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Speaker: I will now call the House to order. We will p= roceed at this time with prayers.
Prayers
DAILY ROUTINE
Speaker: We will proceed at this time with the Order Paper.
Tributes.
TRIBUTES
In recognition of Speech and Hearing Awaren=
ess
Month
Hon. Mr. Pasloski:
Many of us take our ability to comm=
unicate
for granted, yet the ability to speak and hear is much more vital to our ev=
eryday
lives than most of us realize. Quality of life can be severely impacted if a
person cannot communicate easily. Here in
Young children can especially benef=
it significantly
from early detection and support and we continue to make great strides in
detecting problems early. Every child born in
These programs help ensure any prob= lems are detected as soon as possible.
I would also like to acknowledge a =
new and
innovative project that the
Please join me in acknowledging the dedication and hard work of our American Sign Language interpreter and our speech, language and hearing professionals. I hope this occasion is a remin= der to all Yukoners to take action if they suspect a speech or hearing problem = in themselves or a loved one.
I’d like to take the opportun=
ity to
welcome members of the deaf community who have joined us in the gallery tod=
ay
to take in today’s legislative proceedings.
They are doing so with the assistan= ce of the workplace diversity employment office’s American Sign Language in= terpreter Amanda Smith. Joining us today are Elke and Ger= ard Tremblay, Susan Smith, Lisa Rawlings-Bird and Debra Th= ibodeau.
Applause
In recognition of Mental Health Week
Hon.
Mr. Graham: I rise in the House today to acknow=
ledge
Mental Health Week, which is from May 6 to 12 this year. This year, an emph=
asis
has been placed on youth mental health, and I would like to take the
opportunity to encourage people to talk, reflect, and engage with others on=
all
issues relating to mental health. Mental health is connected to an
individual’s overall health. Just as we have to nurture and look after
our physical health, we also have to do the same for our mental health. It =
is
important to know that mental wellness is more than simply not having mental
illnesses — it’s a state of well-being.
Research shows that creating more b= alance in our lives and taking the time for exercise, eating well and participatin= g in social activities not only nurtures our physical selves, but greatly improv= es our mental health.
Mental wellness is when we flourish= , Mr. Speaker, and in return, this positively impacts our lives in a number of wa= ys. Flourishing is about experiencing more positive than negative emotions; it’s about allowing yourself to become deeply absorbed in an activity= you love to the point that time seems to almost stand still. It’s about feeling more connected by engaging and capitalizing on positive relationshi= ps. It’s about serving something greater than you and nurturing things th= at have great meaning to you. It’s about that sense of well-being you fe= el when you have accomplished a goal that you’ve set for yourself.
Last year we launched the Pathways = to Wellness project, which was an initiative to improve the health and well-be= ing of all Yukoners by focusing specifically on children and families. Pathways looked at building a common understanding of the factors that influence hea= lth and what works when it comes to improving the health and well-being of individuals, families and whole communities.
I encourage Yukoners to visit the P=
athways
to Wellness website at http://www.yukonwellness.ca for up-to-da=
te
practical information on how to improve health and well-being. Sign up for
e-tips on wellness and start conversations about wellness with friends and
family.
I’d also like to acknowledge = the work that is already being done by so many Yukoners to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and to find ways for all of us to improve our h= ealth and well-being, both physically and mentally.
I’d also like to take the opp=
ortunity
to note a great example of what two young Yukoners, both in their early
twenties, are doing this summer for this cause. Quinn and Keenan Dennehy of
The Dennehys=
span> lost
their son Kelty due to a suicide brought on by
depression. Subsequently, they established the Kelty=
span>
Patrick Dennehy Foundation, which is dedicated =
to
preventing depression-related suicide in young people. They have raised more
than $5 million since 2001 and are entering a whole new phase of their
fundraising with this cross-Canada ride. This project alone has already rai=
sed
more than $500,000 and it’s just getting started. I want to commend the Dennehys,
including Kerry and Ginny of Whistler and Quinn and Keenan Dennehy
of Whitehorse — and some of us may remember Keenan, who also served a=
s a
page in this Legislature — both of whom are from Whitehorse, for their
dedication to this critically important cause. I urge all Yukoners and all members=
of this
House to take a few minutes this week to think about how we can add more ba=
lance
to our lives. The state of our mental health cannot be ignored, and we must
take the time to care for it, just as we take the time to care for our phys=
ical
health. Mr.
Silver:&=
#8195; I rise today on=
behalf
of the Liberal caucus, the Official Opposition and the member of the Third
Party to also recognize Mental Health Week. Mental health is not selective. It =
affects
people of all ages, education and income levels, religion and cultures. It =
is affected
by many factors, including how we live, our environment, genetics, our inco=
me
and education level, our relationships with family and our relationships wi=
th
friends. This year the Canadian Mental Health
Association is focusing on the topic of youth and mental health, promoting =
the
theme of “Mental health for all”. Mental illness is increasingly thre=
atening
our lives and the lives of our children and our youth. It is estimated that
between 10 and 20 percent of Canadian youth are affected by mental illness =
or
disorder. Today, approximately five percent of male youth and 12 percent of
female youth aged 12 to 19 have experienced a major depressive episode, and
Canada’s youth suicide rates are the third highest in the industriali=
zed
world. Mental illness in our youth is real, and it is widespread. With the
recent focus on bullying, especially among our youth, we absolutely cannot
ignore the mental health issues that are often at the root of the problem f=
or
both bullies and the victims. Talking about mental health should =
be just
as much a part of parenting as talking about sex, drugs or drinking. The
earlier we get into the conversation and get it going, the better. It is al=
so
important that we try to reach them before a problem arises. Mental Health =
Week
is a perfect time to get that conversation going. We need to increase aware=
ness
of youth mental health and mental illness by providing information, resourc=
es
and practical strategies and advice required by young people, their parents,
caregivers and teachers. In doing so, we can address youth mental health
issues. Mental health means feeling good about who you
are, having balance in your life and your thinking, and being able to respo=
nd
constructively to life’s highs and life’s lows. Having healthy relationships with f=
amily,
friends and coworkers is vital to having good mental health. Not only can l=
oved
ones be there to lean on and help people get through the hard times, but th=
ey
can also build self-confidence and give a sense of well-being. Maintaining =
good
mental health in today’s hectic and stressful society is a challenge.=
We
know that our thinking affects us. It is tied to how we feel emotionally and
physically. It also affects how we decide to deal with things. Practising m=
ore
balanced thinking can not only help people respond to life’s events a=
nd
relationships better, but it can also improve our confidence and our
self-esteem. We are all touched in some way by mental health issues, direct=
ly
or indirectly through a family member, a friend or a colleague. Mental Health Week is an opportunit=
y to
raise awareness, to challenge preconceived notions of mental illness and to=
reduce
the stigma and discrimination surrounding labels of mental health. We belie=
ve
that people are more than their illnesses. Hope is the catalyst to the
recovering process, providing the essential and motivational messages of a
better future. Crucial in achieving recovery is
self-acceptance and regaining belief in oneself, moving beyond labels and
focusing on individual strengths to build on through our journey toward
wellness. Mr. Speaker, we would like to recog=
nize and
thank the many caregivers, health care professionals, counsellors and
front-line workers for the care, dedication, support and hope they offer to=
the
people and the families dealing with mental health issues. Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. In recognition of Hunger Awareness Week Ms.
Stick:=
8195; I rise today on=
behalf
of all Members of the Legislative Assembly to recognize Hunger Awareness We=
ek,
May 6 to 10, and to pay tribute to those who work and volunteer in our
community food banks. The purpose of this week is to raise public awareness
about the solvable issue of hunger in In We can make a positive impact durin=
g Hunger
Awareness Week. We can donate food or money. We can volunteer our time at a
food bank. We can spread the word about Hunger Awareness Week through Faceb=
ook
or Twitter. We can also show our support by going on a fast on May 8, Hunger
Awareness Day, which is today. I realize that it is too late probably to do
that, but maybe we could pause and think. What have we already eaten today =
and
what will we go home to tonight? Then we need to think about those going
without or those relying on a food bank to fill the gaps in accessibility to
food. Thank you. In recognition of the 20th anniversary of
Blood Ties Four Directions Centre Ms.
White:=
8195; I rise on behal=
f of the
Legislative Assembly to pay tribute to the 20th anniversary of t=
he
Blood Ties Four Directions centre, a non-profit organization that provides =
support
and education regarding HIV and AIDS and hepatitis C. Blood Ties has been an
integral part of the health community and a cornerstone in our understandin=
g of
HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C in Whitehorse for 20 years. In 1993, Blood Ties was established=
by the The centre has grown from a staff o=
f full-time and four part-time staff members. There are many ac=
complishments
to highlight.
Blood Ties has been a major player = in the operation of the Outreach van since the beginning. Today, in partnership wi= th Many Rivers, the Kwanlin Dun health centre and FASSY, the Outreach van play= s a vital role in the health of at-risk citizens. They offer harm reduction, counselling, nursing care and a warm meal. Last year, through their harm-reduction program, the centre distributed 46,000 condoms and exchanged 26,000 needles. Blood Ties, in partnership with the Council of Yukon First Nations, has done considerable outreach in rural and aboriginal communities, educating people and dispelling the myths about HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C. <= /span>
Last July, Blood Ties completed the= ir first housing project, the Steve Cardiff House. This tiny, one-person home was de= signed to offer supportive, transitional housing for their clientele. It’s a hand-up solution as their clients are supported in looking for longer term accommodation. Their first client moved in in September of last year, and I’m so pleased to share with everyone that this client has successfully moved into long-term permanent housing. Most importantly, not only does Blood Ties educate the public to the realities, prevention and understanding of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C, they offer their clients community. With open arms, understanding and care, they help people learn to live with their illnesses.
The Minister of Health and Social S=
ervices
asked me to relay his gratitude and has been asked to speak at their annive=
rsary
celebration. On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to recognize and celebrate t=
he
vision and many achievements of the Blood Ties Four Directions centre. I ask
the members to join me in welcoming the executive director, Patricia Bacon;
board member Larry Kwiat; housing advocate Heat=
her Ashthorn; and HIV/HCB counsellor Leigh Ayton.
Applause
In recognition of the Battle of the Atlantic
Speaker: The Speaker will do a tribute on behalf of the House. On
Also in attendance, just offshore, =
was HMCS
Sackville,
The
At the beginning of this battle, =
span>United States
For the last few months of the war,=
the
Royal Canadian Navy had a strength of over 95,000
personnel — 6,000 of them were members of the Women’s Royal Can=
adian
Naval Service. The fleet committed to the
In the course of the operation, the=
Royal
Canadian Navy sank or shared in the destruction of 31 enemy submarines. For=
its
part, the Royal Canadian Navy lost 14 warships to U-boat attacks in the
Proportionally, Canadian merchant s= eamen suffered much more heavily, losing one in 10 killed among the 12,000 who se= rved in the Canadian and Allied merchant vessels. During World War II, Yukoners = of all stripes volunteered for service with some serving with the Merchant Mar= ines and the Royal Canadian Navy.
Please stand for a moment of silenc=
e to pay
tribute to those who have lost their lives during the
Moment of silence observed
Speaker: Introduction of visitors.
Are there any returns or documents = for tabling?
TABLING RETURNS AND DOCUMENTS
Hon. Mr. Graham:= 8195; Under section 1= 03(1) of the Workers’ Compensation Act, I wish to present two copies of= the 2012 annual report of the Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Boa= rd.
Hon. Mr. Dixon: Pursuant to Standing Order 37(4), I= have a legislative return. It is in response to a written question from <= st1:date Month=3D"4" Day=3D"4" Year=3D"2013">April 4, 2013= , Written Question No. 4. The written document in response is = the agreement between Shaanxi province of the People’s Republic of China = and the Yukon Territory of Canada on the establishment of a sister province/territory relationship.
Speaker: Are there any reports of committees?
Petitions.
Are there any bills to be introduce= d?
Are there any notices of motion?
Some
Hon. Member: (Inaudible)
INTRODUCTION OF VISITO=
RS
Hon.
Mr. Pasloski: I would just like to acknowledge Roddy Dale who has joined us in the Legislative Assem=
bly.
He is part of the hearing impaired group who came in late. I didn’t h=
ave
an opportunity to introduce him before. I would like the House to recognize
that he was just here.
Applause
Speaker: Are there any notices of motion?
NOTICES OF MOTION
Hon. Mr. Pasloski:= I give notice o= f the following motion:
THAT the Yukon Legislative Assembly, pursuant to section 2 of the Ombudsman Act, recommends that the Comm= issioner in Executive Council appoint Diane McLeod-McKay as the Ombudsman of Yukon f= or a term of five years, effective June 10, 2013.
Ms. McLeod: I give notice of the following moti= on:
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Yukon to continue to support the Yukon Conservation Data Centre to gather, = maintain and distribute information on wildlife and ecological communities of conservation concern in the territory.
Mr. Hassard: I give notice of the following moti= on:
THAT this House=
urges the
Government of Yukon to continue to take action to prevent the spread of chr=
onic
wasting disease in the
Mr. Silver:&= #8195; I give notice o= f the following motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen=
t of
Yukon to extend the interim electrical rebate, which saves customers up to =
$26
a month on their power bills, until
I give notice of the following moti= on:
THAT this House urges the Governmen=
t of
Yukon to increase the level of resources and coordination of search and res=
cue
services in
Speaker: Is there a statement by a minister?
This brings us to Question Period.<= /span>
QUESTION PERIOD
Question re:
Liquefied natural gas
Ms. Hanson:=
Today is the la=
st day
of the 60-day, quote, “consultation”=
on
the draft gas processing plant regulation. Under the Yukon Party, there has
been very little long-term planning about
Yukoners are bringing forward evide=
nce
daily that challenges those assumptions, the stats on greenhouse gases being
the easiest. Why is the government rushing through regulations for
gas-processing plants when it’s not at all clear that gas is the best=
solution
for
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: Once again, the Leader of the NDP is
quite simply wrong and does not seem to understand the facts of the matter.=
The
Kotaneelee gas processing plant has been in exi=
stence
for many years. Under the current regulatory structure, nothing prevents the
two utilities that are looking at using liquefied natural gas for electrici=
ty
production from doing so, including the privately owned Yukon Electrical
Company, which is in the process right now of going through YESAA with a
project in the
The current regulatory structure do= es allow the use of natural gas to produce electricity. As I have indicated before, mines are also looking at the possibility of either converting diesel generation to biofuel, that being diesel that is mixed with natural gas, or for new mines, the possibility of setting up with natural gas generation instead of diesel, as has typically been the case.= span>
I noted last fall, in introducing t=
he
amendments to the
Ms. Hanson:&= #8195; It is important= to plan for future energy demands, we agree, but it’s also critically importa= nt to include Yukoners, to provide cost-benefit analyses, and to look at all viable options. Part of the rationale for rushing through these gas process= ing plant regulations is there is an imminent, steep, increased demand for ener= gy. Just two days ago, for example, on May 6, the minister, in speaking about Victoria Gold, said — and I quote: “Pending approval, mine construction is scheduled to proceed later this year. The project is expect= ed to create about 400 jobs at full operation.” On the very same day we learned from Victoria Gold that the best interest of the shareholders is no= t to raise cash for construction activity.
Will the minister provide the needs= analysis that outlines the immediate demand for natural gas that is used to justify pushing ahead with its development?
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: I’m not sure whether the Lead=
er of
the NDP doesn’t understand the facts or chooses not to reflect them in
this House. Once again, she is wrong in the statement she has made. As I
indicated before and have said on previous occasions, nothing prevents the =
two
utilities that are looking at the possibility of using natural gas for
electricity production from doing so under the current regulatory structure.
The gas processing regulations will strengthen the ability of government st=
aff
to regulate and modernize the tools they have at their disposal to enforce
appropriate standards with anyone who might either process natural gas or u=
se
it for the production of electricity.
Mines, such as = the Casino project, has been working with Yukon Energ= y, and they are planning to use natural gas for that mine if it comes into product= ion.
The member’s statement about = Victoria Gold — first of all, she has her days wrong and, second of all, if she were paying attention during previous Question Periods, as I have indicated before, while their plan has included using grid power for electricity, in fact, there is the ability for both Cabinet and the Yukon Utilities Board to exercise discretion in this matter. We have been in discussions with Victor= ia Gold about the possibility of having on-site electricity production done by themselves with no direct involvement by government or its corporations.
Ms.
Hanson:&=
#8195; You know, this Yukon Party’s build-it-and-they-will-come
approach is a proven failure. Last year we saw changes to the
That study says, and I quote: “Pipeline regulations are currently being drafted and will be followe= d by Gas Plant regulations.” Government documents say that the next two st= eps are the gas processing plant regulations and pipelines. Yukoners are telling us, “Not so fast; show us all the evidence.” Will the minister revisit his position on LNG as the solution, present all the facts about all energy options and begin work now on long-term renewable energy solutions?<= /span>
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: The Leader of the Official Oppositi= on is correct — build it and they will come. Tha= t is what is happening after 10 years of the Yukon Party government. We have 10 successful years. Of those thousands of people who left the territory during the NDP and Liberal administrations in the late 1990s and early 2000s, we h= ave had 6,500 people return and 4,000 new jobs created. Retail sales continue to re= ach record highs every year, mineral production has gone from zero to $450 mill= ion in 2012. Mineral exploration is at $1.3 billion in the last 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is absolutely right — Yukon Party government for 10 years and, as a resu= lt of that, we have had an economy unlike any other in this country.
Question re: Renewable energy strategy
Ms.
White:=
8195; Despite our rep=
eated
requests, the minister responsible for Energy, Mines and Resources either
cannot or will not provide a comparative cost analysis of the various energy
options he is considering. The need to shift away from fossil fuels is evid=
ent:
for our water, for the climate, for the economy and, most importantly, for =
the
next generations. We have to shift toward renewable energy. We will ask
questions of the Yukon Energy Corporation when they come; today we are focu=
sing
on the political will it takes to shift to renewable energy. The minister
advises us to look across
Can the government identify one con= sultation it has had with a local or circumpolar expert on non-fossil-fuel-based renewable energy?
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Again, I’m not sure whether t= he Member for Takhini-Kopper King has not been paying attention or doesn’= ;t understand the work that has been done by the Yukon Energy Corporation. They’ve done extensive planning, spent millions of dollars, in fact, = on researching renewable energy options. We have under this government invested millions of dollars in developing renewable energy options: the $71-million federal investment coupled with territorial investment in the Mayo B hydro project — the largest single federal investment under the green energy fund; $5 million of federal investment in the Aishihik third turbine, suppo= rted by another $8 million of Yukon Energy Corporation support. Those are investments in renewable energy development. I’m not sure whether the member doesn’t understand this or it just doesn’t fit with her narrative.
When talking about numbers, the Yuk= on Energy Corporation and its staff have done the analysis. The member has rep= eatedly questioned in this House and cast doubt on whether they are honestly presen= ting the facts to Yukoners as they understand them. This government has confiden= ce in the boards of the Yukon Development Corporation and the Yukon Energy Corporation and in their staff. It’s unfortunate that the NDP does no= t.
Ms.
White:=
8195; My questions co=
ntinue
to be for the minister, the minister in charge of energy. Although it may n=
ot
be easy to answer the question we asked about the cost per kilowatt hour of
energy being produced at Mayo B, it needs to be answered. Data regarding va=
lue
for money for Mayo B needs to be part of any informed debate about planning=
A whole lot of government money wen= t into Mayo B — a renewable energy. For an equivalent number of dollars inve= sted, local innovators with solar power have estimated what could be achieved and= it looks very promising. Current updated evidence from across the north shows = that combinations of solar and wind energies could be viable economically as wel= l as environmentally. When and how will this government get serious about non-fossil-fuel-based energy?
Hon. Mr. Cathers: As I’ve illustrated to the me= mber opposite, we’ve put more money into developing renewable energy optio= ns by far than any other type of energy option: the significant investment in = Mayo B, the Aishihik third turbine, plus millions of dollars spent by Yukon Ener= gy Corporation in looking at other potential renewable energy options. Money h= as been spent by Yukon Energy Corporation on researching wind options. I know = the Member for Takhini-Kopper King has a fixation on wind.
They have spent money on projects s=
uch as
Ferry Hill and researching the feasibility of that. The Yukon Energy Corpor=
ation
has also provided resources to the project that is being done right now with
the
The member either does not understa=
nd the
facts or is not adjusting her narrative accordingly. Millions have been spe=
nt
on renewable energy options, far more than have been spent on fossil fuels.=
I
would remind the member that talking about the comparison of natural gas to
diesel — we’re not just talking about our numbers; we’re
talking about numbers from other Canadian jurisdictions.
I know the member and her leader th=
ink they
know better than the Environmental Protection Agency in the
Ms.
White:=
8195; The only fixati=
on
appears to be the minister’s desire to belittle this side of the Hous=
e.
On April 30, the minister said, “As it comes down to the issue of
specific projects, in fact, I would point out to the members that no decisi=
on
has been made yet to actually put in liquefied natural gas generation
equipment. It is something that is being looked at and both the Energy
Corporation and government have been quite open about that fact, but that
decision itself has not actually been made.” The decision has not been
made. That’s great. So let’s hit restart, refresh the discussion
about
Before supporting liquefied natural= gas generation equipment, will the minister commit to making a public comparati= ve cost analysis of both LNG and a combination of renewab= les, such as micro-hydro, solar, and wind energies?
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: Again, what we see here from the ND=
P is a
failure to reflect the facts in their narrative. The members have consisten=
tly
called into question the work done by the boards and the staff of Yukon
Development Corporation and Yukon Energy Corporation. They will be here lat=
er
this month — next week — to answer questions. The members can h=
ear
directly from them and they can also pose their accusations about those
individuals’ work to them directly.
I find the NDP line of questioning =
in this
very unfortunate and unfair to those who have done this work; in fact, Yuko=
n Energy
has had a very public process, planning and a number of public charettes. T=
hey
have provided the information about comparative costs of energy options, but
when pointing out that natural gas provides lower emissions than diesel whe=
n it
comes to carbon emissions, that isn’t just
Again, Mr. Speaker, we have more co= nfidence in Yukon Energy Corporation than in the NDP and we have a lot more confiden= ce in the EPA than in the NDP.
Question re: &= nbsp; Electrical rate stabilization fund
Mr.
Silver:&=
#8195; Earlier this we=
ek, I
asked the minister responsible for energy about the new hydro projects. He
didn’t want to talk about the new projects. After 10 years in office,=
the
Yukon Party has no new hydro projects on the table ready to go. He did want=
to
talk about rising energy rates in
The Yukon Party government rebate h=
as been
in place since 2009 and has been renewed annually in the last number of yea=
rs.
Given the recent 12-percent increase in bills, the need for this rebate is
greater than ever. What is the future of this rebate? Will it go beyond
Hon. Mr. Cathers: As I have indicated in the past, we= are considering the future of the interim electrical rebate. There’s a re= ason it was called an “interim” electrical rebate. I would point out= to the member that it was interesting the member laid out the Liberal Party’s position earlier today, which is to continue subsidizing ener= gy and to continue distorting the marketplace through continuing this subsidy = for multi-years. In fact, the annual cost of the interim electrical rebate is a= bout $3.5 million in taxpayer subsidy for energy consumption. Clearly, the Liber= al Party supports distorting the marketplace through continuing this artificial subsidy. We recognize the impact on rates, and that is why we have continued it, but there is a reason it’s called the “interim” electrical rebate, and we do not envision it being left in place forever.= span>
Mr. Silver:&= #8195; Clearly the min= ister forgets campaign promises and campaign speeches, where all three parties su= pported this interim rebate.
A lack of planning has left the gov= ernment scrambling to keep up and, as a result, Yukoners are paying higher electric= ity bills. A 12-percent increase is being rolled out as we speak. With regard to the numbers that the minister is providing on how we compare to other citie= s, a quick look at Yukon Energy’s website shows that he is wrong. The bill= for 1,000 kilowatts is at least $130, according to the Yukon Electrical Company, and almost $140 according to Yukon Energy. Without the IER in place, bills would be even higher.
As demand continues to increase, the situation is only going to get worse. The government has failed to ensure t= hat supply keeps up with demand. The result is higher prices. Is the government willing to commit to a three-year extension of the IER to protect ratepayer= s?
Hon. Mr. Cathers: No, we are not going to commit to a long-term subsidy of electrical costs, and I would point out that the numbe= rs I gave the member were directly from the Yukon Energy Corporation, so the mem= ber claims to have Googled something else.= p>
I will allow staff of the Yukon Ene=
rgy
Corporation to explain the most current numbers in this area.
In fact, the Yellowknife
Mr.
Silver:&=
#8195; Let’s be =
clear,
this subsidy is the Yukon Party subsidy. They’re in power so we have =
the
subsidy. We’re clear that we like it. What is their position? One of =
the
reasons that the
Despite the minister’s object= ion, the Yukon Party continues to renew the subsidy which saves Yukoners more than $= 26 per month on their power bills. I am looking for simply a long-term commitm= ent to this rebate. Why is the minister so unwilling to continue this subsidy f= or another three years?
Hon. Mr. Cathers: The Liberal Party is suggesting that taxpayers continue to take out of one pocket to fund ratepayers in the othe= r. We have continued the subsidy temporarily on an interim basis because we recognize the potential impact of rate charges. But when the Leader of the Liberal Party stands up and characterizes the rate increase approved by the Yukon Utilities Board as somehow suggesting a failure to manage energy supp= ly adequately, it really is a very fanciful notion that he’s presenting = to Yukoners.
Yukoners know how much the consumer=
price
index for all products goes up on an annual basis. Yukoners know how much t=
heir
gas prices have gone up in the past 10 years. To suggest that there would b=
e no
incremental costs for increased cost of equipment, increased cost of labour
— that that should never be reflected in your power bills — wel=
l,
that is not a very realistic notion of the world. In fact, the increase
approved by the Yukon Utilities Board is unfortunate, but it’s also
unfortunate that food prices, gas prices and the cost of consumable goods a=
nd
building equipment go up, but it is reality.
It is a moderate increase. As a res= ult of our legacy hydro and as a result of our continued significant investment in= renewable energy resources, including Mayo B and the Aishihik third turbine, we are continuously among the lowest hydro rates and electricity rates in the coun= try.
Question re: Old Crow winter road
Mr. Elias:= 8195; I’m pleased to stand up in the House today and thank the government for the funds it has committed to building a winter road to Old = Crow in 2014. Mahsi’ cho.<= /span> It has been almost a decade since the last winter road and the new one will only be available to use for about two months next winter, all conditions permitting. That’s a very narrow window of opportunity. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, along with every Old Crow citizen, business and agen= cy have all been hard at work for years planning how to most effectively use t= hat winter road, and I’m sure the Yukon Party government has too. =
So will a minister please detail the projects that the government is planning on implementing and completing in = Old Crow when the 2014 winter road becomes a reality?
Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: It does bring me pleasure to rise i=
n the
House and speak to the Old Crow winter road and to the great working
relationship that we have with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. This is an
ongoing project. I spoke earlier in our last session about the lack of snow,
which was very unfortunate. I don’t want to bring up that we’re
praying for snow yet — we want summer first.
Mr. Speaker, we are working with th= e Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation as we speak. We just finished meeting on April 26 and= the draft contribution agreement is in place.
The thing to remember here is that =
Old Crow
is the only community in the
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; The last thing any of us wants to be thinking of right now is=
next
winter, but I have to. I don’t want planning to go sideways, because I
have heard about those meetings that have been conducted. It’s import=
ant
that we wrap up planning details far in advance of the winter road’s
establishment to maximize our investment. With the cost-savings in view, Yu=
kon
Electrical, the RCMP, Porcupine Enterprises, Parks Canada and, obviously, t=
he
Vuntut Gwitchin government are already preparing to take advantage of the
winter road to perform needed infrastructure and community upgrades.
The Yukon
Can the minister describe how the government is already planning to take advantage of this rare cost-saving opportunity to address my constituents’ well-known priorities, such as housing, a community rec p= lex and affordable, healthy foods?
Hon. Mr. Istchenko: I’m not going to get into the= exact different departments because they’re not my department. I know at our Highways and Public Works deputy ministers’ meetings, I’ve had = that discussion that we’re going to have a road and we need to be prepared, whether it’s Yukon Housing, Community Services or Highways and Public Works, whether it’s equipment or building material. That’s one thing that I’m looking forward to next year.
This is important and in the eyes o= f this government, we’re committed to this project, but we’re also committed to working now so we’re ready for next winter. What the mem= ber opposite, the Member for Vuntut Gwitchin, is bringing across is exactly what we’re doing as we speak right now, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; That’s why I’m bringing this question forward so =
that
this government can be on record with a $70-million surplus.
This government needs to get organi=
zed and
be ready to maximize the use of the winter road. The winter road, like every
other
Can the minister confirm that this = will be done — yes or no?
Hon.
Mr. Pasloski: I want to acknowledge the work of t=
he
Department of Highways and Public Works as the lead, in terms of negotiating
with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in coming up with the agreement to mo=
ve
forward with the road. We are certainly excited about the opportunity to do
some work in a more cost-effective way with the implementation of a winter =
road
for next winter. We know that we have various departments that have things =
that
they want to accomplish. We also know that private industry — there a=
re
some companies that also would be involved and, of course, some departments=
of
the federal government as well, such as the RCMP and those sorts of
departments. Of course, it would be the responsibility of the government to=
ensure
that we are coordinating that across all the departments.
That, in fact, has happened and has= been happening. We have had a head start, simply because we were originally look= ing at putting this winter road in last year. So there has been a lot of logist= ical work done already, in advance of next winter. I think what we’ll then= be looking for is ensuring we do have enough snow in place so that this road c= an, in fact, go in and all the work that has been identified can, in fact, be d= one.
Question re: &=
nbsp; Airport
runway safety
Ms. Moorcroft: The Minister of Highways and Public Works — and, for that matter, all Cabinet ministe= rs who serve in a parliamentary democracy — are responsible for policy a= nd budget decisions so that necessary public work gets done. I would like the minister to demonstrate a sound working knowledge of his department’s activities and to be accountable in this Legislature for the direction he provides to his department officials.
The runway at
Hon. Mr. Istchenko: I thank the member opposite for the question. Exactly what the member opposite said — plans are plans, and we’re planning.
I just want to get this across in t=
he
House. I’m not happy with the line of questioning that comes from the
members opposite, so I want to reiterate that there have been no reported n=
ear
misses at the Whitehorse airport, with the exception of an incident about t=
hree
to four years ago when a Jazz aircraft failed to follow procedures and land=
ed
while maintenance staff were plowing the runway. There were no injuries. A =
subsequent
investigation by Transport
Speaker: Order please. The member’s time has elapsed.
Ms. Moorcroft: The minister is responsible for ensuring that public safety is paramount at all times. I wo= uld say the minister should also be listening to the questions and trying to an= swer them. In order to do the required work of replacing the main runway for 201= 5, the secondary runway will need improvements so it is functioning to the required safety standard for all anticipated air traffic.
Can the minister tell us whether he=
has
directed his department to improve the secondary runway at the
Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: The Yukon
I’m not sure what I’m h=
earing
from across the way.
Once they’re done with closin= g down mining, we’re going to close down airports?
Ms.
Moorcroft: The m=
inister
needs to understand that questioning his direction of his department is not=
a
criticism of public servants. He can’t keep hiding behind employees f=
or
his lack of leadership. The minister hasn’t answered the questions and
hasn’t told us if he has decided what his department is going to do. =
Has
the minister given direction to his department to replace the main runway at
the
Hon. Mr. Istchenko: I want to recite something from = Hansard from the member opposite: “We’ve heard reports from people from= Marsh Lake and Mount Lorne complaining that the work on the road they drive seems= to have a reduced standard of crush because they’re seeing a lot of prob= lems with the road, and they’re also pointing out that they contribute to = bulk traffic that does, in fact, commute to Whitehorse on a daily basis.”<= b> That’s accusing the department of using a different type of gravel. We use the same gravel. The member opposite has been in government a long time — a lot longer than I. I provide the direction to the department. Maybe the member opposite should think of another career change or something like that becau= se she’s not representing her constituents —
Some Hon. Member: (Inaudible)
Point of order
Speaker: Official Opposition House Leader, on a point of order.
Ms. Stick:= 8195; I point to 19(g) — imputing false or unavowed motives in stating facts, and 19(i). The member opposite is imputing — it’s insulting language.
Speaker’s ruling
Speaker: Actually, I will ask the minister to retract that statement a= bout the member getting another job. Everybody here is an elected member and honourable. Comments otherwise are not appreciated by the Speaker or the Ho= use.
Withdrawal of remark
Hon. Mr. Istchenko: I retract my comment, Mr. Speaker. =
Speaker: The time for Question Period has elapsed. We’ll now pro= ceed with Orders of the Day.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
OPPOSITION PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS
MOTIONS OTHER THAN GOVERNMENT MOTIONS
Motion No. 449
Clerk: ̳= 4; Motion No. 449, standing in the name of Ms. Stick.
Speaker: It is moved by the Member for Riverdale South
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Yukon to immediately consult with the public to determine whether subsection 50(1) of the Employment Standards Act, the so-called probationary pe= riod which allows workers to be terminated without cause or notice, should be amended from six to three months during the 2013 Fall Sitting of the Legislative Assembly.
Ms.
Stick:=
8195; I want to begin=
the
discussion on this motion — the debate — with a story. This is a
story about
The manager decided
I don’t know the manager; I
don’t know the motivation behind the firing; I don’t know why
communicating and resolving the issue wasn’t attempted, and I donR=
17;t
know if the solution truly was to fire
But I do know that the manager oper=
ated
within the Employment Standards Act. The manager didn’t need to
give notice. So
Employment Standards branch pointed out she had not been worki= ng more than six months, so it was perfectly within the realm of the employer = to let her go without notice and without pay.
I would submit here that what we are talking about is that individual workers, or workers in service and trades,= be given the same respect we give other workers. I would submit that employers= be required to give one-week’s notice or pay in lieu of firing or releas= ing a person from their job. If we did that and if that became a law, I think t= here would be more reason for employers to resolve the matter and not just take = the first way out, which is releasing a person without notice — you are fired; no notice; no pay.
A firing is a traumatic experience.=
I have
gone through it myself. It impacts a person. It impacts their self-esteem, =
how
they feel about themselves. It throws bill payment into doubt. They donR=
17;t
know where their next paycheque is coming from
— something they had counted on.
It’s especially traumatic whe=
n,
through no fault of your own, you are fired and thrust into the need of fin=
ding
another job. Our motion is about having a public conversation, this summer
perhaps, on whether we should continue to allow workers to be terminated
without cause or without notice if they’ve been on a job less than six
months. We are saying that section 50(1) should be amended so that most
employees who work three months and are terminated without cause
receive one week’s notice, or one week’s pay. It’s import=
ant
to remember that what we’re proposing here has no bearing on an emplo=
yer’s
right to fire an employee; employers would still be able to fire that worker
without notice if there is just cause, failure to abide by the terms of a
contract, or other exemptions under section 49(1), including no notice requ=
ired
for seasonal workers or workers in the construction industry.
We believe that these changes shoul=
d happen
in the interest of basic fairness for workers, especially the young, new
workers in service industries that do not have the benefit of unions. We fe=
el
it is important because the
What we are asking people to vote o= n is just asking for the public’s opinion on this. Everyone might not agree that it should be six months or three: that’s okay. What we’re asking for is that this conversation should be open to the public and let’s listen to what the public has to tell us about change and wheth= er it should happen. We should never be afraid to talk to the public about thi= s.
What we want to talk about is just =
a small
piece of this Employment Standards Act. There are many other pieces =
in
there that are out of step with today’s
What we want to focus on is the pub= lic conversation. Should a person working for up to six months be dismissed from their job with no notice? So it’s a narrow focus; it’s a conversation that we think should be held with Yukoners.
I suspect that there are plenty of =
On the Day of Mourning, there was a= release from the Yukon Federation of Labour that pointed out the 1,216 workplace injuries and illnesses in 2012; 1,025 of those were accepted by the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board. There were 480 cases of time lost due to illness and injury, and young workers again make up a disproportionate percentage of those injuries, with 179 claims.
We can educate young people and wor= kers about their rights in the workplace and that it is always appropriate for t= hem to refuse unsafe work, but we can do more. We can do more to ensure that our legislation is improved and upheld. By narrowing the probation window that allows termination without cause up to six months — if we do this, th= is would be one step. We can proactively hold employers to account by inspecti= ng worksites and ensuring that the laws and regulations are being followed; th= at does happen and we’re thankful for those staff.
Just on the note of probation, we=
8217;ve
called it in this motion the “so-called probationary period” and
this is deliberate in that this early period before notice rights are
established is not really probationary according to law, but it can feel li=
ke
that for workers. This is the six months where they need to prove themselve=
s.
I can anticipate that some will arg= ue that employers need six months to adequately assess whether a worker is any good. I’m a small business owner, and I have been fortunate to have great staff. I have not had to fire or let someone go. I know pretty quickly whet= her a person is going to fit into the environment, whether they can do the job = and whether they require more training and guidance. That’s the employer’s job — to make sure that a person has the skills or h= as the training to be able to do the job safely and appropriately.
Even pro-employer research that we =
found
indicates that three months should be sufficient to not only access the ski=
lls
of the employee but to assess how the employee fits into the workplace cult=
ure.
Another study of behavioural effects of probationary periods and an analysi=
s of
worker absenteeism rebuts a typical argument that in three months an employ=
ee
can fake or mimic good work habits.
We do feel it’s fair that emp=
loyees
be given a week’s notice after three months. Workers always have the
ability to walk off the job, and many do. It’s doubtful that a change
would have much impact on that. But the relationship of employment is not o=
ne
of equality.
So we believe that no employer shou= ld terminate the employment of an employee who has been employed for three con= secutive months or more, unless they are given a week’s notice in writing or a week’s notice to that person whose period of employment is less than = one year and more than three months.
It is important to remember that wh= at we are proposing has no bearing, again, on the rights of an employer to fire a= n employee, as long as there is just cause, failure to abide by the terms of a contract= or other exemptions.
I mentioned earlier that we’r=
e at the
bottom. There are two others — New Brunswick and P.E.I. — that
state six months as the period; Manitoba — 30 days; Alberta — t=
hree
months; British Columbia — three months; Newfoundland — three
months; Northwest Territories — three months; Nova Scotia — thr=
ee months;
Nunavut — 90 days; Ontario — three months; Quebec and Saskatche=
wan
— three months.
This is a motion about consulting w=
ith the
public. We do not believe that the
Ms.
McLeod: I’m pleased to rise today to =
speak
to this motion brought forward by the MLA for Riverdale South. As is the ca=
se
across
These standards include hours of wo=
rk,
minimum wage, annual vacations, general holidays, maternity and parental le=
ave,
special leave-without-pay, payment of wages and =
termination
of employment. The act is an important piece of legislation that provides
certainty and protections for most employees and employers in
The Employment Standards branch of =
the
Department of Community Services works diligently to ensure that both emplo=
yers
and employees are in compliance with these minimum standards throughout
The section of the act referred to = in this motion, more specifically section 50(1), speaks = to the requirement that an employer provide notice of termination to an employee o= nly after they have been continuously employed for more than six months. This is commonly referred to as the probationary period in the employment relations= hip. After six months of consecutive employment, an employer must give one week’s notice in writing to the employee and this notice period incre= ases with the number of years of employment.
I would like to note that section 5=
0(2) of
the Employment Standards Act also provides exactly the same notice
requirements for employees to employers.
At this time an employee of less th= an six months may leave a job without giving written notice and must give at least= one week’s written notice after the probationary period ends, with the nu= mber of weeks’ notice required increasing with the number of years of employment. In other words, this probationary period is the same for both parties in the employment relationship.
While not named as the probationary= period in the legislation, it is commonly known by that name by both employers and= employees. The probationary period provides both parties the opportunity to test-drive= an employment relationship and to see if the job is a good fit for the employee and vice versa.
Employees benefit from their probat= ionary period as they can experience the job tasks over a realistic time frame and assess whether the position is the right one for them. If the experience is= not working out for any reason, the employee may choose to leave the job without giving any notice or reason for their decision in that<= /span> six months.
Employers also benefit from their
probationary period because it provides them with an opportunity to assess
whether an employee is capable of handling the duties and responsibilities
associated with their new job and is a good fit into the employer’s b=
usiness.
The probationary period provides the flexibility for employers to hire people who might not be a perfect job at first glance, but who can prove to be excellent employees during these first six months of employment.
I am aware that in other jurisdicti=
ons, as
has been noted, this probationary period is set at three months, but
With regard to the specifics of the= motion before us today, we are pleased to support proceeding to consult with the public and stakeholders on the length of the probationary period in the = Employment Standards Act. Similar to last consultations on matters under this act, Community Services would seek input from the Chamber of Commerce, labour organizations, First Nation governments, local governments and the public. =
While I support undertaking consult=
ation on
the sections of the act relating to the probationary period, I cannot commi=
t to
doing so immediately, nor to tabling changes to =
the
legislation during the fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly. To do so w=
ould
be premature, as it is important to consider all options and perform more
jurisdictional research before heading to consultation and to receive the
consultation feedback prior to determining how
Amendment proposed
Ms. McLeod: Therefore, I move
THAT Motion No. 449 be amended by:
(1) removing the word “immediately”; and
(2) removing the phrase “during the 2013 Fall Sitting of the Legislative Assembly̶= 1;.
Speaker: The amendment is in order.
It has been moved by the Member for=
THAT Motion No. 449 be amended by:
(1) removing the word “immediately”; and
(2) removing the phrase “during the 2013 Fall Sitting of the Legislative Assembly̶= 1;.
Ms. McLeod: I am hopeful that we can all suppor= t this amendment. As I have said, government has a very heavy legislative agenda at this time and to commit to doing this immediately and by this year is far t= oo optimistic. To remove those dates, I think, makes this far more manageable.=
Ms. Stick:= 8195; I thank the mem= ber for her comments on that. Quite frankly, I do not have a big problem with remov= ing the word “immediately” and “during the 2013 Fall Sitting = of the Legislative Assembly.” What I would like to hear from the governm= ent, though, is a commitment to this being brought forward and that this does not just disappear. I support this, but I would like to know that this in fact = will happen within this government’s tenure, and I would like to hear or s= ee that assurance. I don’t have an amendment to make and others might, b= ut I do believe that we can remove the word “immediately” and perhaps find a way of ensuring that this in fact does happen.
Hon.
Mr. Dixon: I am pleased to rise and speak to t=
he
amendment proposed by the Member for
In response to the Member for River= dale South, in looking for commitment, this was a matter that was discussed earl= ier this year in debate on this particular piece of legislation, which I believe was the impetus for the original motion. As we’ve noted, though, the terms — putting the onerous time limits on this particular motion mak= es it difficult for the government to accept, so this amendment really allows = us to support the intent of the motion without having to vote against it becau= se of onerous timing.
Of course, in the fall sitting this=
year,
members can rest assured that we’ve done a lot of work on a number of
pieces of legislation that we hope to bring forward at that time. Bringing
forward legislation is certainly not an easy thing. It’s time intensi=
ve,
and it requires a significant amount of work by department officials to do.=
So
for us to try to cram something else into this agenda would be difficult fo=
r us
and would most likely mean another piece of legislation would have to be put
aside. I think this is a good step forward. I know for me, personally, as b=
oth
Minister of Environment and Economic Development, I’ve got a number of
things that I’d like to see come forward. Whether or not they’ll
come forward in the fall or not will be determined by my colleagues and me,=
but
in the meantime, I’m sure that members can agree that the intent of t=
his
motion is fair enough, and we’ll support it upon passing the amendmen=
t.
I did want to note, as well, that t= he necessity of consulting requires us to allow for the potential of a longer time, rather than simply saying that everything must be concluded in the fa= ll. We don’t know what we will hear in consultation, and we don’t k= now what work or changes may be a result of that. Removing the time limit here,= or the time requirement, will allow us to better engage those with whom we int= end to consult. Some of the groups I would suggest, of course, would be the Cha= mber of Commerce, organized labour and a number of others that will come about. = We don’t want to preclude what they provide us with regard to consultati= on and feedback.
I do feel that the amendment certai=
nly
strengthens the motion and makes it possible for government to support it. =
So
in response to the Member for Riverdale South, I refer her to Hansard,
where the Minister of Community Services made a number of comments about th=
is
piece of legislation when they debated it previously, so she can look to th=
at Hansard
page for the government’s commitment.
I do anticipate that we will be abl= e to support this motion upon the amendment. Thank you.
Ms. Moorcroft: Mr. Speaker, my colleague, the Member for Riverdale South, who introduced this motion to consult with the public on the Employment Standards Act and on the length of time for a probationary period, has already said that she would be prepared to accept removing the word “immediately” from the mot= ion. She also indicated that, although she could accept removing the phrase “during the 2013 Fall Sitting of the Legislative Assembly”, she wanted to see a commitment from the government. =
The Minister of Environment just st= ood and indicated that he thought this amendment was a good step and that the gover= nment had quite a large legislative agenda, so this proposed consultation would k= ind of need to be set aside for now and not dealt with immediately. We don̵= 7;t have a lot of information from the government regarding what legislative ag= enda they intend to bring forward over the next few months. I did ask for some details from the Minister of Justice, but didn’t get a very fulsome answer.
It’s only a good step if ther= e is indeed a commitment from the government to conduct the public consultation = on the Employment Standards Act and to report back and to bring forward legislative amendments based on that consultation.
We’re prepared to support the amendment, but we do want to hear a commitment from the government that this doesn’t mean that they will merely set it aside and not deal with it again during the period of this legislative session.
Speaker: Does any other member wish to be heard on the amendment?
Amendment to Motion No. 449 agre=
ed to
Speaker: Is there any further debate on the motion, as amended?
=
Hon.
Mr. Pasloski: I want to first thank all the membe=
rs of
the Assembly for the support of the amendment to the motion, originally put
forward by the Member for Riverdale South. I just thought I would spend a
couple of minutes talking about this, as well, because I think there has be=
en a
little bit of misunderstanding in the context of the discussion that has oc=
curred
in this House on this point to date.
I will refer some of my comments to=
the
quarter century as a business owner, either here in the
To say that we certainly do support= the motion as amended — and we think that it’s important to be able= to go out and receive that feedback at the consultation from such people as the chambers and directly from businesses, from labour, from First Nations, the= local governments and the public as well, and that there is a time to be able to assess all of that feedback to see what changes need to occur.
I think what’s really importa=
nt to
notice is that notice goes both ways. The members opposite were talking abo=
ut
the amount of time for termination without cause by employers, but I think =
we
have to make note of the fact that this is a two-edged sword and that
entitlement is also there for employees. Having been an employer, I underst=
and
that as well, where people will accept a job and then decide at some point =
that
they, in fact, have other plans or they’re going to move away.
Over the years, I can assure you, t= here was a myriad of things that I heard that had occurred, but I think it is import= ant to also note that the member kept saying that you have six months to termin= ate somebody without cause. The reality is that there is no time limit for term= inating somebody without cause. They can be an employee for 20 years and you don’t need to have cause to terminate them. In fact there are many examples of this that, had they occurred, we would just have to look at dow= nsizing — which was a term from the last decade — in some large corporations where they decided that they needed to eliminate thousands of jobs. Those people were not eliminated because there was cause — that they had violated a breach that allowed the employer to say “I’m terminating you because you’ve done something that was in violation o= f a law or of a government policy.”
So termination without cause can oc= cur at any time and it is well articulated in the Employment Standards Act. This difference is that it does stipulate compensation based on the amount = of time that you have been employed in the business. I think it’s chapter 72, section 50(1) that = says no employer shall terminate the employment of an employee who has been empl= oyed for six consecutive months or more unless the employer gives (a) one week’s notice in writing to the employee whose period of employment is less than one year; (b) two weeks’ notice in writing when the employm= ent period is one year or more but less than three years; (c) three weeks’ notice when it’s three years or more but less than four years; four weeks’ notice — a= gain this is all in writing; I’m just paraphrasing a bit — if they’ve been employed for four years but less than five years; five weeks’ notice if employed for five years but less than six; six weeks’ notice if employed for six years but less than seven; seven weeks’ notice if employed for seven years but less than eight years; and eight weeks’ notice in writing to the employee whose period of employment is eight years or more.<= o:p>
So <=
span
lang=3DEN style=3D'mso-ansi-language:EN'>that is what has to happen. There =
is also
in there the same clause if an employee comes up to you and says,
“I’m done. I no longer want to work here.”
So there is 50(2): “An employ= ee who has been employed for six consecutive months or more shall not terminate th= eir employment until after the expiry of (a) one week’s notice in writing= to the employee whose period of employment is less than two years; (b) two weeks’ notice...if the period of employment is two years or more but = less than four years; (c) three weeks’ notice...” for employment of “…four years…but less than six years; or (d) four weeks’ notice…if the period of employment is six years or more.”
It also stipulates that “(3) = The period of notice prescribed in subsection (1) shal= l not coincide with the employee’s annual vacation.”
It also says that in the case that = there could be pay in lieu of notice, or payment instead of notice. “If an employer terminates the employment of an employee without having given the employee the notice required by subsection 50(1), the employer shall pay to= the employee termination pay in an amount equal to the amount that the employee would have been entitled to receive as their regular wages for their normal hours of work for the period prescribed by subsection 50(1).”<= /p>
If someone has been working, for ex= ample, for more than eight years, you could give them eight weeks’ notice th= at they are terminating their job or you could pay them what they would have earned in those eight weeks, give them the money and say they are free to g= o at that point and receive the money in lieu.
So it is reciprocal, in that 52(1) = says that if an employee terminates their employment with an employer without ha= ving given the notice required in section 50, the employer may, with the consent= of the employee, deduct from the wages due to the employee an amount equal to = one week’s wages at the employee’s regular rate of pay for the employee’s normal hours of work. If they don’t agree or consent= to the deduction, then the wages for the amount referred to in 52(1), the empl= oyer shall pay that amount to the director who is responsible. Then it goes into that whole process as well.
I just think it’s really impo=
rtant to
note because there was perhaps a misunderstanding that in fact termination,
either by the employee or the employer, can only occur during the six-month
probationary period without cause. And in fact that is not the case. As we
heard from the Member for
Different jurisdictions have looked= at this and some haven’t, and I think that sort of speaks to some of the challenges we have. We do have an aggressive legislative agenda, and we do = have priorities. Many of those priorities were articulated within our platform t= hat we said we were going to deliver on, and some of those priorities occur as a result of things that happen. I’ll use the piece of legislation that = is being called Jayden’s Law, for example, w= hich is before the House during this session as well.
So there are a number of reasons as= to why we put forward the bills that we do and in the order that we do. What we ha= ve said is that this is something that does require consultation, and it’= ;s important that we do get feedback from everybody, so that we can then look = at the situation and decide, in fact, whether or not there needs to be a chang= e. I suspect that if you go out — we wouldn’t be targeting consultat= ion to this small section of this act as well — we would see at that poin= t a larger scope.
I know that the House would like to continue to move on with important business. I just thought it would be important for the record to ensure that everybody does understand that at a= ny point at time, people can choose to either leave their job without cause or because of a situation that is determined by the employer and that, in fact= , is the decision that they need to do for their business, as well.
Ms. Hanson:&= #8195; I hadn’t = intended to speak to this motion, because I had assumed that this would be a straigh= tforward discussion that all Members of the Legislative Assembly would be compelled = to want to support, because what we’re trying to do and what we’re recognizing through this motion is the very importance of ensuring we have — and maintain — the status of being an attractive place for employees and employers. One of the challenges that we face if we get a rep= utation of not being such a place, when there are many, many opportunities particul= arly for young workers — we need to attract the young, skilled workforce h= ere and if we get that reputation, then it doesn’t bode well.
We’ve heard many times in this Legislature that this is a buoyant economy, that= we have so many opportunities for business, and it’s all because of the driving economy. To compare ourselves to economies that are struggling is unfortunate. We shouldn’t be at the bottom of the economic heap here. That’s an unfortunate circumstance to be placing ourselves in.=
Notwithstanding that, I wanted to c=
larify
— and I’m hoping somebody on the government side will clarify t=
his
— that when the Member for Watson Lake was speaking, it was my
understanding, and I believe my colleagues’ understanding, that she w=
as
simply indicating that the government was intending, based on the understan=
ding
of the comments made in the Legislative Assembly with respect to the discus=
sion
we had on the protection of families in need act, and I believe the minister
had indicated that the government was intending to go to consultation within
the mandate term of this government and within the life of this government.
There wasn’t any hedging at that time about it not being a priority;
we’re not going to do it ever.
It was that we will do it when it=
8217;s
part of our planned activities. I understood that from the Member for
So I hoped that we would hear from =
the
government that in fact it is their intention to see the employment standar=
ds
legislation and those remaining elements — a comprehensive consultati=
on
— including those provisions that my colleague from Riverdale South h=
as
raised today, along with other provisions that were discussed when we were
talking about the leave without pay versus the benefits that had apparently
been discussed by government in putting forth the amendments to the Empl=
oyment
Standards Act on the protection of families in need act.
I think Yukoners are looking for th= at kind of assurance that this government does take seriously both the responsibili= ties of employees and employers, as reflected in the employment standards legislation, and the need to keep that current and leading in terms of best practices. We have the ability to do it in this territory. I don’t see why we wouldn’t be rising to that.
Ms.
Moorcroft: This motion tha=
t we
brought forward today is about improving
The motion, as it has been amended,= will call for a consultation with the public in the future, without a specific d= ate. However, the Member for Watson Lake and the Premier have indicated that the government would therefore intend to do a consultation of a larger scope on= the Employment Standards Act, so I = would like to speak in support of that.
The government, in its amendment, h=
as left
the motion so that it does read that one item we know we will be consulting=
on
is the so-called probationary period, which allows workers to be terminated
without cause or notice, should be moved from six months to three months. We
know that will be covered. That is simply a matter of basic fairness for
workers, and especially for young and new workers and those in the service
industry and others who do not have the benefit of union representation. An=
d we
also note that the
Another item that we discussed in t=
his
House fairly recently was a bill to amend the Employment Standards Act, which brought into effect provisions =
for
leave without pay for parents who had a critically ill child or a child who=
was
missing or had been murdered.
At that time, the Official Oppositi=
on
called upon the government to go further on those amendments and to have
amendments to the
We also have brought to the attenti=
on of
this House other needs for consideration when looking at the Employment =
Standards
Act. For example, a minimum age for young workers is a matter that this
Assembly has discussed over a period of many years and by different
legislatures.
There is the matter of the exemptio= ns that are in place for seasonal and construction workers.
Mr. Speaker, I would like the gover= nment, if it is planning to consult, to take a broad approach, to consider the subjects that the opposition has brought to its attention and that it will indeed go out and have a public conversation and then come back and do the = work that’s necessary to make improvements to our Employment Standards = Act.
Speaker: If the member now speaks, she will close debate. Does any oth= er member wish to be heard?
Ms. Stick:= 8195; Thank you, Mr. = Speaker, and I thank the members in the House who addressed this motion.
I just would like to go back to the=
motion.
We are only looking at a very small part of it. I appreciate the
government’s indication that there will be a broader consultation on =
the
whole bill because I believe there are many things in here for improvement.
This was just one that we were trying to bring forward, and with that I tha=
nk
you, Mr. Speaker.
Motion No. 449, as amended, agreed to
Motion No. 397
Clerk: Motion No. 397, standing in the name of Mr. Silver.
Speaker: It is moved by the Member for
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Yukon to work with non-governmental organizations and the private sector in Dawson City to investigate the possibility of turning the existing McDonald Lodge into social housing.
Mr. Silver:&= #8195; I am going to b= e very brief here today and I would just like to say that this motion is an opportunity for the minister responsible for Health and Social Services and= for the Minister of Highways and Public Works to maybe speak a bit about the conversations that we have had on options for the soon-to-be-vacant McDonald Lodge.
Sometimes the public only sees the
relationships that are fostered here in the Legislative Assembly as we disc=
uss
in a heated manner, sometimes, some different political points of view on <=
/span>
No one can doubt that there are hou=
sing
issues in
The current McDonald Lodge has serv=
ed the
seniors of my community very well; however, with the building of a new
hospital, our seniors will now have a new facility on the hospital campus. =
So
what are we going to do with the current McDonald Lodge after the seniors h=
ave
moved into their new facility?
It is my opinion, and the opinion o= f many Dawsonites, that this building will make an excellent residential-style housing solution for our SOVA students in the winter and/= or our more frequent transient workers in the summer.
As a side note there,
Now, there is much interest in this=
concept
of converting the existing McDonald Lodge into a residential-style housing
solution. There’s a lot of interest in the private sector. The Klondi=
ke
Development Organization believes that they could be instrumental in this. =
They
were, in fact, instrumental in identifying what our current housing needs a=
re
in the
I know that the minister responsibl= e for Health has had some extensive meetings with them, as well as his staff memb= ers — the members of his department — and he can attest to the fact that they are working toward some solutions and some suggestions. So when t= his opinion was presented, they asked, “How can we help out?” But b= efore we can make any more forward progression, an assessment of the cost of conversion must be completed.
A lot of work has been done in disc= ussions among the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Minister of Highways = and Public Works and I as these are the ministries responsible for the current building through Property Management and also for the new building and subsequent options for the existing building.
I will let them discuss these conve= rsations if they want. I don’t think I need to get into them here, but it is w= orth mentioning that these conversations do speak to the notion that a lot of go= od work does happen in these discussions that I spoke about earlier today when= I started my preamble here, in and out of this Assembly.
Members of the Klondike Development
Organization, the private sector and I did have an informal conversation wi=
th
the Minister of Health and Social Services at the Dawson City Chamber of
Commerce’s after-hours event that was presented this summer. I know t=
he
Premier and his staff were there, as well as other members of the governmen=
t.
At that time, we discussed options,= and during this session I’ve also spoken with the Minister of Highways and Publi= c Works for permission to get into the existing McDonald Lodge to assess the costs = if we were going to do any conversions. I would just like to take this opportu= nity to thank them both for their suggestions and for their approach to this ide= a in a common-sense manner.
Today is an opportunity for these conversations to get on the record and for the ball to start rolling forwar= d. With a nod in here today, Dawson City can begin to work on one option for housing that will not only help SOVA students and some of our more frequent transient workers, but it will also reduce the strain on the current rental market, which will allow us to refocus on other housing concerns.
With that being said, I would just = like to say thank you for your time listening about this important and pressing iss= ue. I hope that I can get unanimous consent in the House today.
Hon.
Mr. Graham: While it’s true that I did me=
et
with the member opposite and some members of the
Dawsonites are no stranger to the subject of McDonald Lodge. According t=
o my
department, conversations about replacing the lodge began some 10 years ago=
. A
lot of behind-the-scenes work has been done by the former member from
McDonald Lodge has served the commu=
nity of
The lodge or the planned new facili= ty will be built next to the hospital, and we hope that this will serve to increase opportunities for sharing of heat, power and especially food services betwe= en the new facility and the new medical facility that is nearing completion th= ere too.
But the new McDonald Lodge proposal=
will be
expanded from the current 11 beds to 15 beds to help meet the growing needs=
of
the community. We hope that the larger facility will also provide sufficient
programming space and will also provide the flexibility to meet other commu=
nity
care needs — convalescence care is one of those things; respite care =
is another;
Meals on Wheels is a third, and finally the
I must say that while a brand-new f= acility is important, the new facility in itself wouldn’t mean a thing without the excellent care and attention of the staff of the current McDonald Lodge. They are committed to maintaining the high quality of services that are alr= eady available to McDonald Lodge and they’re looking forward to getting in= to their new building.
Speaking of that, Management Board =
has
approved the department’s estimate of some $8 million, pending
legislative approval. I certainly hope the member from Dawson votes in favo=
ur
of this new facility and the budget, because it’s the only way I know=
of
to ensure that not only will the new 15-bed facility, the new McDonald Lodg=
e,
be built, but it will then give us — only by vacating the current
building will we be allowed to proceed to allow the community to determine
exactly what they would like to use the old facility for. I’m looking
forward to the member from
I also have two small amendments to= the motion that won’t alter the intent in any way, shape or form, but I believe = that it actually expands the possibilities for eventual use of the old McDonald Lodge.
Amendment proposed
Hon. Mr. Graham: I move
THAT Motion No. 397 be amended by:
(1) replacing= span> the word “turning” with the word “using”; and
(2) replacing= span> the words “into social housing” with the phrase “for another purpose after it is no longer used for continuing care.”
Speaker: All right. Order please. The amendment is in order. = p>
It has been moved by the Minister o= f Health and Social Services
THAT Motion No. 397 be amended by:
(1) replacing= span> the word “turning” with the word “using”; and
(2) replacing=
span> the
words “into social housing” with the phrase “for another
purpose after it is no longer used for continuing care.”
Speaker: Minister of Health and Social Services, you have 20 minutes o= n the amendment.
Hon. Mr. Graham: The reason for the two-part amendment is actually quite simple= . The first part is simply wording. The second, which is really the substance, is= to say that we believe this facility — if the assessment enables us or enables another group to utilize the facility — could be used for any number of different alternatives.
One in particular that I’m aw=
are of
is that while I was up there during my recent visit to
I also am aware, from personal expe=
rience,
how difficult it was many summers to find accommodation beginning the last =
week
in August for students attending
I guess we should have also include=
d in
this amendment the fact that we would expect other governments to be intere=
sted
in taking over the facility if the assessment is appropriate. But that̵=
7;s
understood, I guess, from the motion, because no matter what we do, we will
have to go through a process by which we dispose of the property. I know th=
at
after consultation with the Minister of Highways and Public Works, a decisi=
on
had been made to demolish the existing building.
So, in order for us not to go ahead= with that, an assessment of the property as part of the due diligence prior to vacating the site will be absolutely necessary. The exercise will include looking at the age, condition and economic viability of repurposing the fac= ility. It’s anticipated that this analysis could be done this summer.
So with those words, I commend this amendment to the House.
Hon.
Mr.
Of course, Yukon Housing Corporation
manages social housing units, as well as staff housing units. The most rece=
nt
figure that I have: of the 98 total units, 70 of them are social units and =
28
are staff units. The wait-list for the social units was three and the wait-=
list
for the staff units was 12. So that’s another aspect.
Of course, members will know of the
expression of interest that the Housing Corporation put out for the provisi=
on
of staff housing in
I am pleased that the amendment was=
put
forward and I understand that perhaps the Member for
Ms.
Hanson:&=
#8195; The Official Op=
position
will support both the amendment and the motion, if amended. We do recognize
that there is a housing situation in Dawson and the amendment goes a long w=
ay
to addressing it beyond the notion of what we class as social housing. Many
employers have told me that it is a challenge for them to assist their
employees, particularly those arriving in town.
We’ve certainly heard the Mem=
ber for
Speaker: Minister of Highways and Public Works, on the amendment, plea= se.
Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: I’ll be short in speaking to =
this
too.
I do want to thank the Minister of =
Health
and Social Services for bringing this amendment forward. It is important al=
so
— the words I have heard from the opposite end of here — that
replacing the word “turning” to “using” and then al=
so
the big one, being the phrase “for another purpose”. I’ve
also heard a lot about the shortage of housing in all communities in
I know we had spoken a little bit a=
bout the
demolition that was going to happen, but with the good working relationship=
I
have with the Member for
Mr. Silver:&= #8195; I don’t k= now if this is unparliamentary language or not, but “Give ‘er.” As far as the changes to the amendment, I = have no problem with changing the words.
On the concept of social housing, I= do consider students residence to be social housing. We’re not talking a= bout people with a lot of money who are coming up and going to SOVA. In most cas= es, I wouldn’t say most of the folks I know who are going through SOVA, or even through Yukon Housing, necessarily have a lot of money, and I find that this provides for those who don’t have as much.
So I have no problem with changing =
the
wording. The bottom line with this project is that there is a way that it is
going to work, and I understand that there is a process that the government=
has
to go through. I have been told that there are a few different options R=
12;
maybe keeping it internal within
We can do an internal investigation= as far as how much money we think this is going to cost, but I urge the government= , as you look into this process of who we are going to allow to get in there, to make sure that is connected to whoever is going to take on the ultimate responsibility for the building.
The Minister of Health and Social S=
ervices
also mentioned the daycare. I’m a huge advocate for this non-profit. I
think it does great work, and they do have some housing needs. I’m not
sure if that building matches up to their needs as it is kind of designed
currently as a residence. There are lots of individual bedrooms in this par=
ticular
building. But once again, I don’t think it’s up to me, and I
don’t think it should be up to — yes, I don’t think it sh=
ould
be up to me to make those decisions. I think the community already knows what’s best as we move forward, and I’d just like=
to say that I hope that we pay attention to the community’s needs and=
to
the community’s consultation on this process so far.
With that, I’d just like to t= hank the honourable member for his amendment, and I have no problem whatsoever agree= ing with it. Thank you.
Speaker: Does any other member wish to be heard on the amendment?
Are you prepared for the question o= n the amendment?
Amendment to Motion No. 397 agre=
ed to
Hon.
Mr.
We’re certainly aware of the =
housing
pressures in
I think the amendment that was move=
d is
important because it may not necessarily be social housing that is the best
solution for
The member opposite spoke of the la=
ck of
housing options in Dawson
It was obviously a low-cost solutio= n for them, allowing them to save as much money as they could so that when they r= eturned either to their homes or to university in the fall, they were able to take = as much of their summer earnings with them as possible.
Speaking of the Klondike Development
Organization, I too would like to applaud that organization. I have met two=
of
the representatives, Greg Hakonson, as well as =
Mark Wickham. I met with that organization, and senior sta=
ff
from the Yukon Housing Corporation travelled to
Obviously, I spoke to the recently =
called
expression of interest on the topic of providing staff housing in
We renovated 350 units in total and=
that
$1.062 million figure was the amount attributed to
There will be new opportunities, ob=
viously,
with the old Korbo Apartments lot, once we get the environmental remediatio=
n finished
at that site. So there are some exciting options and opportunities that are
going to be coming forward in
At the recent Northern Housing Conf=
erence
that was hosted here in Whitehorse, I was pleased to announce that work wou=
ld
commence on a housing action plan to ensure a strategic approach to meeting=
the
housing needs of all Yukoners. I know that the work in Dawson
What we will do with that plan is t= ake a long-term view of the present housing situation. We need to ask ourselves w= hat is working well and what isn’t at every point along the housing continuum, whether it’s those individuals who require emergency shelt= ers or the homeless, right through to home ownership.
Recently our focus has been on hous= ing for seniors. Reliable data indicates that as the baby-boomer generation ages, seniors are becoming the largest growing demographic in the territory. It’s important because seniors are a known quantity, and we know what their needs are. Most are usually on a fixed income, and their housing needs will very likely change as they age. The seniors housing options we have are based on rent geared to income, and 25 percent of their income is what is charged for rent. I think it’s an important need that we’re add= ressing through affordable rental accommodations for our seniors.
Family housing can be a challenge t= o find the right balance of single dwelling units and multi-bedroom units. What we= do is build housing for people, and people have different needs at different t= imes of their lives. This is part of how the overall housing continuum functions= .
Each of us here is at some place on= that continuum right now. I don’t believe any of the members of this Legislature are homeless, but that’s on the one extreme end. Home ownership is on the other end, and the housing action plan will focus on ho= w to best assist Yukoners to continue to be mobile on the housing continuum to w= here they want to be and continue to make the steps along the way.
Of course, not everything has to be= capital investments. There are program investments such as the down payment assista= nce plan. Just to provide an update for the House on that plan, since its introduction in early March of this year the Housing Corporation has accept= ed 14 applications for that program, approved seven, and one family is now in their new home, and, of course, six more are waiting for their purchase transactions to be concluded. I think that’s a testament to the progr= am and the uptake that we have seen, and it’s obviously a success and bu= ilds on the other successes that I have been able to speak about here today.
One of the key messages that was he=
ard a
number of times during the presentations at the Northern Housing Conference=
was
that each jurisdiction is uniquely different due to a variety of influences,
such as the local economy and labour force, the age of the community and its
inventory of older buildings and land. Again, one of the things we are doing
with the replacement of the
So, it is replacing — I think= there are 14 — the 14 units with 34 one-bedroom units. One of the exciting aspects of that project was the work of the accessibility advisory committe= e providing insight into many of the difficulties encountered by seniors and people with mobility challenges. I think everyone in this House at one time or another = has showed me a bathroom in one of the previously constructed seniors housing u= nits and the challenge that many of the seniors have in getting in and out of the tubs. That is one of the things that that advisory committee is looking at,= not only with the new builds, but how we can adjust some of the more recently b= uilt projects to better accommodate their mobility needs.
The housing action plan looks to bu=
ild on
this inclusive approach by involving government departments, NGOs, advocacy
groups and agencies involved in housing and social development. It’s =
going
to be established under the guiding principles of adaptability and inclusivity, as well as building on the strengths and
successes that have already occurred and, of course, a strong focus on acco=
untability
on the action items and the results.
There’s certainly a great dea=
l of
information and similar resources that each of these partners will bring to=
the
table. I’m very much looking forward to the work and the input of the
participant stakeholders working in harmony with government officials and o=
ther
individuals to develop a fully supported and realistic housing plan for
Again, I think this is a good motio=
n and a
good opportunity for us to start. I again want to thank the Member for
There are few people in the territo= ry I have more confidence in than Mr. Hakonson for h= is great work and what he will bring to the table as far as options to address= the housing needs of Dawsonites and perhaps even gi= ving us the opportunity to borrow some of those solutions and transfer them to o= ther communities throughout the territory.
Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: I will try to be brief. I wanted to=
get
up and talk a little bit about the Property Management division that plays =
into
this with McDonald Lodge. I’d like to thank the Member for
We’re tasked with providing comprehensive fiscally prudent portfolio management services on behalf of t= he Yukon government — also to ensure that the provision of good facility space through acquisition, construction and recapitalization or demolition = of some of our older structures. This is to ensure that the government services are provided from the facilities that meet the building codes, health, safe= ty, energy efficiency and sustainability standards.
The division has developed and impl=
emented
an updated integrated government-wide portfolio management system that plays
into ensuring that the buildings are sustainable over time, designed to meet
the primary program needs and optimized for building operation and maintena=
nce,
so an upgrade or replacement of capital assets to ensure infrastructure qua=
lity
and performance, expand service capacity and/or reduce the operating costs
based on the business case results.
Also, something that we do look int= o quite a bit here is the energy consumption and environmental impacts of our infra= structure and our operations — so reducing the costs of some of this infrastructure.
With the replacement of McDonald Lo= dge — the 40-year old lodge — there was a technical assessment, like the members opposite alluded to, to confirm to the Daw= sonites — which many already knew — that it was at the end of its life.= The previous MLA, Steve Nordick, did a lot of work on this project over the yea= rs. I’d like to thank him for that. The additional beds will be flexible = and support programming space to meet other community care needs and recovery a= nd respite care. The new facility — as my colleague alluded to — w= ill be built next to the new hospital and increase opportunities of sharing hea= t, power and food service, which plays into what I was speaking to a little wh= ile ago.
I’d also like to just thank t=
he
Member for Klondike for bringing this forward and for making that call R=
12;
I think it was a week ago, and then I made a quick call to my colleague, the
Minister of Health and Social Services — because the plan was for the
demolition of it. But you know what? I’m a firm believer that if we c=
an
get the private sector involved and work with some of the locals, it’s
great. The good working relationship we had on this case is really good.
I’m proud of that.
For the government, for us, to upgr=
ade and
comply with the building codes, it would make the old McDonald Lodge
uneconomical and doesn’t play into our plans for Yukon
Maybe get an out-of-government agen=
cy to
look at it — the private sector — and there are local organizat=
ions
within
I’d like to again thank the M=
ember
for
Ms.
White:=
8195; So in speaking =
to
Motion No. 397, it’s a very exciting day to see everyone agreeing on =
this
important motion. The motion urges the Government of Yukon to work with
non-governmental organizations and the private sector in Dawson
Who best to decide on the repurposi=
ng of
the existing McDonald Lodge than the people of
It’s incredibly important to
acknowledge the hard work that the current Member for
It’s interesting to hear abou=
t the
40-year old building, knowing that so many in
I look forward to passing this and = moving on with business.
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: I’d like to thank the Member =
for
I think it just requires taking a l= ook at that before determining where things should go.
I do also want to commend the group=
s up in
There have been within recent years=
some
significant costs required to maintain the boiler and furnace system. IR=
17;m
not sure as to the current status of that system, but that is another matter
that would need to be looked at to determine whether additional repairs are
necessary to extend the life of the heating system.
With those cautionary notes placed = on it and the fact that, as the Minister of Highways and Public Works alluded, th= ere is the sense that the building is reaching the end of its lifespan, if ther= e is a way to extend its life and continue to get valuable usage from the buildi= ng before tearing it down, it does make sense to give full consideration to th= at option and give full consideration to the ideas of citizens of Dawson City.=
That’s about all I had to say= on that motion. I would also like to just acknowledge that the consideration of replacing McDonald Lodge has been an item on the agenda within the Departme= nt of Health and Social Services for awhile. It was determined in the last ter= m of the Yukon Party that replacing the nursing station with a hospital/community health centre was a higher priority at that time, but this project has been under consideration for some time.
I would just like to thank all the =
staff of
Health and Social Services and other departments that have been involved in
both developing the replacement of the nursing station with a new hospital =
and
health centre, and for continuing to keep McDonald Lodge operating and
providing high quality care to residents of that facility.
Along with my colleagues, I also gi=
ve
credit to former MLA Steve Nordick for his work on this, as well as to his
predecessor, the former MLA and former Mayor Peter Jenkins, for his work on
addressing the health care needs of the community of
Speaker: If the member now speaks, he will close debate. Does any other member wish to be heard?
Mr. Silver:&= #8195; Mr. Speaker, we= may as well mention more of them too. We have Art Webster; we have Mr. Dave Millar= as well. I mean, we need to get them all on the register here today. Lovely. I’m sure there are more.
I’m not going to say too much=
other
than I think it was the minister responsible for housing who mentioned it
— calling it “social housing” does kind of handcuff it. If
we’re going to have a partnership with the private sector, we really
shouldn’t handcuff the private sector when they want to come in here =
and
take a look.
I’m not really sure what kind= of message I’m getting here today from the government as to how they wan= t to proceed on this. But, once again, I’m goin= g to put that cautionary note out there: somebody is going to inherit this build= ing if we go forward with this, and that somebody is going to be in the private sector. Let that person go in and let that — let different people = 212; if there are a bunch of different of people who want to — take a look= at different options, let them go in themselves, because they are the ones who= are going to be responsible for paying for these renovations, and they need to = know if they can actually make money on it. So let the best company win or whate= ver, but allow that relationship to be fostered between the government and the private sector, and don’t overcomplicate this with government bureauc= racy. That’s all I have to say. I’d just like to thank everybody for = voicing their opinions today, and hopefully we can vote and move on. Thank you.
Speaker: Are you prepared for the question on the motion, as amended?<= /span>
Motion No. 397, as amended, agre= ed to
Unanimous consent re members taking a recess
Hon. Mr. Cathers: This being motion day, of course, we typically wrap up motions. We’re now proceeding to third reading on a bill, but if I could request a brief recess to allow the Minister of Finance time to prepare his third reading speech, that would be appreciated.
Speaker: The Government House Leader has requested unanimous consent f= or a 10-minute recess. Are you agreed?
All
Hon. Members: Agreed.
Speaker: There is unanimous consent. This House stands in recess for 10 minutes.
Recess
Speaker: I will now call the House to order.
INTRODUCTION OF VISITO=
RS
Ms.
Hanson: I wou=
ld ask
all members of the House to join me in welcoming Lily =
Quan.
Lily is a relatively new arrival and immediately on arriving here became fu=
lly
immersed in the volunteer efforts of the successful effort at the Guild Hal=
l,
the play
Applause
GOVERNMENT BILLS
Bill No. 8: Third Appropriation Act, 2012-13 — Third Reading
Clerk: Third reading, Bill No. 8, standing in the name of the Hon. M= r. Pasloski.
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: I move that Bill No. 8, entitled Third Appropriation Act, 2012-13, = be now read a third time and do pass.
Speaker: It has been moved by the Hon. Premier that Bill No. 8, entitl= ed Third Appropriation Act, 2012-13, = be now read a third time and do pass.
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: I will just rise very briefly to in= troduce Bill No. 8, Third Appropriation Act= , 2012-13, at third reading. This bill is a third appropriation act for the 2012-13 fiscal year. T= he total sums required in this appropriation are outlined in Schedule A, which= is attached to the act. The legislation also presents, in Schedule B, the amou= nts required to be approved by the Legislature for grants.
In my second reading speech I laid = out for members of this Legislature the contents of the supplementary budget. In su= mmary, it is requesting sums required of $5.641 million offset by sums not require= d of $28.357 million. Again, I would just take the opportunity to thank the peop= le within the finance wings of all the departments who have worked diligently = with the Department of Finance to put this forward.
Speaker: If the member now speaks, he will close debate. Does any othe= r member wish to be heard?
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: Again, I appreciate the support of = the members opposite and their interest in pursuing, as they deemed, the more important business of debating the budget mains for 2013-14.
Motion
for third reading of Bill No. 8 agreed to
Speaker:
I declare=
the
motion carried and that Bill No. 8 has passed this House.
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Mr. Speaker, I move that the Speake= r do now leave the Chair and the House resolve into Committee of the Whole.
Speaker: It has been moved by the Government House Leader that the Spe= aker do now leave the Chair and the House resolve into Committee of the Whole.= span>
Motion agreed to
Speaker leaves the Chair
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE=
Chair (Ms. McLeod)= : Order. Committee of the Whole will now come to order. The mat= ter before the Committee is Vote 53, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources = in Bill No. 10, First Appropriation Act, 2013-14= . Do members wish a brief recess?
All Hon. Members: Agreed.
Chair: Committee of the Whole will recess for 15 minutes.
Recess
Chair: Committee of the Whole will now come to order.
Bill No. 10: First Appropriation Act, 2013-14 — continued
Chair: The matter before the Committee is Vote 53, Department of Ene= rgy, Mines and Resources, in Bill No. 10, First Appropriation Act, 2013-14.
Department
of Energy, Mines and Resources
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: =
span>It is my pleasure to introduce the 2013-14 main estimates for =
the
Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. Energy, Mines and Resources work=
s to
responsibly manage and support responsible management of
It’s important to note that t=
he
Department of Energy, Mines and Resources works to not only reduce or elimi=
nate
adverse effects from resource development, but also enhance its many social,
economic and sometimes environmental benefits. To successfully achieve these
goals requires informed and collaborative decision-making. The Department of
Energy, Mines and Resources works with many other government and non-govern=
ment
agencies, YESAA assessors, First Nations and the public to make well-inform=
ed
and balanced decisions on resource development projects, which take into
account economic, social and environmental interests.
This is exciting and challenging wo= rk, in that decision makers often face challenges and potential conflicts in values and interpretation that need to be addressed. The Department of Energy, Min= es and Resources allocations within this budget reflect the steps and provide = the resources for staff to do the work I have outlined. The overall budget for = the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources for the 2013-14 fiscal year is $65,493,000.
Operation and maintenance comprises=
$64.2
million of this and the capital budget is $1.2 million. Revenues this year =
are
estimated to be $32.8 million, including $29.1 million in transfers from =
span>
In the area of agriculture, support=
ing
local agriculture improves food security, contributes to the local economy =
and
supports the health and well-being of Yukoners.
This budget allocates $2 million for
agriculture. Staff members at the Agriculture branch have been devoting the=
ir
expertise and enthusiasm in support of
To support our agriculture sector o=
ver the
next five years, we’re implementing the Canada-Yukon Growing Forward 2
policy agreement that provides funding on a 60-percent federal and 40-perce=
nt
territorial cost-shared basis to deliver agriculture programs in the
Examples of previous Growing Forward projects benefiting Yukoners include purchase and operation of the mobile r= ed meat abattoir and provision of meat inspection services to allow farmers to sell meat in the local market; reclamation of over 320 acres of farmland; prevention of wildlife damage through funding for fencing and guard dogs; development of environmental best management practices that improve water access, quality and irrigation efficiency on farms; and cooperative equipme= nt and storage facilities that have reduced input costs for farmers. = p>
The 2013-14 budget estimate
envisions allocating $375,000 to various recipients to keep
In addition, on an ongoing basis, t=
he
Department of Energy, Mines and Resources works with various First Nations =
to
determine agricultural capability on their settlement lands and supports th=
em
in considering the possibility of doing such development. Our staff also
provides on-farm management consulting and instruction in
In the area of forest management, t=
his
current budget allocates $3.5 million. To date, forest resource management =
planning
has been completed for the communities of Haines Junction, Teslin and Dawso=
n.
Planning is anticipated in the
The goal of forest management plans=
is to
guide how the industry can be sustainably devel=
oped
and managed for the long term with regard to integrating ecological,
traditional, heritage and other community values.
Also, as I was pleased to announce
recently, the tender for the south-central
In the area of oil and gas and mine=
ral
resources, this budget allocates $40.8 million for this portion of the depa=
rtment.
Our commitment to supporting the responsible management of
We have seen a significant contribu=
tion to
the private sector economy from
The Yukon
Also, because of the way the progra= m is targeted, it especially helps out the grassroots prospectors, who do tend t= o be Yukoners, and has also led over time to the discovery of some of Yukon̵= 7;s most significant and exciting projects, including the White Gold area, which was the result of a YMIP funding support that allowed the discovery of that project and saw significant staking within the entire district.
Mining and mining exploration have =
been our
territory’s main private sector drivers over the last two years. Over=
950
people are directly employed by hardrock mines in the
It is also notable that this sector=
, which
is often referred to as a
Ninety percent of exploration in Yu=
kon
— and I’m returning, pardon me, Madam Chair, to the area of all
mining exploration — 90 percent of mining exploration in Yukon is con=
ducted
by junior exploration companies, which also contributes significantly to the
Yukon’s economic development and growth. Expenditures for 2012 were
approximately $150 million and expenditures for 2013 are expected to be $100
million. I would note that 10 years ago, the total amount of spending in mi=
ning
exploration, prior to the Yukon Party taking office, was $6.9 million, so t=
here
has been significant growth due to the increased certainty and stability in
government.
It’s also notable that the la=
st three
years we’ve seen are the three highest in mining exploration. The 2011
numbers were roughly $320 million — almost double that of the previous
year. That unprecedented boom is something that is not likely to be seen in=
the
foreseeable future. It was a combined result of a number of exciting projec=
ts,
such as those in the White Gold area that I mentioned, and the combined imp=
act
of the global economic downturn, which led to gold prices going through the
roof. As investment in other areas, including the stock market and the U.S.
dollar, declined significantly, there were a number of investors who looked=
for
gold and gold projects to invest in. One of the things we’re seeing v=
ery
clearly within markets today is an overcorrection, not only for investment =
in
the
That has led to the undervaluing of=
a
number of
We owe <=
/span>
In fact, as has been said a number = of times, the Yukon Environmental Socio-economic Assessment Board process, alt= hough it does have its challenges, is, compared to the other socio-economic and environmental assessment regimes in the country — we have the only process in the country that is a one-window approach. In the provinces, typically you have both the federal and provincial processes, which duplica= te each other and, in some cases, conflict with each other.
So the YESAA process, which is the =
result
of implementing the commitment made in the Umbrella
Final Agreement and the development assessment process, has been an adv=
antage
for the Yukon in having a clear and clearly understandable permitting asses=
sment
process that has defined timelines for most stages in the process, and that=
has
been an important part of improving the Yukon’s reputation as a
jurisdiction where companies can have a predictable set of standards to meet
and where they know they will be expected to demonstrate clearly that they =
can
undertake activities in an environmentally responsible manner. But they have
more clarity in terms of the timelines involved in assessing the technical
aspects of their projects.
Moving on to the area of oil and ga=
s, since
1998, the
In the
Of course, as you are aware, there = are a number of initiatives to this end that we are working on, including the gas processing plant regulations that are currently out for consultation, which will strengthen the ability of staff to regulate processing plants, such as that which currently exists in the Kotaneelee a= rea, as well as give them more tools to manage, and those who may choose to use = liquefied natural gas for the production of electricity, which we know both YukonR= 17;s electrical utilities are looking at doing. One, the privately owned Yukon E= lectrical Company, is currently before YESAB for a project that would include using liquefied natural gas, along with diesel fuel, in its existing generation equipment in the Town of Watson Lake, which would enable them to reduce the= ir costs and their greenhouse gas emissions and is something of an innovative approach they are currently working on — subject, of course, to the ultimate outcome of the YESAB and permitting process.
As well, as I’ve mentioned be= fore in the House, there are a number of mine projects that have been looking at us= ing liquefied natural gas for electricity production. That includes considerati= on that has been given by Victoria Gold to the use of liquefied natural gas for electricity productions. The Casino project has determined in their feasibi= lity study that they expect to use liquefied natural gas for electricity product= ion when that large project is completed and comes into production.
Madam Chair, I believe that youR= 17;re indicating that my time allotment is up. I will have to continue the remain= der of my remarks at another opportunity.
Ms.
White:=
8195; Just before I g=
et into
the department — in the
Understanding that the Department of
Energy, Mines and Resources is very large, I know the minister said he̵=
7;d
get back to his comments, but I hope that we can go in a more back-and-forth
fashion.
My first question today is about
agriculture. We are limited by topography and social conditions and where we
can grow food in the
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Madam Chair, the agricultural land program sales from 1982 to January 2012 saw 325 titles conveyed, for a tota= l of 12,983 hectares or 32,069 acres.
Current agreements for sale, which =
do not
have title issued at this point in time, cover an area of 2,040 hectares, or
5,039 acres. So, what I would also note with that — just with the
agreements for sale — is that under the 2006 agricultural policy, tho=
se
who are successful in getting through the application process and go into t=
he
agreement-of-sale stage have a period of time to bring their land into
production and meet the requirements of the policy, which require them to p=
ut
in an investment in that property of a value equivalent to what the value of
the property was assessed at, at the time when they entered into the agreem=
ent
for sale. If memory serves, I believe it is 10 percent of that that they are
allowed to allocate toward their primary residence, but 90 percent of a hou=
se
cannot be considered for that.
The total area, according to the 20=
06
federal census — so this is the most recent number we have from the
federal government, I believe, but not the most current number. I think we =
may
have more current numbers than this, but I don’t have them at my
fingertips. The total area in crop or seeded pasture is 8,327 acres, with
10,447 acres reported as natural farmland for pasture, woodlands and wetlan=
ds.
At 2006 numbers, 4,755 acres of hay and 1,372 acres of oats that were harve=
sted
that year, with the rest of the land being used for things, including pastu=
re,
potatoes, vegetables, berries and nursery products. I’ll see if we ha=
ve
more updated numbers than that and try to provide them at a later date if we
do. Of course there has been significant growth within the
What I would note to the Member for
Takhini-Kopper King’s questions, or what I think she is asking about,=
is
the use of land for purposes other than agriculture.
Really, one thing that has to be un=
derstood
contextually is that during a 19-year period that began in 1984 and ended in
2003, within a 20-mile radius of the City of Whitehorse, the federal
government, which then had administration of land policy, had a freeze on r=
ural
residential spot land applications. As members may know, there were 64
applications processed contrary to that policy, which raises some questions
about how things were being handled under federal watch at that point in ti=
me.
The net effect of that was that people who wanted to acquire land outside o=
f
That’s an important piece of = context that has also led to people who purchased properties afterward and in some cases brought what was not a producing farm into production; in other cases, they may have purchased it simply for a large home area that really fit more with a rural residential-type usage but that has changed over time, as well, through increased house ownership and people who are getting into agricultu= re on a smaller scale.
I just wanted to set that context f=
or the
members because really, we as the inheritors of what happened through there
— it’s important to understand history so that it’s not
repeated through other mistakes. I refer not just to the area of land policy
but to other areas of government policy where government goes too far in tr=
ying
to socially engineer — for lack of a better term — how people w=
ould
be able to do something and creates a way that there is not an easy path
forward to use something for its intended purpose, but there is a way that =
it
can easily be used to meet what is a strong public desire of a number of ci=
tizens
who are not being permitted through policies intended for that purpose.
That is the conduct that we’ve inherited. That is also one of the reasons why both Growing Forward 1 and Growing Forward 2 in the Yukon portions of the agreement includes money to encourage agricultural land that is not currently in production to be broug= ht into production. Of course, when people bought land that was not a producing farm and didn’t wish to farm it, we were really left with trying to <= span class=3DSpellE>incentivize and encourage them to bring it into produ= ction. It’s difficult to do anything other than incenti= vize them and encourage them to bring that land into production and help them se= e the value of doing so.
I got right to answering the member=
’s
questions. I’d also like to return briefly — she made mention o=
f Roddy Blackjack, a respected elder in the Carmacks ar=
ea who
passed away, a respected member of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.=
I
did not know Mr. Blackjack well, but I did go on a river trip with him once=
as
part of what was then a course being offered by
A few other remarks — returni=
ng to
some prepared remarks I have that I think are important to set the context =
for
the department. One of the things that is an important part of the regulato=
ry
process and the work done by Energy, Mines and Resources includes working w=
ith
Yukon First Nations throughout all of Energy, Mines and Resources’
branches and honouring our commitment to engage=
First
Nations — both our legal obligations to do so and the areas where we =
do
so out of good public policy and the desire to be inclusive in working with=
all
citizens and communities, including, of course, First Nation governments and
other levels of government, such as municipalities and unincorporated
communities.
To ensure the growth in the resource
economy benefits Yukon First Nations and their citizens, the Department of =
Energy,
Mines and Resources provides funding support to conferences, like the recent
Yukon First Nation Resource Conference and Student Job Fair, which brought
together industry and First Nations. We also fund educational workshops aro=
und
specific mining technologies. We are continuing our commitment and our effo=
rts
to ensure that our resource economy benefits all
In the area of assessment of abando=
ned
mines — as I’ve spoken to in the past, we want to ensure that we
don’t repeat resource management mistakes of the =
past,
including those we inherited from the federal government. The Department of=
Energy,
Mines and Resources’ Assessment and Abandoned Mines branch works to
develop and implement cost-effective approaches to protect the environment =
and
human health and safety at the former Faro mine, Clinton Creek and <=
st1:place>
It’s also important contextua=
lly to
make sure that members and those listening are aware that Faro — beca=
use
of its role at one time as such a major part of the Yukon economy — f=
or
many people who grew up here, it has a large part in what they see mining as
looking like. But it’s important to recognize that the Faro mine proj=
ect
is the largest liability on the federal government’s books, although
those numbers may adjust because of recent changes to the assessment of the
liability costs of the Giant mine that was a federally regulated mine in the
Northwest Territories. Faro is a larger liability than more famous
environmental liabilities, such as the
So our structure, including our mod=
ern
security regime, where we take security for reclamation costs — a dri=
ving
force within that is ensuring that we never make significant mistakes,
certainly never including anything of the scope and size of the mistakes ma=
de
around the regulation of Faro by the federal government.
As I spoke to, maximizing, training,
employment and business opportunities within
As well, I referred to working with= First Nations, and there has also been a significant benefit to First Nations directly and to First Nation companies as a result of the Faro mine closure project which, to date, I believe, stands at $7 million directly and an add= itional $2 million for businesses owned by Yukon First Nations.
In addition, the recently procured = care and maintenance contractor, Aboriginal Engineering Ltd., is a 100-percent First Nation-owned business.
In the area of Client Services and
Inspections, behind our solid regulatory regime, the Client Services and
Inspections branch is a key part of ensuring the
In this budget, Client Services and= Inspections is allocated $6.5 million. Our inspectors work diligently to ensure all the requirements under legislation and regulations= are enforced in a timely and professional manner. The Department of Energy, Min= es and Resources is organized to ensure that Client= Services and Inspections can fulfill its mandate neutrally and objectively. It is a separate branch from the other branches that deal with the permitting side = of things, notably Mining branch, Forestry branch, = Agriculture branch, Oil and Gas Resources branch and Land Services branch.
The permitting folks within the dep= artment are kept separate and independent from Client Services and Inspections. Cli= ent Services and Inspections is focused on fulfillin= g its mandate neutrally and objectively.
Our inspection and enforcement acti=
vities
in all resource sectors are governed by policies and principles and are con=
sistent
with the practice of modern regulatory law enforcement agencies.
Land Management branch has been all=
ocated
$2.8 million in the 2013 O&M budget. Part of this work involves making =
land
available for housing for Yukoners, contributing to a better quality of lif=
e.
Within the City of
A selection of lots is now availabl= e for sale over the counter in most Yukon communities, including Dawson City, Hai= nes Junction, Beaver Creek, Carmacks, Destruction Bay, Watson Lake, Grizzly Val= ley and, of course, within Whitehorse. In addition, approximately 60 residential and country residential lots have become available as a result of new subdi= vision policies in place for the Hot Springs Road area, Ibex Valley and Golden Hor= n, as well as most recently the change to minimum lot size for the Mayo Road zoning area, which followed a request by local area residents to review the minimum lot size and an opportunity for both a review of the potential for reducing that minimum lot size and of the zoning regulation itself, which indicated clearly that most residents in the area were supportive of reduci= ng the minimum lot size.
I should also note thatwe
did survey residents in the
The Land Planning branch of Energy,= Mines and Resources is an important part of doing this work and developing local = area plans and establishing zoning regulations. Planning initiatives resolve competing land uses by providing area residents and First Nation governments with an opportunity to participate in balancing land use policies to create certainty over future land use.
The Yukon
The
You are signalling me that I should=
be
sitting down, right now, Madam Chair, so I will do so.
Ms.
White:=
8195; Understanding t=
hat the
Opposition has no ability to influence when departments get called, I’=
;m
going to get my whole slew of questions out, understanding that it is almos=
t
So under agriculture — is the= re any plan to conduct an audit of agricultural land to ensure that land designated for agriculture purposes and obtained under these auspices is being used for its designated purpose?
I recognize that there are more
What is being done to facilitate the ability of chicken farmers to sell eggs at markets and in local stores?
Young families who want to farm fin=
d the costs
of land, equipment and services prohibitive. Has the government considered
offering agricultural properties to new farmers at a low cost, with an abil=
ity
to make annual payments over the long term, linked to a requirement that la=
nd
is to be used for farming purposes only? &n=
bsp;  =
;
First, the Grand Chief of the Counc=
il of
Yukon First Nations and its member First Nation governments signed a joint
letter to the Premier. This is what they wrote, and I quote: “Althoug=
h we
understand that the
Today is the last day of the
government’s consultation — and this is their terminology,
“consultation” — on the draft gas processing plant
regulation. The introduction to the summary of the draft gas processing pla=
nt
regulation states, and I quote: “… natural gas from the Eagle
Plains basin in the northern Yukon can meet Yukon’s energy requiremen=
ts
for the foreseeable future, is likely less expensive than diesel fuel and h=
as
40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions.” The
This company has a robust view on t= he potential of the Eagle Plains gas use for the territory. Does the minister support the vision expressed in the reports paid for by the Yukon government and referenced in the consultation of a major pipeline development from Eag= le Plains, a processing plant at Stewart Crossing, and pipes extending to mine= s, like Victoria Gold, at a cost in the hundreds of millions of dollars?
Is it not premature to amend these regulations prior to the select committee on fracking going out and doing i= ts work and having them come back and report on that work?
There is a lot of talk about “=
;social
licence” in
I’m going to move on to Mayo = B. When was Mayo B declared operational and running at full capacity? Has there been any review, internal or independent, of the operat= ion of Mayo B? Can the minister please provide details? Are the turbines runnin= g as expected? Is the minister prepared to state categorically that the flooding= of land, particularly farmland — raised in the House on previous occasio= ns — has nothing to do with Mayo B?
What is happening to support develo= pment of infrastructure that encourages increased local food production and improved safety and security?
Can the minister please clarify the statement under sustainable resources: “to make agricultural land available to industry”. What does this mea= n? How is planning happening around subdivision of rural lots? Does this include subdivision of agricultural land, and who is being consulted?
Rural lots — and we’ve =
heard
lots about this from LACs, villages and hamlets=
and
their need for lot development. Where is this at? We are looking for areas,
particularly away from
Under genetically modified organism=
s: Does
the minister believe GMO seeds can safely be introduced into the
When can we expect a statement from= this government on their clear view of the introduction of GMOs= ?
We have seen what spruce bark beetle=
s can
do, if we look around the areas of Haines Junction. Do we know if the mount=
ain
pine beetle is in the
The minister mentioned $67.7 millio=
n of
placer gold. Referring to his department’s website under “Place=
r (Gold)
Mining in
I was just on-line and looking thro=
ugh many
different sources, and currently 24-carat gold is valued at approximately
$1,400 per ounce, and that was on May 5. So my question is this: What royal=
ty
money did the
Again, for = Hansard’s sake, back to LNG — we find it troubling, much as the community finds= it troubling, that the government is making these regulations a priority ahead= of larger community issues, including incomplete land use planning and an incomplete water strategy. Of note, the development of this industry is bei= ng expedited ahead of renewable energy options. No analysis has been presented that demonstrates pressing ahead with oil and gas is the best way to go, despite our repeated calls.
Even if the case could be made that=
Yukon
should expand the natural gas industry, this set of regulations provides ve=
ry
little detail about the actual setting, maintenance and enforcement of safe=
ty
and environmental standards for things that matter a lot to Yukoners, such =
as
the location of gas plants and emergency planning and preparedness.
Where are the gas plants going to be
located? Yukoners are interested if this conversation has happened. Who is =
involved
in the planning and paying for emergency preparedness? Although the industr=
y is
being expedited, the environmental framework is missing. The regulation sho=
uld
include a commitment to the definition of “escape” and it should
include gases such as methane, but not limited to methane. Will the minister
commit to the establishment of baseline environmental data and monitoring
cumulative impacts before proceeding with investments in
Hon. Mr. Cathers: I will attempt to answer as many questions as I can for the Member for Takhini-Kopper King. She was going a little faster than I could write. My shorthand is not good and, as anyone w= ho has seen my handwriting knows, it’s not th= e most legible and if I write really fast, even I can’t read it. So she did = kind of get ahead of me on some of it there.
To begin with questions that the me= mber asked — as far as whether there is an audit of agriculture land for w= hat is in production or not — as I indicated to the member, I believe we = have more updated numbers on it. I feel that I’ve largely answered the question that the member was asking in giving the context about the combined effect of the 1982 agricultural policy, coupled with the federal government’s land freeze on rural residential spot land applications within 20 miles of Whitehorse borders. As I pointed out, there are some troubling questions to this day about the application of that and why many people were turned away and others were being told that they couldn’t apply for it. Sixty-four applications were in fact processed within that ti= me, but that is something that is contextual. It was done years ago, and all we= can do is try to clean up any challenges that we were left with.
As far as a plan to get more land i=
nto
production, the plans for that include the investment that we have, both un=
der
Growing Forward 1 and the continued investment in this, encouraging farmers=
to
bring land into production. As I noted, that led to reclamation of over 320
acres of farmland in the past and certainly is something that we would hope=
we
would do better with in the future.
One of the things with a new suite = of programs that government has to deal with is that when you implement a new = type of program, you do have to assess how that works. You have to create a sens= e of awareness within those who may be eligible for it, particularly if those are people who are not currently thinking of themselves as farmers or wanting to think of themselves as farmers. There might not be as much uptake as you wo= uld preferably hope. We have continued this program. We will continue to take s= teps to encourage people to get into the farming sector.
That includes the investments that =
we make
in a wide variety of areas, including support for organizations representin=
g
One of the solutions for this that =
has
happened in the past, and we would anticipate having other examples in the
future, is assisting industry organizations in purchasing equipment, which =
then
would be managed through a contract and rented out to farmers on a
fee-for-service basis. Last year we approved and signed the lease agreement=
for
65 hectares of land for the Yukon Agricultural Association, which is held in
trust for
The best answer I have to that is t= he Growing Forward 2 program guide and the many resources and publications made available by the Yukon Agriculture branch. It would take me quite a bit of = time to list all of the work that is being done, and in doing so I would undoubt= edly miss some of the good work that is being done by staff within the Agricultu= re branch. While I do have a good understanding, I think, of what goes on there and have a significant percentage — most, about 70 percent — of farmers within my riding, there are so many moving parts and so many areas = within this sector of the economy. The picture is changing as more and more people= on both a large and small scale get engaged in the farming sector, and undoubt= edly there are new developments on a regular basis that escape any one person’s attention.
As far as chicken farmers and getti=
ng eggs
in stores, I will commit to getting back to the member with more details ab=
out
that.
I believe there are challenges arou= nd that related to federal regulations, but rather than quoting off-the-cuff on that — my recollection? I’ll commit to getting back to the member wi= th details on that.
As far as low cost of land for young
families, one thing within the 2006 agriculture policy that was something t=
hat
I went to work on as the MLA for Lake Laberge was at the request of farmers=
who
had been in the plan of the department to continue the policy that was put =
in
place back in 1991 by a previous NDP government. This policy required farme=
rs
to put in twice the value of land through development of it. It was called =
the
“two-for-one” policy. It required them to spend twice as much
developing a piece of land than if they were to simply go buy a piece of ti=
tled
farmland from a farmer who had brought it into production. That was a conce=
rn
that was identified by the farming community and farming organizations. Alo=
ng
with my constituents, I brought those concerns to the then Minister of Ener=
gy,
Mines and Resources, Archie Lang, and I would like to thank him and staff of
Agriculture branch and Energy, Mines and Resources for listening to that
concern and putting in the current one-for-one policy.
This means that new farmers spend a= s much developing a new piece of land as it would cost to buy another piece — well, it still actually would end up being a little more, because if you go= and buy a titled piece of agricultural land, the house cost would be included in that, whereas, as I indicated, only a small portion of that counts as a development cost for bringing a property to title.
That was put in place in 2006. Of c= ourse, that policy — it has lowered that cost. As far as the specific program the member referred to of lowering it specifically for young families ̵= 2; that type of thing I think would be fairly difficult to do: target a specif= ic group. We are concerned about the costs of agriculture land. That’s o= ne of the reasons why there has been work on things including planned agricult= ural developments.
Subdivision of agricultural land was
allowed in 2006. Prior to that, it was not allowed. It is a very restricted
program that allows single, one-time subdivision of agricultural land and o=
nly
after someone has held the title to that property for at least 10 years.
Both parts of that property need to continue to be zoned agricultural land.
Moving on to other questions from t= he Member for Takhini-Kopper King — as far as water inspections go, as I indica= ted, Client Services and Inspections has the responsibility for water inspection= s. They are kept completely separate from, and independent of, the other branc= hes that do permitting. I would point out that if the member were to take a loo= k at the budget, she would see that assertions by anyone that Energy, Mines and Resources’ mandate is to promote the development of mining is not wha= t is in the budget and not what our program objectives are. We are the regulator. The Department of Economic Development has primary responsibility for promo= tion. We are primarily a regulator and aim to be a responsible regulator. Client Services and Inspections branch does the inspections and ensures that compl= iance occurs.
Other questions the member asked = 8212; again, my pen was not keeping up with her questions. As far as consultation goes on the gas processing plant regulations, one thing that I really can’t emphasize enough to members opposite is that they seem to have a conception of what they think is happening that allows their fears to colour their vision of the world.
I point out that, just like updating
regulations that apply to gas stations — by that I mean gasoline and
diesel, the service centres we see throughout the territory. Updating
regulations that apply to those stations or to the storage of diesel fuel in
tanks for home heating or for electricity production is completely separate
from a decision to develop and refine gasoline and diesel fuel in the
Obviously, there is some potential connection that could occur at some point if those resources are developed,= but those decisions and permitting processes are separate. Allowing the use of imported fuel does not mean that diesel and gasoline will be pumped from the ground as oil in the territory and refined, produced and subsequently sold,= nor does updating regulations apply to storage and processing of liquefied natu= ral gas mean that there will be any additional development of those resources.<= o:p>
Those matters are subject to separa=
te
permitting processes. The regulations that are just concluding consultation
today — as I indicated during the fall sitting of the Legislature whe=
n we
put forward in the Yukon Oil and Ga=
s Act
a clause to enable development of those regulations, which at that point I
committed to go out to public consultation on early in 2013, and we are now
doing. It is the advice of staff within Energy, Mines and Resources, and the
advice of our legal counsel, that updating these regulations gives our staff
more ability to regulate the use of natural gas, including for the producti=
on
of electricity. Since we know that one utility is currently applying to do =
just
that — use liquefied natural gas as part of producing electricity for=
the
Town of Watson Lake — and we know that the other utility has identifi=
ed
that they believe that an important part of their energy mix will be use of
liquefied natural gas for electricity production.
We know that there are a number of potential mines — advanced stage exploration projects and mines like Casino — that are large projects that have identified — in the = case of the Casino project — that their energy production, their electrici= ty production, would be through using liquefied natural gas generators to prod= uce electricity. That is why staff advised that it was appropriate to update th= e gasprocessing plant regulations. The title is the one= that they suggested, perhaps to avoid misperception. We should have called it “gas processing and storage facilities regulations”, but the regulations are intended to improve the ability of staff to responsibly man= age the use of this fuel source. But again I have to emphasize that that fuel source — natural gas — can currently be used within the territo= ry and currently used for electricity production. In the case of production of natural gas, the Kotaneelee wells have been pro= ducing natural gas for years under the existing regulatory structure.
As far as the vision a consultant
identified within a specific report — the member referred to Wolf Isl=
and
Engineering’s report. Consultants make recommendations; they provide
their own advice, their own visions. They are for consideration by governme=
nt,
but they certainly do not reflect government’s vision. To the
member’s specific question about whether we expect to see pipelines b=
eing
developed from north
Consultants are just consultants. A=
s far as
the member’s question about where the gas processing plants are going=
to
be, I really can’t answer that. I don’t know where or if there =
will
be gas processing plants ever developed within the territory. That’s a
hypothetical question; it requires somebody to actually propose building it=
and
they have to go through a permitting process to be successful in fulfilling
their plans or their vision. There is certainly no guarantee that they woul=
d be
successful in doing so.
That type of expectation is like as=
king
anyone to predict what retail stores will be in
As far as Mayo B and its efficiency= and the numbers around that — that’s really a question I’d encour= age the member to bring up with the corporation when they come into the House h= ere next week.
As far as the reference to agricult=
ural
land being provided to industry — that’s for the agricultural
industry. You can call it the agriculture industry, the agriculture sector,=
the
farming sector or the farming industry — use whatever term you like.
They’re doing the same thing. They are increasingly growing a greater
share of
A few other things I’d like t=
o just
touch on in the area of energy and corporate policy — supporting Ener=
gy,
Mines and Resources management responsibility, Energy, Corporate Policy and
Communications division has $4 million in O&M in this budget. A key par=
t of
this work is the programs and services provided by the Energy Solutions Cen=
tre.
It has been allocated $1.2 million, and a very important part of its work i=
ncludes
not only delivering energy policy projects and programs that increase the s=
ustainability
of energy use in the Yukon by providing information to the public, but also
through the good energy program, we have provided rebates for years, which =
have
been very successful as a demand-side management program that has encouraged
consumers to —
Some Hon. Member: (Inaudible)
Hon. Mr. Cathers: I hear scoffing from the other side= . The reduction figures that we have on the amount of electrical usage that has b= een reduced as the result of the good energy program is significant, and itR= 17;s unfortunate that the members are choosing to heckle rather than listening to the numbers on this.
The good energy program has been a
successful program for the
Seeing the time, I move that the Ch= air report progress.
Chair: It has been moved by Mr. Cathers that the Chair report progre=
ss.
Motion agreed to
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Madam Chair, I move that the Speake= r do now resume the Chair.
Chair: It has been moved by Mr. Cathers that the Speaker do now resu= me the Chair.
Motion agreed to
Speaker resumes the Chair
Speaker: I will now call the House to order.
May the House have a report from th= e Chair of Committee of the Whole?
Chair’s report
Ms. McLeod: Mr. Speaker, Committee of the Whole= has considered Bill No. 10, entitled First Appropriation Act, 2013-14, a= nd directed me to report progress.
Speaker: You have heard the report from the Chair of Committee of the = Whole. Are you agreed?
Some Hon. Members: Agreed. = p>
Speaker: I declare the report carried.
Hon. Mr. Cathers: I move that the House do now adjour= n.
Speaker: It has been moved by the Government House Leader that the Hou= se do now adjourn.
Motion agreed to
Speaker: This House stands adjourned until
The House adjourned at =
i>
The following Sessional
Paper was tabled
33-1-84
The following Legislative Return=
was
tabled
33-1-1
Written Question #4, dated April 4, 2013, by Ms. Hans=
on
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