetables, meat and food products;
(3) supporting<= /span> the development of agriculture infrastructure that improves food security, facilitates access to market and encourages local production of food;
(4) supporting<=
/span> the
development of local markets for
(5) working with
Speaker: Is there a statement by a minister?
This then brings us to Question Per= iod.
QUESTION PERIOD
Question re: Housing
shortage
Ms.
Hanson:&=
#8195; The government =
said in
the Speech from the Throne that housing and land availability have been ide=
ntified
as pressing challenges. It is no exaggeration to say that housing in the =
span>
The previous Yukon Party government=
turned
down recommendations to address housing needs in
Will the Premier tell the House wha= t his immediate intentions are to alleviate the housing crisis that Yukoners are facing this winter?
Hon. Mr. Kent: With regard to the housing issues, = I will offer for members opposite some of the accomplishments of the previous two Yukon Party governments, including substantial investments in affordable housing facilities in Dawson City and seniors facilities in Watson Lake, Fa= ro and Teslin.
We recognize, of course, that there= still is work to be done. That’s why we have identified land to increase the rental stock here in Whitehorse and are looking at other options, including working with First Nations to ensure that we can meet the housing needs, not only today, but moving forward.
So we recognize that there is work =
to be
done and we look forward to that work. But we also want to congratulate the=
previous
two Yukon Party governments for the work that they have done in building
affordable housing and seniors housing for Yukoners.
Ms. Hanson:&= #8195; There are indee= d many options to solve our immediate housing problems, and I do acknowledge the m= inister’s comments with respect to the social housing stock that is being built. I wo= uld request that that minister actually visit some of those houses, because he = will find that many of them are not designed for the citizens who are intended t= o be living in them — including seniors — when you have washrooms th= at are totally inaccessible. That’s another day and another question.
A good start for the managing and addressing of immediate housing needs would be to manage the existing Yukon Housing Corporation stock effectively and to confirm a use for the Alexander Street Residence. A more immediate and pressing need would be to revise the= Landlord and Tenant Act, as recommended by the select committee long ago.=
Will the minister show good faith a= s a first step in demonstrating that this government is truly committed to addressing the housing problem by bringing forward new legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Select Committee on the Landlord Te= nant Act this spring?
Hon. Ms. Taylor: Mr. Speaker, as was outlined in our recent election platform, = the Yukon Party government is very much committed to adhering to the recommendations of the select committee that oversaw the Landlord and Te= nant Act.
This is a very complex piece of leg= islation, and one that has not been touched for some 50 years. We all recognize that = it is a work in progress and that it is well overdue.
So, yes, we are very much committed= to demonstrating a measured and responsible approach toward protecting the int= erests of both tenants and landlords, while promoting a healthy, private rental housing market.
Ms. Hanson:&= #8195; I would urge the minister opposite to ensure that that legislation and that commitment is delivered soon, and not in a delayed way, as we have seen in previous commitments by previous Yukon Party governments on other important legislat= ion.
The United Nations has described ho=
using
and homelessness in
Will the Premier begin his mandate =
by
working with all sectors of the
Hon.
Mr. Kent: Last week I had the opportunity to =
attend
the National Housing Day breakfast sponsored by CMHC and even by the list of
presenters at that it became clear that this is certainly a problem that ne=
eds
to be tackled on a number of fronts by a number of different partners. Of
course the Yukon Housing Corporation Board of Directors, the Department of
Community Services, and the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources have a
role to play as well as the private sector, the City of Whitehorse
Question re: Peel watershed land use plan
Mr. Tredger: The Peel is one of the last remaini=
ng
pristine watersheds in the world. The
Affected First Nations, nearby comm= unities and the majority of Yukoners have, in the spirit of compromise, accepted th= is balanced plan.
In January 2010, the
What is this government’s pla= n to get the Peel land use planning process back on track?
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Mr. Speaker, first of all, I have to dispute the member’s assertion that the process is off-track. There w= ere some delays to the original timelines, caused, of course, by the election cycle. I will inform the member — and I will provide him a copy later today — through a copy of a letter I sent to the chiefs of the four affected First Nations. They recently sent me a letter proposing new timeli= nes for concluding consultation. The letter that I have sent to them indicates = that the government is in basic agreement with the timelines they have outlined = and that we wish to have the senior liaison committee meet to finalize the prec= ise details for concluding that consultation timeline.
Mr. Tredger: Mr. Speaker, I’m glad to hear=
that
the government is finally beginning to live up to its commitments. Here we =
are
in early December. There has been no decision. There have been no final
consultations. As part of the letter of understanding with the First Nation=
s,
we were to meet with the residents of Mayo, Old Crow,
When will the government fulfill its obligations, provide the public the opportunity to see this government̵= 7;s position on the Peel and hold final public consultations?
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: The Yukon
We believe that debate over the Peel
planning process has become unnecessarily polarized and politicized. The de=
bate
has also at times lost touch with reality. It’s time to shift the deb=
ate
from whether to protect the environment in the Peel to how to best protect =
the
environment of the Peel while allowing responsible use. We believe that most
Yukoners actually share common values. Yukoners value wilderness beauty and
healthy ecosystems, but also want a strong, diversified economy that provid=
es
employment for their friends, families and communities.
Mr. Tredger: When the Peel Watershed Planning
Commission was created, the NDP caucus called for a moratorium on staking. =
The
Mr. Speaker, the current moratorium=
on
staking is set to expire on
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: Mr. Speaker, again I have to correc=
t the
member’s understanding a bit with regard to the process. I know that =
he
has been relying to a large extent on the political rhetoric to guide his
understanding of the process and unfortunately, the NDP has not properly
understood some of the details pertaining to this plan.
The Yukon government has an obligat= ion under the Umbrella Final Agreement = to take final recommended plans proposed by the commissions composed of citize= ns appointed to them to determine where we believe improvements can be made to make the final plan as good as we can make it and then, following that, to engage in a final stage of public consultations and finally, consultations = and discussions with First Nations.
In the letter that I sent back to t= he four chiefs — those being the chiefs of Na Cho Nyäk Dun, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Vuntut Gwitchin and the Tetlit Gwich’in — I have indicated that we indeed agree substantially with the timelines they have proposed, and the e= xact details of that can be worked out by the senior liaison committee. We are, = in fact, also committing to extending the moratorium on staking until September 2012.
Question re: &=
nbsp; Fiscal
management
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; I have a question for the Premier today. The
What is the Premier’s plan to=
protect
our territory as much as possible from another global recession?
Hon.
Mr. Pasloski: As the Hon. Mem=
ber for
Vuntut Gwitchin has mentioned, things in the
Now we’re sitting in our third
consecutive majority government — unprecedented in the
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; The
All these ingredients, put together= , are a recipe for another global recession. What Yukoners want to know is: what is= the Premier’s plan?
What is the Premier’s plan to= shelter our territory as much as possible from the real possibility of another glob= al recession?
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: You know, the a= nswer to that question is quite simple, and it really exists within our platform. The fact is that we do have a strong economy, and we have just actually just go= ne through, in 2008 and 2009, the worst recession that this world has seen sin= ce the Dirty Thirties.
What we did with that is to come ou= t of that essentially unscathed. We have money in the bank, and we have net posi= tive financial resources, meaning that we haven’t borrowed today for tomorrow’s future. We are in a very positive spot and what we plan to= do is continue to keep this economy moving forward, and that is the best recipe for success.
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; I’ll be gentle, Mr. Speaker. If the Yukon Party is poin=
ting
to their platform or their throne speech, it was about as exciting as an
empty-net goal in hockey is, as I said the other day. I surely hope the Pre=
mier
realizes that what happens in
Yes, we have weathered the storm be= fore, but we need to hear a plan. What we don’t need in our territory are people getting anxious about the economy and delaying their spending or purchases.
What I want to hear from the Premie=
r today
is some reassurance that he does have a plan and that Yukoners will see new=
investments
in infrastructure, especially in rural
What contingency plans does the gov= ernment have in the case of a global recession, and can the Premier make those plan= s public?
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: Mr. Speaker, we’ll leave the hockey analogies for another day, but just keep the elbows down.
I would like to say that there are = a lot of answers to that question and we only have a few seconds to answer. Again, I will refer the interim Liberal leader to our platform, because it truly describes where we are and how we will continue to be successful going forw= ard.
One of the major things that we hav= e done in the last few years has been investment in infrastructure. Infrastructure= not only creates stability and quality of life for Yukoners going forward, but = it also creates jobs for Yukoners today as well.
We’re also investing in diver=
sifying
our economy — film and sound, outfitting, tourism. The list goes on a=
nd
on.
Ensuring that we have a strong econ= omy to ensure that we can continue to see the quality of life of Yukoners and oppo= rtunities for Yukoners continue is a priority for this government.
Question re:
Mr.
Silver:&=
#8195; I have a questi=
on for
the Minister of Finance about the future of recreation infrastructure in =
span>
The budget tabled last week contain= ed no money to move this project forward. Why did the Premier promise my communit= y a new rec centre and then not fund it?
Hon.
Ms. Taylor: I want to point out for the member
opposite very clearly that this government is indeed very committed to work=
ing
with the City of
In fact, we have been doing just th=
at over
the last number of years with the City of
Mr. Silver:&= #8195; I’m very = happy to hear the minister say that their government is committed to a new rec centre. That $4 million earmarked is going to be = spent on the current building which shouldn’t have been built where it was built and was fundamentally flawed from the beginning.
Being open and accountable means an=
swering
questions that are addressed to you — to the Premier, the member of t=
he
government who came to
In the middle of the campaign, the =
Premier
visited
If it is going to be constructed in= two or three years, that funding has to start flowing now. We are not talking abou= t $4 million.
Why is there no money in the budget= tabled last week to get this building going?
Hon.
Ms. Taylor: Again I will reiterate for the memb=
er
opposite that the government is indeed committed to continuing to work with=
the
City of
When it comes to investments within=
the
So indeed this =
government
is committed to meeting the needs of all
Mr. Silver: Mr.
Speaker, it’s very disappointing to hear the government backing away =
from
this particular commitment so early in its mandate. It is also disappointin=
g to
see that the Premier refuses to answer questions directed to him. At the
November 7 meeting in
The budget tabled last week by this= government confirms that. The amount of money set aside to work on the new building is= not there. Why is the government not moving forward on this project as it promi= sed the residents it would only a couple of months ago?
Hon. Ms. Taylor: Mr. Speaker, I’ll remind the member opposite that this is indeed the first supplementary budget within a five-year mandate of this Government of Yukon= . We were just re-elected for the third consecutive mandate just short of two mo= nths ago.
Mr. Speaker, again, I don’t k= now how to make myself more clear for the member opposit= e.
The Yukon
As I mentioned before, the Governme= nt of Yukon has made significant investment in terms of infrastructure, and we are committed to doing just that. It is outlined within our platform in terms of all of our future commitments. We do have a five-year mandate. It will take time to meet all our commitments, but we look forward to it, and we do so on a track record.
Question re: Homelessness
Ms.
White:=
8195; Mr. Speaker, a =
group of
eight non-government organizations in
This group has taken on the government’s professed policy of social inclusion and applied it with compassion and practicality. The coalition wrote and promoted a detailed proposal and business plan. They have now given up because of the lack of response from this government.
Will the minister responsible for t= he Yukon Housing Corporation advise the House what he intends to do with this propos= al?
Hon.
Mr.
The corporation is directly helping=
over
1,700
Again, the number of people that we= ’re helping is approximately 4,250, through not only the social housing and the staff housing, but also our loans programs. So we are making a difference i= n the lives of Yukoners who require that access to housing. But again, as I stated earlier today in Question Period, there still is work that needs to be accomplished, and it’s something that we look forward to moving on in= the very near future.
Ms.
White:=
8195; I appreciate the
efforts that the government is going through, but what I’m talking ab=
out
is the hard-to-house. Housing First models have been implemented elsewhere =
and
have proven extremely successful. This is not a new idea. This has been
accomplished in other jurisdictions. The Northern City Supportive Housing
Coalition is proposing a concrete solution to the complex problems this
government faces with the hard-to-house. The reduction in emergency room us=
e,
ambulance calls, RCMP and court involvement alon=
e will
have a very positive effect on our ever-expanding budgets in Justice and He=
alth
and Social Services.
More importantly, this idea increas=
es the
potential for these people to become productive and self-supporting members=
of
Will the minister advise this House what this government’s immediate plans are to meet the nee= ds of the hard-to-house in the territory?
Hon.
Mr. Graham: I’ll take responsibility for =
answering
this one. We are currently, as my colleague has mentioned, evaluating a num=
ber
of proposals. The first proposal that we will be working toward is the
renovation of
Ms. White: This government is fond of talking about the collaboration between the various territorial government departments and non-profit organizations. We applaud their efforts. Social inclusion certainly demands that at least the departm= ents of Health and Social Services, Justice, Education, and the Yukon Housing Corporation work together cooperatively and collaboratively to address the needs of the hard-to-house.
The dilemma of having no shelter is= facing dozens of people who will end up living on the street or in the bush, regar= dless of the weather. I appreciate that 207 Alexander is not the immediate soluti= on for the people I am speaking of.
Has the minister responsible for the Housing Corporation met with his colleagues to discuss how the government p= lans to respond to this dire situation?
Hon. Mr. Graham: As I said, we are working together = with the Yukon Housing Corporation and other departments within the government on this problem. The first in the series is 207 Alexander. We are also looking= at a number of other possibilities; however, they haven’t progressed to = the state where we are willing to come out and say this is next on our list. We just got here. We are trying to evaluate the proposals as best we can and, = or course, funding is a difficulty as well. All of those things must be put together and we are in the process of doing that.
Speaker: The time for Question Period has now elapsed. We will proceed= to Orders of the day.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
CONSIDERATION OF SPEECH FROM THE THRONE
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: I wish to inform the House pursuant=
to
the provisions of Standing Order 26(2), that consideration of a motion for =
an
address in reply to the Speech from the Throne, if not concluded today, will
take place on
ADDRESS IN REPLY TO TH= E SPEECH FROM THE THRONE
Ms. McLeod: = I move
THAT the following address be prese= nted to the Commissioner of Yukon:
MAY IT PLEASE T= HE COMMISSIONER: We, the Members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, beg leave = to offer our humble thanks for the gracious Speech which you have addressed to= the House.
Speaker: It has been moved by the Member for
MAY IT PLEASE T= HE COMMISSIONER: We, the Members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, beg leave = to offer our humble thanks for the gracious Speech which you have addressed to= the House.
Ms.
McLeod: It’s with great humility that=
I rise
to address this House as MLA for the
We’re passionate about our li= ves, our towns and every person participates in maintaining our vibrant sense of community.
My home community of
These volunteer organizations donat= e incalculable hours to deliver programs, such as the women and children’s shelter, second-stage housing, childcare programs, therapeutic programs and recreati= onal and social activities for all ages. These organizations provide these essen= tial services very effectively and efficiently and, no doubt, at a lesser cost t= han government is able to. I believe that volunteers deserve all the support th= at government can provide.
Many parts of
Government needs to make sure the m= essage is getting out to the people and to work with the citizens to bring their s= ystems into compliance.
Other parts of Watson
We are pleased to have been approve=
d for
funding in the amount of $3.5 million through Build Canada; however, the
financial cost to bring our community up to a satisfactory level of safety =
and
efficiency is about five or six times that amount. The challenges are great=
and
the
Our town and those off the grid cre=
ate
electricity using diesel — a lot of diesel. A highway lodge owner tel=
ls
me that he may have to finally close his lodge because he cannot afford to
operate his generators. It’s time to look at other options, and I sup=
port
the resolve to diversify our power production. Many residents and businesse=
s in
the
There is much support for hydroelec= tric projects and we look forward to further discussions on this.
Restoring air service to
Like many small northern towns,
As unique as our communities are, s=
o must
be our solutions to our communities’ issues. And, like other communit=
ies,
Watson
Programs intended to help seniors s=
tay in
their own homes as long as possible are beneficial to those seniors. It is a
difficult decision for them to have to acknowledge that it is time to leave
their long-time home. 2011 saw the opening of the 12-unit seniors
residence in
I am pleased that the throne speech referenced making improvements to daycare funding and training of workers. = Daycare is an essential service and it is an integral part of assisting people in entering and remaining in the workforce. It is a drawing card in their deci= sion to upgrade their skills by attending school. It has long been accepted that= one of the features of a healthy, early learning environment is to have childca= re centres staffed with persons who have specialized training in the childcare field. However, there is an extreme shortage of people who have a certifica= te in early childhood education. It is very difficult to entice workers to wor= k in such a high stress area and attend night classes to upgrade their education while barely receiving a living wage.
Any work we can do to improve the s= ituation is a good move forward. Childcare centres have struggled long and hard to p= rovide this essential service while trying to balance the needs of the users and t= he workers.
Providing education in a small town=
is a
challenge. Generally, the student populations are lower, but this certainly
doesn’t lessen the need for quality education for all. Cutting teacher
positions — as has happened in
We must ensure that schools have th= e help and support they need so that we can improve our children’s literacy = and learning abilities and thereby improve their chances of success in further education and in the workforce. I’m encouraged that the throne speech speaks to enhancing early learning options for our children and surely, wor= king together, we can find solutions.
Mr. Speaker, our government has muc=
h work
to do to implement the initiatives outlined in the Yukon Party platform, an=
d I
look forward to working with my colleagues to move forward together.
Ms. Hanson:&= #8195; Mr. Speaker, it= is an honour to stand in my place as a Member of the Legislative Assembly represe= nting Whitehorse Centre, to reply to the Speech from the Throne for the 33rd= Legislative Assembly.
I congratulate Premier Pasloski and his colleagues for their success in the 2011 election campaign. He and = many of his fellow Yukon Party caucus members are new to the Legislative Assembly and new to government. As Leader of the Official Opposition, I look forward= to getting to know each of them and to working with each on issues that matter= to Yukoners.
The Premier and I have not yet had = many occasions to meet, but when we have, we have agreed that one thing we share= in common is an understanding that Yukoners expect us to represent them honest= ly, fairly and collegially.
It is no secret that, as Leader of =
the
Yukon New Democratic Party, my views on many issues will diverge from those=
of
the Premier. My job and his job is to find bridg=
es
between our views so that the interest of all Yukoners is served. The key d=
istinction
in our positions is my obligation to all Yukoners to hold the governing par=
ty
to account on their behalf. I, along with my caucus in the Official Opposit=
ion,
take this charge seriously.
Under our system of democracy, it i= s the key role of the opposition to hold those in power to account, to scrutinize= legislation, to question their spending priorities and practices, to challenge them to d= o a better job for Yukoners. A government is wise to listen to the opposition, = for we are here to improve a government’s performance. The Yukon NDP has = been on both sides of this Legislative Assembly. In opposition, the NDP caucus h= as a proud history of getting results for the public. In the last nine years, the NDP in opposition has been able to push the government in the right directi= on on a number of matters — for example, civil forfeiture. Along with the public, the NDP helped convince the previous government not to rush ahead w= ith this controversial plan. The social inclusion strategy — it was really the NDP under Todd Hardy who got this initiative off the ground by pushing = for an anti-poverty social inclusion summit. I remind the members opposite of t= he Smoke-Free Places Act. It is very = rare that a private member’s bill becomes law, but the NDP in opposition d= id just that.
The Yukon
I am very proud to be joined in thi= s House by my colleagues in the NDP Official Opposition. To a person, they are dedicated, committed and so very prepared to serve their constituents and a= ll Yukoners as members of a loyal opposition.
Mr. Speaker, when after a 30-year c=
areer in
public service, I decided three years ago to put my name forward for the le=
adership
of the Yukon New Democratic Party, I anticipated that there would be
challenges, but Mr. Speaker, I expected those challenges to be the rough and
tumble of politics. The challenges of the last 18 months have been unexpect=
edly
personal as well as political. Less than a year ago, Mr. Speaker, I was a
candidate in a by-election for the riding of Whitehorse Centre; a by-electi=
on
necessitated by the passing of my predecessor, friend and respected colleag=
ue,
Todd Hardy. Almost five months ago to this day, July 6 to be exact, Mr.
Speaker, my trusted friend, colleague and Legislative mentor, Steve Cardiff,
was killed in a horrific car crash. On August 22, Yukoners joined Canadians
across the country to mourn the death of the national leader of the New
Democratic Party, Jack Layton. And yesterday, I joined with friends and fam=
ily
of John Edzerza, a former colleague in this House, to mark his passing. The=
celebration
of his life was that of a man whose life mirrored the challenges often face=
d by
First Nations members of our society.
It has been a challenging time for = all New Democrats. I believe Yukon New Democrats have risen to the challenge set by Jack Layton in his letter to Canadians when he asked us all to recommit with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and make sure no one is left behind and continue to move forward to demonstrate in everything we do in t= he four years before us that we are ready to serve. Like the legendary phoenix= , we rise again, renewed and ready to begin again, stronger in our resolve to se= rve.
Mr. Speaker, I did not face the cha=
llenges
of the emotional roller coaster of the past 18 months alone. I want to ackn=
owledge
the love and support of my husband, Douglas Mowat,
who has steadfastly supported my decision to radically change our retirement
plans, although I am sure there are days he wishes we were off on some other
type of adventure, especially on dark winter days like today. His commitmen=
t to
social justice is deep and he knows that what I do, I do out of our shared
conviction for change that benefits all Yukoners. My daughters, Paula and
Sarah, have provided inspiration, love and support and I thank them both. In
fact, it was Sarah’s decision to run for election in the 2008 =
Doug and I drove down to Camrose to help out in the campaign, something we had=
never
done before. I was born and raised in
So I felt compelled to speak out an= d to engage with my fellow Yukoners because, as a New Democrat, I know that Yuko= ners have a collective wisdom that can guide this territory to achieve great thi= ngs for all Yukoners, not just a select few.
I know this because history has sho=
wn that
when asked for their views, they respond with enthusiasm and careful though=
t.
Proof of this is the legacy of previous New Democratic governments, which s=
et
the foundation for much that we as Yukoners take for granted. Yukoners were
asked to share their vision for the
I fundamentally believe that Yukone=
rs have
much to offer in developing a new vision for the
As Leader of the Official Oppositio= n, I have begun that dialogue and will continue to do so over the coming months = and years.
Mr. Speaker, I am both humbled and = proud to stand here as a New Democrat, as the Leader of the Official Opposition and = as MLA for Whitehorse Centre. The legacy of dedicated New Democrat representat= ion for Whitehorse Centre is long. In addition to Todd Hardy, Roger Kimmerly, Joyce Hayden, Margaret Commodore — wh= o you will remember as the first aboriginal woman Minister of Justice in Canada — also served Whitehorse Centre and all demonstrated a strong commitm= ent to the New Democratic principles of equality, democracy, sustainability, community and cooperation — principles that are more than just words. They are the measure of every initiative we undertake and support on behalf= of Yukoners. They are the principles that have guided New Democrats, whether we are in government or when we are in opposition. They are the principles that have guided us when we worked across party lines or supported government in= itiatives because they were the right thing to do for Yukoners.
Mr. Speaker, over the course of the=
past
months, I have had the opportunity to talk with many Yukoners. In particula=
r, I
have spoken with many of the residents of Whitehorse Centre. Going
through two elections in less than a year has given me a unique opportunity=
to
spend a lot of time in contact with the people of this dynamic riding. Having
received the support of 63 percent of the voters, I am determined to work to
maintain the trust of those who voted for me and to earn the trust of those=
who
did not.
Whitehorse Centre stretches from th=
e banks
of the
Whitehorse Centre is also home to s=
everal
levels of government: the Ta’an Kwäch’än F=
irst
Nation, the City of
One of the uniting factors of White=
horse Centre
is pride of place. As you wander about the riding, you realize that over the
years, Whitehorse Centre, whether it is downtown or in Marwell, has develop=
ed a
number of communities within the community. I look forward to serving them.=
As I was reminded by one of my constituents, Audrey McLaughlin — who knows a thing or two about poli= tics — citizens need to remind us regularly as politicians that they are t= he boss, and so it should be.
Today, we are reflecting on the Spe= ech from the Throne for the First Session of the 33rd Yukon Legislative Assembly. We look forward to hearing the throne speech — the newly elected government’s vision for this territory — and their plan= to translate that vision into reality over the term of their office.
So as I listened to the Commissione= r set out the Yukon Party government’s vision last week, and despite the go= vernment’s use of that word, there really was no vision and it saddened me. I expected more from a new Premier of a new government. Or, maybe there is a vision, b= ut it’s not to be found in a document or throne speech.
I am concerned, as I said earlier, = that it’s a vision similar to Alberta, of unfettered development; that it’s a vision of prosperity for some, but not all; that it’s top-down; that it’s a status-quo vision. In truth, Mr. Speaker, the speech bore an uncanny resemblance to the two previous Yukon Party Speeches from the Throne. The repetition of campaign promises from 2002 and 2006 were striking.
Prior to the calling of this 33rd
Session of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, I met with the Premier for a gen=
eral
conversation on our approach to the session.
In that meeting, I told him that he=
can
expect me to be hard on the issues and principled in my dealings with him a=
nd
his colleagues. That does not mean that I or any of the NDP caucus will back
down from vigorous debate or questioning the decisions made by this governm=
ent
that are not in the best interest of Yukoners. In the spirit of cooperative
engagement that Yukoners expect of their elected representatives, the New D=
emocratic
Official Opposition will be offering the government suggestions and proposa=
ls
that, if pursued, will allow them to exercise their responsibility to gover=
n on
behalf of all Yukoners and to realize a vision for an equitable and prosper=
ous
In the Speech from the Throne, this
government acknowledged that both housing and land availability have been i=
dentified
as pressing challenges. Today, too many Yukoners are grappling with major
housing problems, from having difficulty paying the rent or making the next
mortgage payment or being homeless. The lack of available, affordable housi=
ng
is one of the most serious failures over the nine years of Yukon Party
government. During their two terms in office, vacancy rates remained low and
the supply of land for any type of residential development continues to be =
in
short supply. As a result, housing prices have skyrocketed, and this is not
just a
This is hurting our economy, as emp=
loyers
can’t recruit and retain the staff necessary to run their businesses.=
The
Yukon Party is fond of saying that when it came to power in 2002, 3,000
Yukoners — our young people; our prime labour force — left
The current government has studied = the housing issue endlessly but has failed to act on most of the excellent reco= mmendations from various organizations and studies. We can do better. We can increase t= he housing options by implementing recommendations in A Home for Everyone: A Housing Action Plan for Whitehorse — this report is one of the 13 studies in housing done over the last five years, I might add — and by adapting them to apply to the whole Yukon.
One of the benefits of the work don=
e over
the last five years by
I raise it today, Mr. Speaker, beca= use we’ve seen in the past how the Yukon Party seeks the views of the not= -for-profit sector and the public and then ignores the input. And we have seen the crit= icism levied by the Auditor General toward the Yukon Party governments in the past for taking decisions without sound policy rationale or a business case in place.
Mr. Speaker, today this House paid =
tribute
to Steve Cardiff for his long-standing and passionate advocacy for the most
vulnerable members of
Mr. Speaker, what was most noticeab=
le about
the Speech from the Throne was what was not in it. Nowhere to be found was =
any
reference to the long-awaited social inclusion strategy. This was an initia=
tive
the NDP championed and were pleased to support because we know that all the
studies and evidence-based research shows that when we begin to address the=
inequality
in a real way, we begin to build a socially and economically inclusive soci=
ety.
Also missing was any reference to the 40-year-old Landlord and Tenant Ac=
t.
The report of the select committee =
of the
Legislature said the act should be revised to incorporate best practices in=
residential
tenancy legislation from across
The Speech from the Throne is also
threadbare in reference to education. Yukon New Democrats are committed to
having an education system that is creative and flexible, and that provides=
the
relevant tools for Yukoners to succeed in their working lives and in their
communities. We believe that excellence in education for Yukoners should be
guided by the Education Act, which was passed by a New Democratic
government and reads: Yukoners expect their government to work to close the=
gap
in educational outcomes, to eliminate barriers to education and support inn=
ovative
programs that prepare the citizens of the future to build a prosperous,
compassionate
The Auditor General reported that h=
igh
school graduation rates are lower in the du Yukon, school councils and Yukon College. <=
/p>
This morning, the government broke =
its
first promise of its new mandate. Just over three months ago, on the eve of=
an
election, the Premier and then Education minister unveiled a self-congratul=
atory
sign at the site of the new
According to a government news rele= ase issued today, the completion date has been pushed back to the fall of 2015 = to ensure that the building design meets long-term space and educational needs= and to allow, again, for the potential inclusion of geothermal heating. Geother= mal heating was an original design element that was eliminated in the Yukon Par= ty government’s rush to erect a new sign and host another sod-turning ceremony less than two weeks before the territorial election.
Ensuring the new F.H. Collins Secon= dary School meets the long-term space needs and student learning requirements is= an admirable goal and including geothermal heating in the building design is t= he right thing to do, but today’s enhancement begs an obvious question: = why did the government not consider these things in August when it rushed to ma= ke a pre-campaign announcement?
While the Yukon Party has made vague
promises to turn
As
In an ever-changing economic enviro=
nment,
we will be calling upon the
It should go without argument that = there is a need for this government to build upon various school-based initiatives, = such as the anti-bullying campaign. We will encourage the government to develop = and implement a diversity policy in public and post-secondary learning centres = to promote understanding, reduce discrimination, combat violence and provide s= afe schools where all students feel safe and welcome.
Members of the Official Opposition =
were
pleased to have an opportunity to tour the new
New Democrats believe that everyone= must play a part in the solution if the root causes of crime are to be addressed= . We stand behind our belief of personal responsibility and accountability. Howe= ver, we also recognize the validity of the concerns raised by the Canadian Bar Association and many other organizations with respect to Bill C-10. We will again urge the Yukon Minister of Justice to work with his federal, provinci= al and territorial counterparts to support the Canadian Bar Association in its call for amendments to the proposed federal criminal sentencing laws contai= ned in C-10, and especially those that would address and accommodate the disabi= lity known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. It should not be treated as crimi= nal, but should be recognized as a disability.
Another important matter not refere=
nced in
the throne speech was the review of the
Community policing and greater visi=
bility
are two important elements to strengthen relationships at the community lev=
el between
police and the communities and people they serve. This is particularly
important in my riding of Whitehorse Centre, where I have had many
conversations with people about their perceptions that they are not safe at
night, that seniors are afraid to walk alone and, as we saw this summer, th=
at
sexual assaults continue to occur. The NDP believe that the policing contra=
ct
should ensure that the RCMP meets the expectations of
Mr. Speaker,
Restating the decision to build hos=
pitals,
adding in a new element of a new emergency ward for
At the risk of being overly optimis= tic, I will assume, at least for the time being, that the Premier and his colleagu= es do want to make the system work for patients, clients, workers and health c= are professionals. I will assume that the Premier understands that with more emphasis on wellness and prevention, on client-centred= approaches like collaborative care through an increased role of nurse practitioners and community-based clinics, and action — not avoidance — on the recommendations of reports and studies, that we will find th= at we are better able to provide more cost-effective health care. And I will go out on a limb and assume that the new Minister of Finance will direct that = any public building project will be built based on the evidence and needs, not = on political calculation.
The Canadian Institute for Health
Information has stated as recently as this past week that the three major
cost-drivers for health care are doctors, drugs and diagnostics.
The throne speech makes reference t=
o two of
these. Absent was an area that I would have expected the Premier to take on=
as
a priority, and that is the escalating cost of prescription drugs and the
antiquated legislation governing pharmacy in the
New Democrats understand that intox=
ication
and/or addiction must be dealt with as a health and social issue and not a =
justice
issue. We will be carefully encouraging the Minister of Health and Social
Services to make sure that the initiatives suggested in the throne speech a=
re
the result of evidence-based analysis to determine the appropriate service
necessary, including prevention, harm reduction, medical detoxification ser=
vices,
counselling, residential treatment and after-care.
Guided by the belief that all perso= ns are to be treated with compassion and dignity in a non-judgmental manner and by= the recommendations of the Task Force on Acutely Intoxicated Persons at Risk, N= ew Democrats will support initiatives that: (1) adopt a harm-reduction approac= h; (2) result in the creation of a 24-hour accessible shelter near a sobering centre detox facility; and (3) result in the creation of a sobering centre = in downtown Whitehorse where acutely intoxicated persons at risk are taken when they are detained.
Mr. Speaker, I have already comment= ed on the notable absence of any reference to the Yukon Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Strategy launched two years ago by the previous Y= ukon Party government. I hope that this is not indicative of a lack of political will to tackle complex and interrelated problems. Poverty is consistently linked to poor health, lower literacy, poor school performance for children, more crime, greater public health care costs, increased policing costs, lost productivity and foregone economic activity. It costs us all, Mr. Speaker. =
Poverty reduction is much less cost=
ly than
allowing poverty to continue and paying for the consequences. Research has =
been
done on the cost of poverty reduction in the
We will work with the government on initiatives they put forward to provide individuals and families in need wi= th social assistance at rates that reflect real costs in all areas, not just f= ood rates, and specifically ensure that the housing allocation allows clients to live in a safe, modest accommodation. I had the opportunity to do a brief walkabout with the Minister of Health and Social Services last week in one = of the hotels commonly used by Yukoners on social assistance. I believe he kno= ws that these accommodations are not adequate.
New Democrats were pleased to hear =
in the
throne speech that this government is committed to protecting, preserving a=
nd
celebrating
We also know that what we enjoy tod=
ay
should also be a vital part of our legacy for future generations. Today
Yukoners throughout the territory are calling for greater respect for the
values of conservation and protection and for actions that are based on the
sound and responsible management of the
My experience has shown that for th=
e last
nine years, the Yukon Party has managed the Yukon
The New Democratic Party Official
Opposition pledges to work in cooperation with the
Another major gap in the throne spe=
ech was
any reference to the Peel Watershed Planning Commission report and its reco=
mmendations,
or, for that matter, to land use planning at all.
The Peel watershed, including the W= ind, Snake and Bonnet Plume rivers and the lands they flow through, are among the world’s great wilderness landscapes. Establishment of a special management regime for this area is long overdue. The NDP supports and respe= cts the land use planning processes that were negotiated in the Umbrella Fin= al Agreement. We believe the Peel Watershed Planning Commission has found = the right balance between preservation and development. We will continue to urge the government to accept and act on the recommendations of the final report= of the Peel Watershed Planning Commission, to set aside 80 percent of the watershed as conservation areas.
Mr. Speaker, earlier I described th=
e sorry
situation that
Worse, the Yukon Party has rolled b= ack the clock, I would say, in this area to the pre-land claims colonial past. The result has been enormous public frustration and uncertainty, extensive land= -use conflicts and debate and a view by many First Nations that final agreement commitments have been broken. It is past time to make land use planning a government-wide priority by (1) expediting the process at the municipal, lo= cal and regional levels with full public involvement in decision-making; and (2) fully and effectively implementing the planning provisions of First Nations final land claim agreements.
The Yukon NDP believes that it is imperative to commit to a timetable for the completion of regional land use plans in accordance with chapter 11 of First Nation final agreements and al= so identify approaches for land use planning where land claims are not yet set= tled.
The practice of the predecessor
What I do find offensive is the fac=
t that
the Yukon Party has effectively created yet another crisis situation stemmi=
ng
from its failure to effectively work with all partners to address the growi=
ng
demand for land for residential and commercial purposes. It fueled the fire=
by
providing $500,000 to the City of
I was pleased to see mention of a w= ater strategy in the throne speech. I will suspend my cynicism as to whether the= 33rd Legislative Assembly will actually see it, as neither the 31st n= or 32nd saw fruits of previous promises to develop a comprehensive water strategy.
Controlled development helps ensure
responsible development that respects environmental limits and protects env=
ironmental
conditions. Over the last nine years, the Yukon Party has paid only lip ser=
vice
to environmental monitoring and enforcement of controls on development.
Under-resourced government monitoring of land and water use and inadequate =
enforcement
of permit conditions has created the potential for long-term, adverse
environmental impacts.
Yukon New Democrats are committed to
environmental monitoring enforcement that meets 21st century
standards and practices. The Official Opposition calls upon the Yukon Party
government to establish effective and efficient environmental monitoring and
enforcement standards and practices that anticipate and keep pace with
development so that
Mr. Speaker, we have heard time and=
time
again that due to the high commodity prices the
Sadly, the throne speech was largel=
y silent
on what this government plans to do to diversify our small economy.
The risk with being too dependent o=
n one
industry, such as mining, is all too well-known to the Yukon
We renew our call to recognize that=
small
businesses are the heart of our economy. They supply the necessary goods an=
d services
for our daily lives. They provide services to industry and government. They=
are
integral to the tourism, retail and arts and culture sectors. They are
important to a strong and vital economy. Most small businesses just want
government to get out of the way and make their lives easier, with less bur=
eaucracy.
Some want a helping hand to get started and sometimes some assistance with =
the
inevitable ups and downs of our economy.
New Democrats encourage this govern= ment to strengthen and support small businesses and micro-economic initiatives by helping chambers of commerce and small enterprises in developing business a= nd marketing plans; to reduce insurance rates; to develop distributed training models for small business owners who do not have the time to travel or take time from work for professional development; to target new training programs for those already working to increase their skills and productivity; to work together with other agencies and partners that offer programs that assist s= mall businesses so that such support can be accessed smoothly with less red tape= .
We encourage the government to impl=
ement
the positive suggestions from the government procurement review with a view=
to
increasing the purchasing of
Yukon New Democrats know mining ins=
ide and
out. Many New Democrat MLAs, past and present, have worked in the industry =
and
have proudly represented miners, their families and their communities. We k=
now
the importance of working with industry and communities to create sustainab=
le,
responsible mining where environmental and safety standards are paramount,
where jobs and business opportunities are created locally, and where Yukone=
rs
are not left holding an environmental liability when the mine closes.
Yukoners expect to get their fair s=
hare of
mining revenues. It is time for the
Mr. Speaker, the throne speech set =
out a
number of proposed major projects intended to address
I note that the throne speech sets =
out a
renewed interest in the development of the natural gas industry in <=
st1:State>fracking” — means of extraction.=
p>
In the interest of full and transpa=
rent
communication, let me be clear. The New Democratic Official Opposition will
oppose any use of unconventional means to extract oil and gas in the
We expect the
Another area where the throne speec=
h was
scant on detail was with respect to tourism.
The Official Opposition was encoura=
ged by
the mention in the Speech from the Throne with respect to food security and=
we
will encourage the Yukon Party government to place increased emphasis on fo=
od
security and local food production, community-based agricultural initiatives
and community greenhouses. It is important that we develop a long-term stra=
tegy
for increased incentives for food production and the NDP will be looking for
evidence that the
The Yukon
The throne speech heavily promotes =
the
booming economy but makes no reference to the importance of ensuring that t=
he
workforce that makes that boom happen is respected. The NDP will press and
continue to press the
We note the mention of a school of =
mining
at Yukon
Earlier this year, the Yukon Party
negotiated more authority to permit more short-term, temporary foreign work=
ers
to work in mining and the service sector. We understand that sometimes our
small population cannot fulfill businesses’ labour needs. We have
persistent unemployment in
The challenge now is to have more Y=
ukoners
working in mining and we will be watching that the temporary foreign workers
program is not the long-term strategy for mining sector jobs. We will be
watching to make sure that temporary foreign workers and
The throne speech focused on the de= mand for new energy sources. Earlier, I touched on the controversial process of fracking in order to exploit natural gas. Securing new sources of energy is an environmental and an economic issue. We need to lim= it and minimize energy generation from dirty sources and increase energy from = renewables.
It goes without saying that one of =
the
biggest scandals of the Yukon Party was the attempted secret sale at a
discounted, fire-sale price of Yukon Energy Corporation’s assets to A=
TCO,
a large multinational private corporation based in
We will support investments through=
our
Crown corporations in projects that generate electricity that is affordable,
reliable and renewable. While we talk about that, we have to recognize that
system and infrastructure problems have not been addressed sufficiently. Th=
ere
are simply too many power interruptions and outages, and measures to encour=
age
conservation have gone by the wayside. It’s time for change. We can a=
nd
we must do better. At the same time, we expect the
Mr. Speaker, the throne speech makes reference to continuing to implement cooperative governance and partnership= s. Partnership means working with people to set common goals, not dividing to conquer. Integrity means dealing honestly and openly. Trust is built upon mutual respect and can only be earned over time.
New Democrats recognize that much m=
ust be
done to restore faith in the
Yukon New Democrats welcome the com= mitment in the throne speech, and I quote: “…pract= ising open, accountable, fiscally responsible government and to working constructively with all members of this House to improve the operation of i= ts committees and the proceedings of the Legislature.”
Yukon New Democrat governments are =
no
strangers to responsible fiscal management. Yukon New Democrats will encour=
age
this government to engage in a participatory approach to budget making, from
the bottom up, to involve
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats recogniz=
e that
the Auditor General applies high standards of fiscal accountability in the
public interest when it reviews
A Yukon New Democrat government int=
roduced
the
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats firmly b= elieve that children and youth are vulnerable members of society. How they are tre= ated affects whether they will contribute to society as adults or become continu= ing clients of social and corrections services.
The office of the child and youth a= dvocate is relatively new; however, in its short tenure, it has become clear that i= t is essential that the advocate report to the Yukon Legislature, and not throug= h a minister, to ensure that our collective efforts to meet the needs of youth = and children are subject to independent oversight.
A Yukon New Democratic government established the offices of the Ombudsman and Information and Privacy Commis= sioner. We believe that oversight of bureaucratic procedure, access to information,= and protection of privacy are essential elements for a working democracy. There= was reference in the throne speech to the Ombudsman and Information and Privacy Commissioner, and we support the notion that it be made a full-time positio= n, to ensure adequate responses to public demands for service, sufficient time= to find solutions to problems, to ensure that public access to records is prov= ided in a more timely manner, and to ensure the prevention of unauthorized colle= ction, use and disclosure of personal information.
We also support the amendments to t= he Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to bring it up to current = Canadian standards and to increase access to information while protecting privacy.= span>
Yukon New Democrats believe that op=
enness
and transparency make for better government. New Democrats recognize that
lobbyists are part of the political system. However, we also know that the
public has a legitimate fear that lobbyists are being paid by private inter=
ests
to influence government decisions that may have an excessive or unfair impa=
ct.
We will continue pushing in a renewed way to ensure that the
Our conflicts commissioner called f=
or this
modernization, among others, and we in the Official Opposition are in suppo=
rt.
It is no surprise that across the country lobbying legislation is in place =
and
the
I mentioned that I came to politica=
l life
after a long career as a public servant for provincial, municipal and feder=
al
governments, as well as an aboriginal organization in
New Democrats value the work of gov= ernment employees. We respect their contributions to the development of public poli= cy and their participation in the operations of government.
We also recognize that government e=
mployees
are entitled to a life outside of work, where they may have opinions that
differ from those of the government of the day. The Official Opposition will
continue to raise issues in this House to address the culture of fear that =
has
developed in recent years within the
New Democrats understand that wrong= doing may at times occur in government, despite the measures in place to safeguard democracy. If public servants become aware of wrongdoing in the public serv= ice, we believe they should be able to report it without fear. Previous Yukon Pa= rty governments have refused to act on this important legislation. We will urge= the government to enact, as a priority, effective whistle-blower legislation to protect employees who report wrongdoing from retaliation from superiors, co-workers and others.
New Democrats believe that open and respectful debate in the Yukon Legislature can contribute to better governm= ent. Our goal is a more open, respectful and business-like Legislature and a more fiscally accountable government. I have shared, by a letter to the Premier, some ideas on how we can make this more than just a good idea, by opening discussion with both Members of the Legislative Assembly and the public. = span>
Yukon New Democrats believe that the
commissions, board, committees and advisory councils set up under
Yukon New Democrats believe in a
cooperative and collaborative working relationship with all
In closing, I restate my commitment= as Leader of the Official Opposition to work along with my caucus colleagues to serve Yukoners. We look forward to working with the Third Party and the mem= bers opposite. May we approach the challenge and the opportunities placed before= us as servants of the people with open minds, candour and tenacity. May we do so guided with the simpl= e, but profound words of Dom Helder Camara: “Beware the death of ideals.”
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Hassard: Mr. S= peaker, it’s truly an honour to stand here in front of you all today, representing the riding of Pelly-Nisutlin. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the wonderful people from this riding for the support and the trust that they have placed in me. I will do my very best t= o ensure that their issues and concerns are addressed in this House over the next fi= ve years.
I would also like to utilize this t=
ime to
congratulate my colleagues, as well as members of all the parties on their =
election
or re-election to this Legislative Assembly. To all of the individuals who =
ran
in this election successfully or not, I commend and thank you.
Not everyone has the ability or des= ire to run for public office, but without choices we do not have a true democracy = and I personally feel that that is very important. I would like to say a special thank you to my family and friends who have been so supportive through the whole election process. Running a campaign is definitely not a one-person j= ob and without their untiring dedication, it would have been a much more diffi= cult journey.
Mr. Speaker, who is Stacey Hassard? Well, I was born
I attended
When I graduated in 1986, there wer=
e only
four things on my mind: making money, beer, girls and cars, in no particular
order. Just days following graduation, I convinced Rod =
Adams
to hire me on at Nuway Crushing. I soon =
got a
quick lesson on all four of the previously mentioned items.
I thoroughly enjoyed the next three= years as a crusher hound and will always be grateful to Rod and Carol for their amazing patience with me. It was during these years that an old friend of my father’s moved to Teslin, and he brought his two daughters with him. = The youngest and prettiest of the two was soon to be the most important thing i= n my life. Within a couple of years, I had moved home from the road of crushing,= had a young daughter and was making plans for marriage.
In the summer of 1991, I had a brai=
nstorm
and packed up my pregnant wife and young daughter and headed back to what I
thought then was my homeland — Fort St. John. During the next 12 mont=
hs,
I was to receive what were probably to become two of the most valuable life
lessons that I now know. This period, even though I didn’t know it at=
the
time, was probably the key that directed me toward politics. During that
particular summer, northern B.C. was a boom. Life was great. By Christmas, =
you
couldn’t buy a job. I spent most of the winter rebuilding cats and
scrapers for an old friend on the promise that when he got work, he would
square up with me. That leads into life lesson number one: it’s hard =
to
support a family without a job and an economy.
In January of that same winter, my =
wife
gave birth to our second child, our only son. He was a wonderful gift, but =
he
had a few issues. He was born two months premature, with underdeveloped lun=
gs
and weighed four pounds, nine ounces. Within hours after birth, he was on a
plane to the
My son is now 19 years old, five fe= et, 10 inches and over 200 pounds, so apparently he caught up somewhere along the line. By the spring of 1992, the B.C. economy was still crumbling. Now, our fathers = can be pretty shrewd and mine is no exception.
Knowing our determination as a youn=
g family
to work things out on our own, he called me to say that he needed help with=
a
job that he had taken on at the
I did two terms as chair of the Tes= lin School Council, and I stepped aside to let my wife run, and she too was successful. In the spring of 2002, my wife and I purchased the Nisutlin Tra= ding Post from my parents. We soon after purchased the North Lake Motel. We constructed a new grocery store and expanded our business to include the gas station and motel as well. This proved to be a very good move and it was ni= ce to have our children be able to work with us, as I had the privilege of doi= ng with my own parents.
In 2008, I ran successfully for town
council for the
In the spring of 2011, we sold our = business and took the summer off to plan our next challenge in life. For me, it was = the decision to run for politics, and here I am.
Well, Mr. Speaker, enough of the pa=
st
— what about the future? As Pelly-Nisutlin is one of the largest ridi=
ngs
by geography, it’s probably one of the most diverse as well, with thr=
ee
communities — Faro, Ross
River and Teslin — and several small pockets of constituents in such =
places
as Squanga Lake, Johnsons<=
/span>
Crossing and Little Salmon. Thankfully, I enjoy driving. As I said earlier, Pelly-Nisutlin i=
s one of
the most diverse ridings in the This being said, there are still se=
veral
issues that are relevant to the riding as a whole. One of these issues is t=
hat
of wildlife harvesting, moose in particular. In the Teslin Tlingit traditio=
nal
territory, one main area of interest is the I believe strongly that hunters nee=
d to
understand the importance of providing the governments, both territorial and
First Nations, with accurate numbers and information of all game, either
harvested or not. This valuable information can help everyone involved so t=
hat departments
can make intelligent decisions on how to best deal with arising issues. Another area of concern is land
availability. Now, when we are talking about an area of this magnitude, it
hardly seems possible that this could be an issue, but it is. I am a firm b=
eliever
that everyone should have the right to the opportunity to own their own lan=
d. I
also feel that this is a high priority with this Yukon Party government. Th=
is
leads into the issue of housing shortages. It is hard to deal with housing
issues if you don’t have anywhere to build the houses. The Town of A few of the attractions in Faro ar=
e the
sheep and crane viewing festivals, Pelly Valley Festival, the Faro Fireweed=
Festival
— all wonderful events. Faro is said to be the Teslin is in the design stages of r=
eceiving
a new water well and arsenic removal system as w=
ell.
Teslin is also preparing for street upgrades in the spring. With the great =
help
of the community development fund, the River
We, too, have a new seniors
complex in Teslin, and four seniors have now moved in. As you can see, this
government is committed to helping the communities of the
Mr. Speaker, the economy is an issu=
e that
is very close to my heart. This government refers to it as “pathways =
to
prosperity”. It’s important to continue to work with all partne=
rs,
industries, First Nations, governments, as well as the federal government. =
By
doing this, we can establish a greater certainty for access to resources, water licences and permits by creating a cl=
ear
permitting regime with established timelines. This should put us on par with
other jurisdictions in
We are also committed to providing = access to land for exploration and development. I understand the importance of con= tinuing to work with the Government of Canada to resolve the issues pertaining to t= he problems with the Yukon Environment= al and Socio-Economic Assessment Act and the Yukon Waters Act. Seeking the participation of the resource sector industries= on ways to encourage new investments and promote the growth of current investo= rs is always a challenge but one well worth working on.
Because of the hard work and dedica=
tion of
this Yukon Party government, the
In regard to this team, we have a v=
ery
diverse group of individuals, from many long-standing and experienced minis=
ters,
to new MLAs such as myself. I believe with the
leadership of the experienced and the new and refreshing ideas of the new m=
embers,
the next five years will be an exciting time here in the
In closing, I’d just like to =
remind
everyone here today that because we sit on opposite sides of the floor,
it’s imperative to remember that at the end of the day, we’re a=
ll
here for the same cause: the betterment of the
Thank you.
Mr. Elias: Mr. Speaker, let me begin by congratulating you, on behalf of = our caucus, on your appointment. I trust we will see a greater civility in deco= rum in this Chamber. I must say, as I look around the Chamber today, I recognize that there are about six or seven long-time hockey players who are now memb= ers of the Assembly, and I’ve actually witnessed, or been on the receiving end of a lot of on-ice hockey trash talk, and it is my hope that that kind = of dialogue actually stays at the local hockey rinks around the territory and = that it doesn’t enter the Chamber. For Hansard= ’s purposes, I am saying this with a smile on my face.
We also extend our congratulations =
to the
Premier and the Yukon Party caucus for winning the 2011 election, as well as
well wishes to the new Leader of the Official Opposition and her caucus, an=
d of
course my colleague, the Hon. Member for
On a personal note, I would like to recognize the fact that we sadly lost three members of this Assembly who represented Yukoners during the 32nd legislative sitting: Mr. To= dd Hardy, Mr. Steve Cardiff, and Mr. John Edzerza. It kind of puts things into perspective for me when we lose our colleagues well before their time.
On behalf of the great Vuntut Gwitc= hin riding that is full of such richness and grandeur, and on behalf of the community = of Old Crow, let me express my profound gratitude for the privilege of addressing = this Assembly today.
Firstly, I want to thank my wife an= d my children, my friends and family and all of my supporters for standing by my side and believing in me once again. I say to you today that I humbly accept the confidence of the people of Old Crow to lead as your MLA. It will be an honour to once again help our citizens’ vision forward.
Secondly, I stand here today to sal= ute each and every one of my constituents and say to those whose support I have yet = to earn that I will be your MLA too, and I need your help if we are to be as successful as we can, because we have much more work to do.
To those Yukoners who put their nam=
es
forward to seek the confidence of the citizens of this territory in the last
election to be an MLA, I also salute you for your hard work and your courag=
e. You
may not have won this time around, but as our territory’s political
history has proven, anything can happen at any time, so you just might get =
another
chance.
I stand here today, humbled by the = tasks that face us, grateful for the trust my constituents have bestowed in me an= d always mindful of the sacrifices borne by our citizens throughout the times of our= Gwich’in nation. Over the years of my tenure as the MLA for the Vuntut Gwitchin ridi= ng, many of our elders and community members have also passed away. I know on t= his day, they look down on me with pride.
When the boundaries commission did = its work in 2002, it recognized the unique situation of my electoral district. It re= cognized the importance of the Vuntut Gwitchin riding having its own representative = in this Assembly due to a number of special circumstances, some of which are t= hat the riding is sparsely populated and remote, that my riding is almost exclu= sively made up of Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation citizens, that the Vuntut Gwitchin language is not spoken elsewhere in the territory, and that our distinct la= nguage, culture, lifestyle and traditional practices equate to a strong common inte= rest found nowhere else in the territory.
So when I say that I represent a ve= ry unique and distinct riding in this Assembly and that my constituents’ vision, goals and guidance are paramount in any decision I make, this is wh= y.
I invite all members of this Assemb=
ly to
come and visit our community, maybe during the holidays or community celebr=
ations,
to catch a glimpse as to why I’m so proud to be the representative of=
the
Vuntut Gwitchin riding as their MLA. We will enjoy some great partnerships =
and
successes over the years to come but there will be those outside our commun=
ity
who will say that our goals cannot be done. They will say that our goals wi=
ll
not or should not be realized. When that time comes — and it will, Mr.
Speaker — our community will all stand up together and we will tell t=
hose
who try to impede our progress that they do not know the resolve of our
citizens of Old Crow because we are a rare, strong, resilient and fun-loving
people with a kind and friendly demeanour. We will tell them that our visio=
n is
one that reflects our traditional values, remoteness, distinct language,
culture and sustainability principles, and we still strive to create and
maintain a healthy, vibrant community that provides a safe, supportive envi=
ronment
in which to live, work and raise our families. We will tell them that we va=
lue
the empowerment of our community, that we value all that is living, that we
value our children and youth who are the leaders of tomorrow, that we value=
our
traditional language, culture, spirituality and teachings of our elders, and
that we value accountable and transparent governance.
I have watched and learned from pas=
t and
present leaders of my community as they reaffirm those values and our vision
over the years in our territory, around our country of
To the people of our territory, I p=
ledge to
work alongside you to make your needs, wants, concerns and aspirations not =
only
heard, but listened to and acted upon. Yukoners should not have to choose
between compassion and prosperity for its citizens, whether it is keeping o=
ur
economy strong through diversification; or solving an energy shortage in our
territory; or dealing with the wooden water mains in the Town of Faro that =
desperately
need to be replaced; or dealing with wolf management issues in Teslin and m=
oose
hunting issues along the Nisutlin River; addressing the demonstrated need of
building community and recreation centres in the communities of Old Crow, R=
oss
River, Dawson and Carmacks; or addressing on-line privacy protection for our
children throughout the territory; or preparing our territory for the
possibility of another North American recession because of the European and
United States’ debt crises; or the all-terrain vehicle laws and regul=
ations
that simply do not fit in every community; or developing and implementing a=
new
up-to-date Landlord and Tenant Act; or developing local industries to
provide for the refinement and value-added manufacturing of our precious me=
tals
and ores right here in our territory, or whether it’s recycling large=
quantities
of paper fibre here in our territory; or developing innovative technologies=
to
make use of used automobile tires for building foundations throughout the
territory; or establishing and providing the proper funding for the number =
one
recommendation from the Yukon police review consultations of establishing a
Yukon police council so that they may then begin to deal with the other 32
additional recommendations; or addressing the terrible state of our First N=
ation
graduation rates; or combating the terrible violence against women and fami=
ly
violence statistics in our territory.
These statistics have been going on=
for far
too long. If I can elaborate on this point, I have been advocating for a co=
llaborative
effort in this territory to address this issue. They have been going on for
decades and for far too long. With a territorial budget of $1 billion ̵=
2;
if we look at this in terms of finances alone — with all the
self-governing First Nations, who, let’s say, on average, get a trans=
fer
of $10 million, with all the municipalities and industry in this territory
— if we are booming in this territory, if we get a collaborative effo=
rt
to deal with these terrible statistics that I am tired of talking about over
the decades, then let’s show leadership and set the example for the r=
est
of the federation of this country, look this problem in the eye, and all pu=
sh
forward to solve it.
But it’s going to take leader= ship to do that. Before my time is over in this Assembly, I hope that at some time those statistics will be drastically decreased.
Whether it’s recognizing and addressing the fact that our local food banks are serving more people than = ever before, and yet our economy is booming, or whether it’s recognizing t= he fact that the community of Haines Junction doesn’t have a grocery sto= re right now any more, and the community has no choice but to travel to Whitehorse, and that many citizens of Haines Junction consider sections of = the Alaska Highway between Haines Junction and Whitehorse to be unsafe — these issues come from Yukoners.
No one political party has all the = answers or all the good ideas, and I surely don’t want to bombard the Yukon P= arty government with the volumes of unique and distinctive or downright vintage ideas from our Liberal caucus in the few minutes that I have today, but dur= ing its mandate the government could work with health care professionals and key stakeholders in Dawson City to transition the Dawson City hospital into a collaborative primary health care facility that supports community nurses a= nd meets the needs of the community. This is an idea that can actually be used= as a model.
In clarifying the roles and jurisdi= ctions of the Yukon Water Board and the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Ass= essment Board while working with these organizations to harmonize and provide more fluidity in their processes and investigate the value of a process charter,= the government could consider creating a re-connecting with the land, trapping = and traditional practices program for youth at risk that supports land-based accredited education and learning — or whether it’s regulating = the practice of midwifery and ensuring that the cost of midwife services is included in the Yukon health care insurance plan.
These issues and concerns from Yuko=
ners
are important and they matter to me. The world we live in is constantly
changing and we have to be prepared to change with it. That means being
flexible and deviating from rigid ideologies. I think we have to move forwa=
rd
with a belief that we are connected as Yukoners. If there are a number of
families and individuals in our territory living with autism that require
support for their children in our education system, then that matters to me=
.
If there is a single mother out the= re who has to choose between buying heating fuel and paying for hockey registration for her child, that makes all of our lives as parliamentarians poorer, and = that matters to me. The successful implementation of business plans of mines and exploration of oil and gas companies such as Northern Cross, Victoria Gold Corp., North American Tungsten, Alexco’s = Keno Hill project, Yukon Nevada Corp., Golden Predator, Capstone, Dublin Gulch, Ground Truth Exploration — and the list goes on and on, Mr. Speaker — it matters to our economy and it matters to me.
It is my hope today and every day t= hat each member in this House feels the same energy and compassion and urgency about= issues that I do. So we can look at the lingering problems of our time right in the eye and say, “Not this time. Not on my watch.” In quoting Mr. <= span class=3DSpellE>Rohn, he said: “The challenge of leadership is = to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be tho= ughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have hu= mor, but without folly.”
All 19 members in this House unders=
tand or
soon will understand that the impact that being a parliamentarian has on ev=
eryone’s
day-to-day life and yet we are willing to bear that responsibility. For man=
y of
you, it’s the first time. For many of us, it’s a time and time
again.
Regardless, I thank each and every = one of you in the House today because this is no easy task. This is a journey we c= ontinue today.
In focusing on the 12-minute throne=
speech
the other day, I have said before and I said it in Question Period today, it
was about as exciting as an empty-net goal in hockey. It was also pointed o=
ut
by the Member for Riverdale North that the great Wayne Gretzky’s 39th
goal in 50 games was actually an empty-net goal. I remember watching that on
TV; it was pretty exciting at that time. But moving forward, I believe Yuko=
ners
were hoping for more from the throne speech. I was expecting more, especial=
ly
from a new Premier at the helm with a third consecutive majority mandate. I
expected the throne speech to be detailed in vision with a plan and directi=
on
for the short- medium- and long-term future of our territory, but it
wasn’t.
If we are to be an effective opposi= tion, then the Liberal caucus will be demanding more from this government. I do n= ot endorse the throne speech mainly because it was about 80 percent old news t= hat I have heard before, and will not ease the apprehension many Yukoners have about so many issues, some of which I have touched on today.
The Yukon Party’s Speech from= the Throne contained few surprises and if it was representative of the government’s blueprint for moving forward together, it was long on generalities and short on specifics. However, it did contain measures the Liberal caucus can support. We are pleased to see the government moving for= ward with a youth shelter, a territorial-wide water strategy for the territory, = the independent power producer policy, net metering, and the government’s plan for the construction of a large-scale hydro-electric project. These ar= e priorities we have been encouraging the government to move forward on for some time an= d we support them. The construction of a large-scale hydro-electric project is certainly something the public will be interested in hearing more about and it’s something we will be asking questions on in the days ahead.
I was disappointed to hear the tone=
of the
opening of the throne speech, especially after the Premier stressed over an=
d over
again prior to this sitting his interest to cooperating with the opposition.
The opening tone was completely uncalled for and certainly not conducive to
promoting an atmosphere of cooperation. If I wanted to foster cooperation, I
certainly wouldn’t begin deliberations by poking my opponents in the =
eye.
However, I must remain optimistic that the government will be coming forward
with specific plans to involve all members to find solutions to the challen=
ges
we face in making a better
Today is December 5 in the <=
st1:State>
I’ll change focus, Mr. Speake=
r, and
talk about the Porcupine caribou herd for a few minutes. It is 123,000 stro=
ng
and our community of Old Crow has never lost faith that this day would come.
Our elders encouraged us to be vigilant, and those elders who have passed o=
n, I
know they are happy too. For the Gwich’in, the relationship with the
caribou starts in the womb. That’s where it starts. I cannot put into
words how proud I am of our territory’s people for showing the moral =
and
ethical leadership during the past nine years of uncertainty when we could =
not
achieve a population census of the herd. I have said it before and I will s=
ay
it again here today: the Yukon Party’s past Environment ministers have
done an excellent job in helping us move forward with the protection of the
Porcupine caribou herd and I will thank them on the floor of the House toda=
y.
They know who they are. It has made a difference. Let us continue to prove =
that
conservation of the Porcupine caribou herd is held paramount here in our
territory by our citizens. What our territory chooses to save and protect is
what our territory chooses to tell the world about itself. The Porcupine
caribou herd is the lifeblood of our community of Old Crow. It is much more
than just food to us. Our culture and spiritual survival depends on the her=
d.
It is a belonging and connection that defy English words. The herd is all we
have. If the Porcupine caribou herd population is allowed to crash, it will=
be
the Vuntut Gwitchin and the community of Old Crow that will suffer the most=
. After
all, our community is not going anywhere, and we will always be residents of
this great territory.
Mr. Speaker, if future times dictat= e that I must once again raise the profile of the Porcupine caribou herd issue and c= hallenge those who need to be challenged, then so be it. That’s my job.=
Again, shifting focus, Mr. Speaker,=
to
another community priority, it’s about a community service centre and
recreation complex in my community of Old Crow. My community of Old Crow
recognizes that an investment in a new community service and recreation com=
plex
will substantially assist in developing young, successful citizens. It will
support and encourage community healthy living and will contribute greatly =
to
the long-term demonstrated need of our community in the social and economic
areas. I will be seeking partners to make this community priority a reality.
Mr. Speaker, believe me when I say that this is a winner for everyone. The
building will hopefully include a community hall, a daycare, an
ice hockey rink, along with a community kitchen. It’s also important =
to
note, as the Community Services minister was mentioning today about the
recreation complex in the City of
Well, again, it’s important t= o note that our community of Old Crow does not have a municipality, and it’s= our community pulling together with committees to deal with these kinds of tang= ible priorities to make them become a reality.
It is our community that has worked diligently over the last decade on this project and, in doing so, we have accomplished a great deal. There have been several Vuntut Gwitchin First Na= tion General Assembly resolutions passed by consensus dating back to August of 2= 000. Throughout the process, we have had dozens of public meetings, presentations and progress reports seeking continual input from the community.
In April of 2007, we successfully c=
ompleted
a feasibility study, funded by the
So, as you can see, there has been a tremendous amount of work and due diligence completed to date and a new com= munity service centre and recreation complex in Old Crow will go a long way toward= a healthy community in combating diabetes, addressing childcare, youth leisure time, community member physical activity and general healthy living for dec= ades to come.
It can provide an economic stimulus=
in an
isolated northern community, not only for Old Crow but for workers and busi=
nesses
around the territory. Very importantly, it can reduce an Arctic
community’s carbon footprint by maximizing the use of all of the ener=
gy,
including the waste heat produced from the diesel generators. It could be a
major opportunity to address an economic, social and environmental need in =
Old
Crow,
It’s important to note that Y= ukon Electrical has verified with the committee that the community can utilize t= he waste heat from the generators. The new building would be built in close proximity to the water well, which is an important factor because of the am= ount of water that will be required eight-and-a-half months of the year for the = ice surface. The ice rink surface can also be used for various other activities, such as a removable swimming pool in summer, basketball courts, et cetera. = It also can be used for large public gatherings. In the next couple of years, = our community of Old Crow will be host to a large Gwich’in gathering, so = we need a large space within the next four years. Those are the kinds of gatherings it can be used for.
Old Crow is one of the last remaini=
ng
communities to be solely dependent on the burning of fossil fuels for its
energy, so I think it’s important that we maximize all energy produce=
d.
There is also potential for the waste heat to be purchased and distributed =
from
the heat exchange infrastructure to heat the health centre, the conservation
officer warehouse, the Yukon Housing residences, and the
The design will include solar panels feeding energy back into the community grid. We have had successful example= s of this already with the John Tizya Visitor Recept= ion Centre and the Heritage Research Centre.
Our community has been working towa=
rds this
facility for well over a decade, as I mentioned earlier, and has committed
their own financial resources of up to $200,000 to get to the stage of
receiving schematic drawings to determine actual construction costs. I am
requesting the
I’ll leave this topic by quot=
ing
Bobby Orr when he said: “Growing up, if I hadn’t had sports I
don’t know where I’d be. God only knows what street corner I wo=
uld
be standing on, and God only knows what I would be doing, but instead I pla=
yed
hockey and went to school and stayed out of trouble.”
Our future looks very bright, and i= t also looks very challenging as there is so much yet for us to accomplish with our partners who rightly expect our professionalism to continue.
I’ve looked at how far our co=
mmunity
of Old Crow has come in comparison to the Yukon government’s 75 years=
of
governance experience and the federal government’s 135 years of
governance experience, and I am proud of how far Old Crow has come since 19=
94
when we did away with the oppression of the Indian Act and accepted =
the
tools of the final and self-government agreements that took us a long, long
time to negotiate. Some of our community’s major achievements speak f=
or
themselves. The calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd on the coastal
plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge continue to be free of industr=
ial
intrusion. We have
We also have N= i’iinlii’Njik, or Fishing Branch, which is 5,400 square kilometres of wilderness preserve = and 1,000 square kilometres of habitat protection area. This protected area took our community over 50 plus years to negotiate and secure, but we did it. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation has 7,750 square kilometres of category A settlement land with ownership of surface and subsur= face. We have a land-based experiential education model that’s in its third= and final year, and the learning programs being implemented on our lands right = now from this program are incredibly successful.
I know the Member for Mayo-Tatchun =
has an
interest in experiential education and we have talked about this before. Th=
is
program in Old Crow has been an incredibly successful project. Actually, the
project coordinators just made a successful presentation in
We also have completed the North= Yukon Regional Land Use Plan which is the first under the Umbrella Final A= greement. In our community, we still have very strong ties to the land, water and wildlife, especially the Porcupine caribou herd. Our community is now able = to tell its own story to those who will listen around the world and tell them = with our books, our television shows, through the Internet, radio and our newspa= pers. That was important for the elders to share that with people. That program through the heritage department, as well as in cooperation with the territo= rial and federal governments, has been incredibly successful.
Our community will continually seek= out partnerships in cooperation to achieve what we need to get done at home and abroad. I’ve heard many people say over the years during my tenure as MLA, “We can work with the community of Old Crow and we like working = with them, because they’re professional and solution-oriented.” So i= t is my hope to continue that sentiment.
I will take this opportunity to spe=
ak of a
few challenges that I see ahead of us as the community of Old Crow. They are
developing local and regional economic development initiatives, including a
local energy policy, strengthening the use of the Gwich’in language, =
and
again, building a community service centre and recreation complex, complete
with a community hall, an ice surface and a daycare.
For our communities to become healt=
hier and
our citizens better educated and better equipped to be strong players in th=
e Canada
Mahsi’ cho, Mr. Speaker.
Hon.
Ms. Taylor: Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honour=
and
privilege to rise in this Legislature as a member who has just recently been
re-elected for the third term.
First, I want to just say that I am= so thrilled to see a lot of new faces in the Legislature and some familiar fac= es in the Legislature. I just want to extend a warm welcome to everyone in the Legislative Assembly. I have to say that the past couple of months have been very interesting for me. It has been interesting because, being one of two members who are part of the — I don’t know if you should actual= ly coin it as the old crew, but the original crew from 2002 — it’s= an interesting time, I find, because we do have a new team. We have a new lead= er, yet our vision and our principles have not changed. I have to say that it is very humbling for me to be here, to have received a very strong mandate from the constituency of Whitehorse West, and it is indeed a privilege to repres= ent those who chose to elect us to represent the people of the territory.
I’ve said time and time again=
that
That’s a new
There has been a lot of discussion =
about the
I want to thank, in addition to all=
the
members who are here, my constituency of Whitehorse West for their continued
support these past nine years. I have to say that, when we talk about chang=
es,
my own constituency of Whitehorse West has evolved significantly over the
years. I have actually been a resident of that area for more than 15 years.
Even though the area has been condensed into perhaps a lesser degree of geo=
graphical
imprint, the population continues to grow.
It’s a flourishing community,=
part of
It comprises, and will comprise, ju= st over 220-some dwelling units within the subdivision upon its completion. =
It is a new concept of what they are
calling “high-density housing.” That was something that was
certainly driven by the City of
There are many individuals who are = already living within the parameters, including a six-plex that was constructed by Kwanlin Dun First Nation as part of the Ingram subd= ivision. I think that it’s just indicative of the amazing housing options that= are coming up and the different housing mix that is being made available as a result of creative planning and thinking among the respective stakeholders.=
I also want to recognize my former colleagues, with whom I had the privilege of serving over the last two term= s. In particular, I wish to say thank you to each of the previous Members of t= he Legislative Assembly for the work that they accomplished and the difference that they made in the lives of many Yukoners. I wish to also thank their families and that of mine for the support that our families have provided a= nd continue to provide on a daily basis. As I believe the Member for Vuntut Gwitchin has already articulated, it’s not an easy job. It is perhaps= , I would say, the most rewarding profession that one can choose, but it doesn’t come without its challenges. Again, I make reference to worki= ng to resolve these challenges and using those challenges as opportunities to = move the territory forward. I am heartened by the spirit of collegiality within = the Legislature and, again, I look forward to working with each and every membe= r as we move forward in the next number of years here.
I want to also recognize those memb= ers who have passed since we met last and just recognize the work and the tremendous achievements that they were able to achieve, whether in opposition or wheth= er in government. It is a stark reminder to us all just how short life can be = and that it is important to stop and take a look and to reflect upon our succes= ses, but also to take a look to the future and work toward meeting the common objectives, as we have identified.
As I’ve said, to serve the pe=
ople of
the territory is a tremendous privilege and one which we can never take for
granted. We do live in what has been coined as the greatest place on earth =
to
live. As one who was born and raised in the Yukon
I heard some reference to perhaps reflection of old news — perhaps being reflected within the throne sp= eech — but I have to say that it is important to reflect upon our past in order to be able to move forward. I think it is important that, as a govern= ment that has achieved its third mandate — consecutive mandate, I might add — it is important to reflect upon where we were and where we are toda= y and where we are going.
When we look back to 2002, it was a
different
We have also seen growth in tourism visitation despite the worldwide economic recession. Compared to other juri= sdictions in the country, the territory has fared relatively well, considering all th= at has happened on the global scale. We have seen mineral exploration and deve= lopment of new mines — tremendous expenditures in this regard. I think itR= 17;s very important to be able to reflect upon some of these successes. I think it’s also important to reflect on some of the good work that has taken place over the last nine years as this has also formed part of our renewed platform moving forward together in 2011.
Throughout our mandates, we have re=
cognized
and reflected in all of our policies, in our programs and in our legislative
initiatives, the importance of a balanced society. While it is very importa=
nt
to focus on developing our economy, it is also important that we focus on
ensuring that Yukoners are provided services that strengthen and support
healthy individuals, families and communities.
Throughout the past terms there was=
a
considerable amount of consultation with Yukoners on policy and program
initiatives, such as energy and climate change strategies, education,
correctional reforms and health care. We have also been working to streamli=
ne
our regulatory regimes for the mining sector and of course fostering a heal=
thy
investment climate for the private sector to operate and for established
businesses to also expand and to continue to do business. I think it is very
important to reflect upon some of these items as I just reflected upon the
corrections review, the Solid Waste Action Plan, the Victims of C=
rime
Strategy that came out of the corrections consultation, the New Horizons
initiative that flowed through from the education review, as I mentioned, t=
he
climate change strategy to the Yukon energy strategy. Many of these certain=
ly encapsulated
a lot of dialogue and consultation among Yukoners and have now produced
particular reports that have many recommendations and actions built on prin=
ciples
and objectives based on the input that Yukoners delivered.
I can say that it is from there tha= t we are able to continue to provide the direction that is necessary to continue to = take the territory in the direction that it has been going in the last nine year= s.
As I mentioned, working in collabor= ation with our partners is of utmost importance in terms of being able to deliver= on many of our strategies and plans. There was some discussion earlier today a= bout tourism and the importance of the cultural sector. I can say that tourism is but one example of why, in collaboration with the tourism industry, we have been able to develop annual tourism implementation plans built on the core values of the tourism industry — that it’s<= /span> market driven and it’s research based. I have to say that as a result= of working together, for example, with the tourism sector, we have been able to deliver on many different initiatives.
Again, under the leadership of the =
minister
responsible for Tourism and Culture, we will be able to continue to deliver
many of the priorities identified by the Department of Tourism and Culture =
and
the industry it serves.
On that note, Mr. Speaker, I also w=
anted to
take the opportunity to thank the Department of Tourism and Culture because=
I
haven’t actually formally and publicly said thank you to them. I had =
the
privilege of serving as the Tourism and Culture minister for nine years and=
I
don’t believe that any other individual had that privilege in this
country to the length that I had. So it is bittersweet that I say goodbye to
the Department of Tourism and Culture but I know that I support the ministe=
r, I
support the government and the department in all of their good work. I just
want to say thank you to each of the officials for their leadership they
provided and for working so collaboratively with the tourism industry over =
the
years and working with respect of communities on great initiatives that have
helped further diversify our economy — initiatives like the
I attribute that to the Kwanlin Dun= First Nation and their vision in seeing two very important initiatives come to fruition — a new public library — and what better location than= the Whitehorse waterfront? — and the creation of their own cultural centr= e, their own place to be able to tell the stories, share their traditions and their culture with not only the people of Kwanlin Dun, but also the people of the territory and people worldwide.
That is one piece of critical public
infrastructure that has been made possible as a result of Yukon government working collabora=
tively
with the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, the City of Whitehorse and the Ta’an Kwäch’&au=
ml;n
First Nation. It holds together a whole host of various initiatives that ha=
ve
been developed by the government over the last several years — from t=
he
Old Fire Hall being used as a cultural venue, to the expansion of the Museum
These will also create even more opportunities for presentations and creative venues for performances to take place by industry and by business alike.
It also ties together the improveme=
nts at
There have been other investments m= ade in support of developing our economies — Carcross waterfront. The Govern= ment of Yukon has been working in collaboration with the community of Carcross, Carcross-Tagish First Nation, and the Government of Canada on a number of improvements as well to their respective areas.
It has definitely improved many key= assets within the community and it is serving as a catalyst for additional busines= ses being invested in and it also serves to attract more individuals to come to= the territory. Those are just but a couple of very small but very key substanti= ve examples of how this government has been investing in infrastructure to the benefit of tourism, and the cultural sector of that.
I spoke earlier today about the Sch=
ool of
Visual Arts and how we have been able to also work with Yukon College on th=
e development
of two additional campuses, Dawson City and Pelly Crossing — again, a
couple of key pieces of infrastructure in aid of developing our labour mark=
et.
The list is tremendous, but there are tremendous opportunities still ahead =
and
challenges also ahead of us as well. Within the throne speech there was
reference to many of our key platform items, one of which was housing. We a=
ll
heard, perhaps at the doorstep, that housing, having access to affordable l=
and,
access to affordable housing are key, important platform commitments.
I just want to say that our governm=
ent
recognizes that housing is fundamental in building and maintaining a strong=
Over the last while, and certainly =
as was
addressed throughout the throne speech and throughout our election platform,
there is reference to enhancing emergency shelter — a transitional
housing as was talked about through 207 Alexander Street — supportive
housing, social housing, and again working with all our partners, whether i=
t be
with Kwanlin Dun First Nation on making land available for both residential=
and
commercial purposes, as was recently signed by the Premier and the Chief of
Kwanlin Dun First Nation on looking at various options to be made available=
for
the availability of their respective lands within the City of Whitehorse. T=
here
is also of course reference to looking at private-market rental and our
commitment to freeing up Crown land for the purposes of making affordable a=
vailable
rental housing options. I am very pleased to say that recently there was a
request for proposals that was issued looking for options to be made availa=
ble
on a key piece of property within the City of
As has already been referenced, we recognize that there are needs, whether it be of= young people, seniors, families, single individuals looking to work, looking to c= ome to the territory, to move to the territory, and to contribute to the workfo= rce. We are committed to working with all citizens and looking at the housing options.
Within the throne speech, there is
reference to a host of housing initiatives and we in fact remain committed
— emergency shelters, as I mentioned, and collaborating with the Salv=
ation
Army to look at either expanding or relocating their shelter with a larger
facility in mind. We are committed to looking at a youth shelter. Of course=
, in
terms of the Women’s Directorate, we are looking at progress on the
second-stage housing project. In fact, we’re very pleased to be able =
to
commit $1 million within this year’s supplementary budget and we are
committed to $4 million toward this very important initiative.
It has been an initiative that has = been in the making for some time and I want to commend Kaushee’s women’s transition home for the leadership and for the work they have provided over= the years. It’s unfortunate that we have to enhance housing of this kind = but it is of the utmost importance. Victims of violence, wo= rking to address their needs and their families’ needs, is very important. I’m very pleased to say that we are working with Kaushee’s Place to move this very important initiative forward.
I would be remiss if I did not ment=
ion that
this would also build on second-stage housing that has been made available =
in
previous years by the Yukon Party government toward expanding second-stage
housing in the Town of Watson Lake. I believe it was just over a year ago t=
hat
their second-stage housing was opened and it is indeed a welcome place for =
many
mothers and their respective families.
I just want to commend the <=
st1:place>
When it comes to making land availa=
ble, we
are committed to working with the municipal governments, working throughout=
all
the communities in the territory to enhance the degree of land being made
available, Whistle Bend being the first phase of lots to be made available =
in
less than a year. The second phase will follow. We are working with the Cit=
y of
Whitehorse on phases 3, 4 and 5 of the Whistle Bend development with the
ultimate goal of seeing a growth of up to 8,000 individuals seeing their ho=
mes
being developed in that particular area.
That has been a work in progress fo= r some time. It is great to see the development of many different mixes of housing options being made available. It’s great to see so many new Yukoners being able to move into the area, as well as Yukoners who are looking for n= ew homes to live in.
We’re also working with a num=
ber of
other communities on making land available, whether it be in the Haines
Junction area, whether it be in the Dawson area, Destruction Bay, Carmacks
— all of these and more we are working to make more land available. <=
/span>
We are continuing to work on other =
land
developments with other areas. I think it’s very important, and I hav=
e to
say I was very heartened to hear the Leader of the Official Opposition ment=
ion
her willingness to work with communities and to adhere to the official
community planning process and to have the respect for the leadership of th=
ose
respective municipalities in being able to drive — in terms of provid=
ing
the overall direction for identification of areas of land to be developed in
their respective boundaries, and, of course, planning and design and zoning.
That is in fact what we have had in place with the City of
There was reference to many other
initiatives within the throne speech. When we talk about education — =
and
there has been a substantive amount of great work being done within the Dep=
artment
of Education, working in collaboration with other governments. In terms of =
our
commitment of implementing New Horizons — and, of course, that’s
the five-year strategic plan for education, which came out of the education
reform initiative in collaboration with Yukon First Nations — which
focuses on improving literacy and numeracy,
preserving culture and enhancing educational achievements for all Yukon stu=
dents.
We are very pleased to be able to continue to work toward implementation of
this, which includes a continuum of learning options from primary to second=
ary
to advanced education.
We are continuing to promote experi= ential learning and support alternative programming at the Individual Learning Cen= tre. We are committed to providing a school system that incorporates local and F= irst Nation content and that is responsive to the needs of all students, includi= ng Yukon First Nation students.
We are committed to carrying on wit=
h the
planning and the construction of the
We are promoting positive, inclusiv=
e and
responsive learning environments for
We are committed to carrying forwar=
d with
our plans on working to enhance the knowledge sector, and the creation of t=
he
Yukon Research Centre of Excellence is but one great example of what can be
achieved when we work together with industry, work with the college, and wo=
rk
with our municipalities, to again enhance what is available — all of =
the
significant research that has been done within our back yard, so to speak. =
That
is the whole mandate of coming up with such a facility — to be able to
capitalize on that research and be able to invest in research, invest in
technologies as a result of that research that has been conducted and make =
it
available for the benefit of all Yukon citizens.
We are very committed to continuing= to support the School of Visual Arts in partnership with the Klondike Institut= e of Art and Culture, Yukon College and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’= ;in First Nation. It’s another excellent example of collaboration that has been achieved, and it has provided some wonderful results. I do recall being part of the discussions when that institution first evolved and it has come= a long way. I am very pleased with the evolution of this particular program.<= /span>
We are committed to implementing ou=
r labour
market framework for
I see that my time is pretty much d= one, and it’s unfortunate because there are many other items or many other priority areas I would like to be able to speak about. I would just conclud= e my remarks by saying thank you again to all members and congratulations to you, Mr. Speaker, on your new role. We look forward to working with you and look forward to working with all of our colleagues in the years to come. Thank y= ou.
Ms.
Moorcroft: Congratulations=
, Mr.
Speaker, on your appointment as the Speaker of this Assembly. I have the gr=
eat
honour of once again serving in this Assembly. For that honour, I would lik=
e to
thank my constituents, my family and my hard-working, capable campaign team=
who
were such a big help to me during the months of campaigning preceding the
election. As in 1992, when I was first elected as the MLA for
To briefly describe this new riding,
Copperbelt South begins at the
Most of these Copperbelt South neighbourhoods were part of the
Sadly, two other members of the 32<= sup>nd Legislature for whom I had respect have passed on: Todd Hardy and John Edze= rza. Each of them championed a number of causes during the years that they were = in office, and we will work collaboratively over the next few years to bring those forward.
During the recent election campaign= , all political parties spoke about the need for cooperation in this Chamber. I w= ould like to congratulate all members who have been elected to this Assembly and= say that I do hope we can work collaboratively.
At the doorsteps of my constituents= , I made a commitment to act with ethics and integrity as their MLA and to practice civility and decorum in the House. I want to thank all those who voted for = me for their support. I will work hard for all constituents to earn the suppor= t of those who did not vote for me, as well. We do all need to work together. = span>
We in the Official Opposition promo=
te
collaboration and will work to develop consensus, but we fully intend to ho=
ld
this government to account on the issues that matter to the
The Yukon Party platform contained =
a number
of promises that are common to New Democrat values. I encourage the governm=
ent
to deliver on those commitments. We expect to see a comprehensive housing
strategy, more training opportunities so we have a skilled
We want to see progress on <=
st1:State>
In the Copperbelt South riding, an
important feature is the
I will encourage other schools arou= nd the Yukon and the Department of Education to move forward in supporting outdoor experiential education in other schools as well as responding appropriately= to the Auditor General’s report on education, which identified a number = of concerns, one of them being the terrible gap in graduation rates and in stu= dent success between aboriginal students and non-aboriginal students. This needs= our attention.
I would like to take this opportuni=
ty to
speak about other issues that affect my constituents. The practice of allow=
ing
mineral staking within municipal boundaries is an outdated one and is not s=
ustainable.
Residents of Spruce Hill and other
Highway safety is important to all =
of us.
With the high number of commuters travelling from Copperbelt South, =
The expensive meridians that have b=
een
built there eliminated passing lanes. This impedes the traffic flow and res=
ults
in some drivers taking bigger risks when they are stuck behind slow-moving
traffic. The intersections of Copperbelt South country residential areas to=
the
Mr. Speaker, this throne speech fai=
ls to
address a number of critical issues now facing the
The Peel Watershed Planning Commiss=
ion,
which included representatives of the
I can assure the government the pro=
tection
of the Peel is important not only to my constituents but to all Yukoners. T=
ake
a stand and tell the public what it is. New Democrats support responsible
mining and the development of a strong local economy. The mining industry
requires certainty, and that certainty will only be provided when the
We need to ensure that Yukon worker= s are trained and hired for mining sector jobs and that our economy benefits from= the resource extraction industry, and we need to take into account the environmental costs of mining in the long term. The social costs of a boom-and-bust economy mean that we need to address housing and social servi= ce needs for communities during the boom times.
Mr. Speaker, I have just stated tha=
t we
support responsible mining and we believe that we need to get a fair deal on
our natural resources. We need to provide better training for
I was pleased to see in the throne =
speech
that the government has said it will make a range of housing options availa=
ble.
Unfortunately, the throne speech made no reference to the work of the Select
Committee on the Landlord and Tenant Act. As the select committee
recommendations indicated, it is now time to modernize the language,
principles, and the substance of the legislation that regulates residential=
and
commercial tenancy. Language is important. The residential tenancy act need=
s to
be written in plain language so that it’s easy for landlords, tenants=
and
the public to understand. The residential tenancy act should recognize the =
principle
that housing is a human right.
Each of those international covenan=
ts
recognizes that housing is a human right. As signatory to these covenants, =
The Human Rights Act prohibi=
ts
discrimination in connection with any aspect of the occupancy, possession,
lease or sale of property offered to the public, and the residential tenancy
act should recognize the paramountcy of the =
Human
Rights Act. A new
I recognize the value and relevance=
of the
Yukon Status of Women Council’s research into housing needs and the
rental markets in
This government must improve and up=
date the
act and remove outdated and unfair provisions. They failed to address this =
in
the throne speech. The
Conditions of housing must be safe,
sanitary and fit for human habitation. The residential tenancy act should e=
stablish
health and safety standards, even if this means referencing another statute
such as the Public Health and Safety Act. Health and safety standards
and the condition of a rental unit should be acknowledged by the landlord a=
nd
the tenant at the beginning of a rental contract and throughout the tenancy
period.
A new residential tenancy act shoul= d use modern, clear, plain language and remove archaic and unnecessary words; rec= ognize housing as a human right and the paramountcy of= the Human Rights Act; require landlords to provide tenants with causes for evicti= on in keeping with all other Canadian jurisdictions; clarify landlord and tena= nt rights, security deposits and last month’s rent; establish minimal re= ntal standards and use inspection reports and regulations for enforcement of ren= tal housing standards, referencing the Public Health and Safety Act; establish a penalty for retaliation by landlords if tenants assert their ri= ghts to live in a rental property that meets safe housing standards; and establi= sh a dispute resolution mechanism that could be used as an option prior to the landlord and tenant court.
Finally, as a public education serv= ice, the government needs to develop and circulate plain-language brochures that wou= ld clearly explain the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants that are contained in the residential tenancy act.
The Official Opposition advocates f=
or a
comprehensive housing strategy, and I was pleased to see the commitments to
housing projects, including the construction of a youth shelter and
second-stage housing for Kaushee’s Place, in the Speech from the Thro=
ne.
These are much-needed facilities, and the need for them has been demonstrat=
ed
in a number of studies conducted by researchers in
Previous Yukon Party governments ma= de a commitment to build Kaushee’s Place second-stage housing in 2009 and again in 2010. As critic for Highways and Public Works, I trust that Public Works will work effectively with Kaushee’s Place, which has demonstra= ted the need for second-stage housing for the last 10 years. More than two years ago, Kaushee’s Place prepared a business plan for this proposed new facility and the organization has been meeting with government officials for some time now, providing information as requested. It is now time for this government to get things done, and I call on it to ensure that the construc= tion of Kaushee’s Place can begin at the earliest possible date in the spr= ing construction season of 2012. We don’t need any further delays.
Besides the need for a new resident= ial tenancy act that I have spoken about, other elements of a comprehensive hou= sing plan should include enhancing Yukon Housing Corporation home ownership prog= rams for low down payments and low-interest loans and increasing the size of its mortgage portfolio, increasing the supply of building lots to release more lands for housing, including lots for owner-built homes, as many Yukon peop= le dream of the possibility of designing and building their own homes, repairi= ng the Yukon Housing Corporation’s stock in downtown Whitehorse that has been sitting vacant for more than a year.
The Yukon
I have a deep commitment to social =
justice.
I served as a representative of a c=
oalition
of eight
I will be asking the Minister of Ju=
stice to
appoint an equal number of men and women to the proposed police council that
was recommended in the Sharing Common Ground — Final Report. L=
ast
week I wrote the Minister of Justice about the federal bill, C-10, known as=
the
Safe Streets and Communities Act, and urged him to ask the federal
government to withdraw this crime omnibus bill. This bill will not make our
communities safer, and it fails to respect the fundamental principles of
supporting rehabilitation, healing, and reintegration of offenders that is
found in
If the
Mandatory sentencing provisions suc=
h as
those found in Bill C-10 will increase the numbers of inmates in our correc=
tional
system. It’s also likely to add to the numbers of First Nation inmates
who are already over represented in
The bill will eliminate the ability= of judges to make a sentence appropriate to the circumstances and to have any discretion over sentencing. Bill C-10 will victimize the vulnerable once ag= ain. There are significant financial and social costs attached to Bill C-10. It = will overload the justice system with more expenditures in apprehensions, trials and incarcerations. Conservative estimates predict th= is crime legislation will cost Canadian taxpayers an additional $2.7 billion o= ver five years.
I’d like to express my gratit=
ude to
the Minister of Justice for arranging a tour of the new Whitehorse
We all should know that the level of
violence against women in
RCMP in the
That training needs to address viol=
ence
against women in the north, missing and murdered aboriginal women, disappea=
red
women along the Highway of Tears and an understanding of the differences
between women’s and men’s responses to violence, training on
community safety measures and civil remedies, such as Family Violence
Prevention Act orders; family property and support orders; gender and
cultural awareness training; encouraging non-judgmental and compassionate p=
erspectives
on the part of the police; and information about Yukon women’s
groups’ services. We need to see the RCMP and the government supporti=
ng
opportunities for developing inter-agency cooperation and information excha=
nge
by inviting community and service agencies, inter-agency groups and senior =
RCMP
to meet and to participate in this
There’s also a need to develo=
p curriculum
for the Yukon RCMP on the history of the relationship between First Nations=
and
the RCMP in the north. This would include information about the historical =
and
contemporary RCMP and First Nation relations; recognizing the contributions=
of
Yukon First Nations community constables to the Royal Northwest Mounted Pol=
ice
and to police survival; the RCMP agency in removing First Nations children =
and
transporting them to residential schools and the sixties scoop. They also n=
eed
to learn lessons from the deaths of Yukon First Nations citizens during
interactions with the RCMP.
Between 1999 and 2009, seven people=
died in
police custody in the
Communities have said that they wan= t to see community orientation for new RCMP; they want the RCMP to be part of their communities, so I am looking for collaboration with First Nation government= s, with municipalities, service agencies, inter-agency committees and working groups to develop an orientation protocol for each detachment, and that will take time and resources.
The RCMP and the office of public prosecutions need to establish a sexual assault and domestic violence prosecutor team with training and expertise in evidence gathering and crimi= nal law and adopt skilled interview techniques when they question women who are survivors of violence. This work should be done in cooperation with women’s groups and a women’s legal advocate.
There are a number of best practice= s that have been identified in the Sharing Common Ground — Review = of Yukon’s Police Force — Final Report and in the submissions = that were made to the police commission. Those were the ones that I will follow = up in future discussions in this Assembly.
The Speech from the Throne made no
reference to the long-awaited social inclusion strategy. I am very disappoi=
nted
by this because we know that we need to promote equality in order to build a
socially and economically just society. From 2006 to 2009, I served on the
Yukon Human Rights Commission. That commission was unsuccessful in its requ=
est
to the former Minister of Justice to appear before the Legislative Assembly=
to
present its annual report and to speak to the need for updating and revising
the
The Yukon government needs to suppo= rt the independence of the Human Rights Commission to change its reporting relatio= nship so that the commission reports directly to the Legislature, and to address recommendations of the Select Committee on Human Rights and to bring forward amendments to eliminate all legal barriers for same-sex spouses.
The government also needs to work responsibly with the Yukon College Board of Directors and to look at some of the issues they face. They have been running out of space. Just this weeken= d, the board met and spoke about the need for more land, and to identify the endowment lands parcel and to bring that forward so that Yukon College can = make long-term plans moving toward a university, and toward providing more mine training. These are all initiatives that we support.
I would like to speak to the need to
support more agricultural development within the
We need to support the Yukon Agricu=
ltural
Association and the Growers of Organic Food Yukon
I look forward to the challenge of =
working
for my Copperbelt South constituents and for all
Hon. Mr. Nixon: Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by tha= nking my constituents in Porter Creek South for providing me with the opportunity= to represent them here in this Assembly. I commit to work hard on behalf of everyone in my riding, and I sincerely appreciate their support, and I look= forward to building on the relationships and the new friendships I have established= . I would like to thank my family for their support, specifically my wife, for hours and hours and hours on the campaign trail, and also my sons Matthew, = Kyle and Jack were my greatest supports and inspiration.
My parents and in-laws were also in=
credible
supports. I would also like to thank my brother Jeff and his family, who li=
ve
in
I am grateful that the Yukon Party = has been re-elected for the third mandate, Mr. Speaker. It’s important for us = to reflect on where we have come from and the challenges that we have overcome= .
Prior to the Yukon Party taking off=
ice in
late 2002, the
One of our mainstay industries R=
12;
mining — was nearly defunct, with exploration and development spendin=
g in
the territory being less than $10 million. Rebuilding
Given the daunting challenges they =
faced,
the previous two Yukon Party administrations are to be congratulated for th=
eir
superb job in reviving our economy. I want to thank each of the members who
served in those administrations. We are grateful for your contributions to =
Our vision for moving forward toget= her continues to build upon the previous four pillars: better quality of life, = the environment, the economy and good government.
We committed to dealing with the ch= allenges that a growing, prosperous economy creates. Such challenges as housing and = land availability, clean energy, transportation and communications infrastructur= e, greater access to health care and ensuring the social service safety net is there for people in need, more education and training facilities and progra= ms, as well as robust land and resource management systems.
Your Yukon Party government welcome= s these challenges. Yukoners selected us to lead the territory because the Yukon Pa= rty team has the vision, energy and experience to meet these challenges head on= . On October 11, Yukoners made a choice to continue to prosper and grow under the stewardship of a re-elected Yukon Party government.
I would like to talk for a few minu= tes about supports for families — specifically families of children and adults with disabilities. During the campaign, many Yukoners shared with me= the challenges they face with respect to medical issues they or a loved one fac= ed. For some, the challenge was getting access to tests, treatments and therapi= es. For others, it was accessing opportunities that would allow them to remodel their homes to accommodate a loved one’s physical disability. =
The issue hits close to home for me= . I have three children, one of whom has autism. I know first-hand the challenges we face. As a parent, there are moments when one feels completely helpless. You know that your child needs help and you know that it’s your job as a parent to ensure that the help is found, but there are times when a parent = just can’t do it. That’s an awful place to be. I cannot put into wor= ds the feeling, other than to say it is awful and it is overwhelming. We were = very fortunate that, with the support of the previous Yukon Party government, our son was able to get some help from an incredible team. I cannot say enough about the work of Joanne Stanhope, Nate Searle, Andrea Sharpe, Karen Rach, Teresa Smith and oth= ers who have helped my son. A family-centred approa= ch to support for children and adults with disabilities is essential. Each child = is unique and each family is unique.
One of the reasons I decided to run=
for
office was because I wanted to work on this issue. After setting up services
for my son, which in return opened doors for many other children and famili=
es
to receive support, and after founding Autism
During the campaign when I was knoc= king on doors, Yukoners shared with me their struggles, not only with autism, but w= ith other situations. As we talked about this as a campaign team, I know many o= f my colleagues were hearing similar stories. I take great pride in the fact that the Yukon Party committed to providing support services for children and ad= ults with disabilities in addition to the services already provided to children = with autism. Having seen firsthand how much these support services can improve t= he life of a child with autism, I am pleased to support these services being extended to families with other disabilities. I’m also proud that we committed to provide assistance to Yukoners with disabilities to modify the= ir homes to accommodate their disability. Again, that commitment speaks to the concerns that I heard at the door. Even as I read that commitment, I can th= ink of specific individuals in my riding who will be= nefit from that commitment. I’m pleased that we will establish a new caregi= ver tax credit for families caring for a relative with a disability including seniors, adults and children with severe disabilities.
A few moments ago, I mentioned that=
some
families need access to therapy.
Our government has committed to pro= viding additional funding for therapies, as well as money for specialized equipmen= t, ramps and lifts to assist people with disabilities through an expanded and revitalized family support for children with disabilities program. <= /p>
I go back to my own experience as a= father of a child with autism. The early intervention that my son received made all the difference in him having a great quality of life. Early, intense and sustained intervention in a child’s life can be clearly life-changing= for the child and the family. Unless one has experienced it firsthand, it’= ;s difficult to explain how challenging raising a child with a disability can = be. Our government recognizes that, and that’s why we committed to enhance the home care program, including providing more help for respite care of children and dependant relatives. We all want to improve the quality of lif= e by improving how we care for Yukoners. We recognize that the key to better hea= lth care is to improve access to medical professionals. We are committed to imp= rove Yukoners’ access to family doctors, nurses and medical specialists by implementing a new health human resource strategy, including doubling the f= amily physician incentive program for physicians who have recently graduated in exchange for working in Yukon; creating a new family physician recruitment incentive; increasing the medical education bursary; increasing the nursing education bursary; increasing the health profession education bursary; and offering the Yukon Medical Association funding to expand supports to visiti= ng specialists and medical graduates in residency.
Access to medical services is not j=
ust a
During the campaign, one of the mai=
n issues
was housing and land availability. I want to talk about this issue for a few
minutes as it illustrates a great point. In 2002, 30,063 people lived in =
span>
The 2006 census showed the total nu= mber of rental households that year was 3,840, which is roughly 30 percent of all h= ouseholds.
First, what has the government been= doing? Well, under the Yukon Party’s watch, the government has increased its= social housing stock by 40 percent. Think about that for a minute. There are 40 percent more social housing units today than there were eight years ago. Th= is is in addition to the 300 units this government has refurbished and renovat= ed. That means we have 500 new and improved housing units. The Yukon Party has = and will continue to make great progress addressing the housing needs of Yukone= rs.
What impresses me is the realizatio=
n that
we have been so successful in revitalizing
We know that
Speaker: Order please. The time being
Debate on motion re Address in R=
eply to
the Speech from the Throne accordingly adjourned
The House adjourned at =
i>
The following Sessional
Papers were tabled on
33-1-2
33-1-3
Conflict of Interest Commission Ann=
ual
Report for the period from
33-1-4
Election Financing and Political
Contributions 2010, Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of
33-1-5
Information & Privacy Commissio= ner 2010 Annual Report (Speaker Laxton)
33-1-6
Ombudsman 2010 Annual Report (Speak= er Laxton)
33-1-7
(Speaker Laxto= n)
33-1-8
Subsistence, Travel and Accommodati= ons of Members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly 2010 – 2011, Report on (dat= ed April 2011) (Speaker Laxton)
33-1-9
Absence of Members from Sittings of=
the
Legislative Assembly and its Committees: Report of the Clerk of the Yukon
Legislative Assembly (dated
(Speaker Laxto= n)
33-1-10
Appointments to Major Government Bo=
ards and
Committees, Standing Committee on: Eighteenth Report (dated
44 &=
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