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Yukon Legislative Assembly
Whitehorse, Yukon
Thursday, March 9, 2023 — 1:00 p.m.
Speaker: I w= ill now call the House to order.
We wil= l proceed at this time with prayers.
Prayers
Daily
Routine
Speaker: We = will proceed at this time with the Order Paper.
Introd= uction of visitors.
Introduction
of Visitors
Hon. Mr. Clarke: In honour of the Yukon Biodiversity Forum tribute, we have in = the gallery, from the Department of Environment, Caitlin Willier from the Yukon Fish and Wildlife branch and Bruce Bennett from the Yukon Conservation Data Centre. I have heard from a colleague that Bruce may be close to retirement= , so if that is in fact the case, we certainly wish you all the best in a well-deserved retirement.
Thank = you for coming.
Applause
Hon. Ms. McLean: I would ask my colleagues to help me welcome Odile Nelson, sen= ior communications advisor for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, here for our tribute here today and also for the tabling = of Bill No. 22, entitled Act to a= mend the Yukon Advisory Council on Women’s Issues Act (2023). Thank yo= u so much for all of your work on that.
Applause
Speaker: Tri= butes.
TRIBUTES
In recognition of the Yuk= on Biodiversity Forum
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I rise today to pay tribute to the 2023 Yukon Biodiversity For= um that took place this past weekend on March 4. This annual one‑day event, coordinated by the Yukon Conservation Data Centre at the Department of Environment and YukonU Research Centre at Yukon University, highlights the ongoing biodiversity assessment and monitoring projects throughout the Yukon. Approximately 150 people attended this event= .
The fo= rum brings together Yukoners and researchers to share information and learn about Yukon plants, animals, and special habitats. It is an opportunity to raise awaren= ess about various status trends and new discoveries from the whole spectrum of Yukon wild species. This includes Yukon plants, fungi, fish, mammals, birds, amphibians, invertebrates, and their habitats.
I was = able to attend a part of the forum. I know that I was joined there by my colleague,= the Member for Whitehorse Centre, on the weekend and was impressed by the presentations and the speakers. I learned, among other things, about zooplanktons in Yukon lakes, how to use social media to talk about science,= and Thomas Yung’s discussion about psynergic = bats in the Yukon. Yes, compelling — yes, it was.
While = I could not attend the other presentations, I was encouraged to see that presentati= ons touched upon a wide variety of topics, such as butterflies, flora, fish stranding in northern Yukon, snowshoe hares, songbirds, McIntyre Creek, spe= cies at risk, farmlands, thick-billed murres, and lastly — but certainly n= ot least — our iconic grizzly bears. Events like this not only support public education, but also act as an important avenue for fostering partnerships. Students, community members, and researchers — all with different focuses and areas of expertise — are exposed to the current field projects that relate to biodiversity assessment and monitoring in the= Yukon. Mr. Speaker, by sharing information in these types of gatherings, we c= an better work together to identify knowledge gaps and species or habitats that require monitoring.
In clo= sing, I would like to thank the researchers and scientists for their commitment to Yukon’s biodiversity, its assessment, monitoring, and conservation. <= span class=3DGramE>In particular, I would like to thank the skilled team = of experts at the Department of Environment for their continued work in this field. Some of the staff involved in the forum, as I have mentioned, have joined us in the gallery today.
I appl= aud you all for your contributions to Yukon’s most precious resource — = our environment.
Applause
Mr. Istchenko: I rise on behalf of the Yukon Party Official Opposition to recognize the 2023= Yukon Biodiversity Forum, which took place at Yukon University on March 4. This day-long event was co-hosted by the Yukon Conservation Data Centre and the = YukonU Research Centre as an opportunity to bring tog= ether Yukon researchers and lovers of nature to highlight Yukon biodiversity.
Topics= included assessment, monitoring, and conservation. As we know, the Yukon is home to = an incredible community of people who dedicate their lives and careers to studying, researching, and learning all that our environment has to offer u= s.
I woul= d like to thank those who work in this field, whether as part of their profession or = as part of their hobbies and interests. The Yukon Conservation Data Centre maintains a website dedicated to sharing information about animals, plants, fungi, and ecosystems that make up the Yukon’s beautiful environment.=
You ca= n find up-to-date scientific information on all species, as well as other informat= ion that could be useful, such as how to determine what type of animal has left those sprawling prints through your yard — other than bear. I think we all know what bear prints look like.
The YukonU Research Centre has a biodiverse monitoring pr=
ogram
that has been tracking key indicators of change in the Yukon’s ecosys=
tems
for more than 40 years. I just want to give a big shout-out and a thank you=
to
all those who organized and took part in this event.
Applause
Ms. Tredger: I rise on behalf of the Yukon NDP to pay tribute to the 2023 Yukon Biodiversi= ty Forum.
I had = the absolute delight of attending the forum on Saturday. The room was packed, a= nd you could feel it buzzing with energy and excitement. I met scientists, students, activists, educators, and interested community members. What they= all had in common was a deep love for all living things of the Yukon. There was= so much passion and knowledge in the room about biodiversity in the Yukon R= 12; from birds to bears, from insects to invertebrates.
Thank = you to the organizers. I know that Krystal Isbister and Br= uce Bennett played a key role, and I know there were many, many more. Thank you= to all the presenters. I learned so much about Yukon’s nature and the programs protecting it. I even picked up some tips for talking about scienc= e on social media.
Congra= tulations on a wildly successful biodiversity forum.
Applause
In
recognition of the Bare Essentials campaign
Hon. Ms. McLean: It is my honour to rise on behalf of our Yukon Liberal governm= ent to pay tribute to the annual Bare Essentials campaign. People fleeing because = of gender-based violence may not always be able to bring the necessities that = they need with them. For two decades, the staff at the Women and Gender Equity Directorate have coordinated the campaign that supplies transition homes and safe houses across the territory with the much-needed supplies, such as dia= pers and personal care products.
This campaign would not be possible without the ongoing support and encouragement across the Government of Yukon. Bare Essentials = is a team effort. I would like to thank everyone who contributed with their donations and their time.
This y= ear, we distributed 98 bins, baskets, and packages of goods to facilities in Whitehorse, Dawson, Watson Lake, Old Crow and Ro= ss River.
What i= s always astounding to me is that each year, for 20 years, these supplies are comple= tely used by women and children fleeing violence — again, they will be completely used before the end of this calendar year of 2023. It is always a bittersweet feeling to see the mountain — the mountain of products donated by caring Yukoners — and then the realization sets in that al= l of this will be used by women and children fleeing their homes because of dome= stic violence.
The ca= mpaign makes an impact, but our work does not end here. The Bare Essentials campai= gn supplies transition homes and safe houses with the most-needed items, but we also need to continue to address root causes of the problem — gender-based violence toward women and children.
Living= a life free from violence is a fundamental human right. It is impossible — impossible — to heal or advance your dream, or even dream at all, when you are in complete survival mode in your day-to-day life. Gender-based violence is one of the main obstacles in the way of achieving gender equali= ty. Addressing root causes and better supports for victims, survivors, and their families must be our focus.
Our go= vernment is committed to this vision, which is evident in the work that we have done= on the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and in our strategy, Changing the Story to Upholding Dignity and Justice: Yukon’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit+ Strategy, and its implementation plan. We must all keep this goal in our minds and in our hearts, both inside these walls, as decision-makers, and in our private lives, as Yukoners. Just like Bare Essentials, reaching this goal is going to take a team effort.
Applause
Ms. Clarke: I rise on behalf of the Yukon Party Official Opposition to recognize the annu= al Bare Essentials campaign, organized to provide basic personal items to women and their children who have left violent households and require basic necessities. Intimate partner violence is one of= the most common forms of violence against women. It includes physical, sexual, = and emotional abuse or controlling behaviours by an intimate partner.
We see= an increase in reports of violence within the homes during the winter months, especially over the last few years throughout the pandemic.
Indivi= duals facing situations of domestic violence are often forced to flee their situations with minimal or no personal belongings. Bare= Essentials aims to provide items needed by families, including toiletries, personal hygiene, diapers and wipes, and other necessities. These materials are dona= ted annually and sorted out for distribution to transition homes and organizati= ons across the territory. The Yukon is home to an incredible network of services and women’s organizations that are available to help individuals faci= ng intimate partner violence and other situations.
The wo= rk that they do to help in emergency situations and to help Yukoners to get back on their feet is so important. They are often stretched thin in terms of resources, and campaigns such as this are crucial to ensure that the services they provide are not affected by having to pu= rchase these items.
Thank = you to all those who organized this important event this year. It&= #8217;s a lot of work organizing this campaign, and the efforts of all departmental staff and volunteers from organizations are greatly appreciated. Thank you = to all involved in this year’s campaign — those who organized, put= in the work to box and ship items, and especially those who donated to this important cause. Salamat po.
Applause
Ms. White: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise on behalf of the Yukon NDP caucus to extend o= ur gratitude to all those within the Yukon government public service who look outside themselves to support those fleeing abuse or violence through their generous donations to the Bare Essentials campaign. This long-standing act = of sharing started way back in 2002 and in the last 20-plus years has brought = in literally tonnes of personal hygiene products that are then shared across t= he continuum of organizations supporting women and children.
Thank = you to all of those who shared their time to organize and distribute the bounty so generously donated by their co-workers across the government. Your kindness= is felt and, I know, greatly appreciated by many.
Applause
Speaker: Are= there any returns or documents for tabling?
Tabling
Returns and Documents
Ms. White: I have for tabling a document from the government of Nova Scotia, entitled Midwifery in Nova Scotia: Report of the external assessment team.
Speaker: Are= there any reports of committees?
Petiti= ons.
PETITIONS
Petition No. 17 R= 12; received
Clerk: Mr.&n= bsp;Speaker and honourable members of the Assembly: I have had the honour to review a petition, being Petition No. 17 of the First Session of the 35th<= /sup> Legislative Assembly, as presented by the Leader of the Third Party on Marc= h 8, 2023.
The pe=
tition
presented by the Leader of the Third Party meets the requirements as to for=
m of
the Standing
Orders of the Yukon Legislative Assembly.
Speaker: Acc= ordingly, I declare Petition No. 17 is deemed to be read and received. = p>
Pursua= nt to Standing Order 67, the Executive Council shall provide a response to a peti= tion which has been read and received within eight sitting days of its presentat= ion. Therefore, the Executive Council response to Petition No. 17 shall be provided on or before March 22, 2023.
Are th= ere any petitions to be presented?
Are th= ere any bills to be introduced?
Introduction of Bills
Bill No. 22: Act to amend the Yukon Advisory Counci= l on Women’s Issues Act (2023) — Introduction and First Reading<= /span>
Hon. Ms. McLean: I move that Bill No. 22, entitled Act to amend the Yukon Advisory Council on Women’s Issues Act (2023), be now introduced and read a first time.
Speaker: It = has been moved by the Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directora= te that Bill No. 22, entitled Act= to amend the Yukon Advisory Council on Women’s Issues Act (2023), be= now introduced and read a first time.
Motion for introduction and first reading of Bil= l No. 22 agreed to
Bill No. 24:
Act to amend the Coroners Act and t=
he
Public Service Act (2023) — Introduction and First Reading
Hon. Mr. Silver: I move that Bill No. 24, entitled Act to amend the Coroners Act and the Public Service Act (2023)= , be now introduced and read a first time.
Speaker: It = has been moved by the Minister of Public Service Commission that Bill No. 24, entitled Act to amend the Coroners = Act and the Public Service Act (2023), be now introduced and read a first t= ime.
Motion for introduction and first reading of Bil= l No. 24 agreed to
Speaker: Are= there any further bills for introduction?
Are th= ere any notices of motions?
Hon. Mr. = ;Pillai: I rise to give notice of the following motion:= p>
THAT this House recognizes the successful completion of the 87= ‑unit Boreal Commons rental development by Right On Pr= operty Group and encourages the Yukon government to continue to work in partnership with private sector developers and other levels of government to address ga= ps in the housing continuum and improve affordability and accessibility of hou= sing for all Yukoners.
Hon. Mr. = ;Clarke: I rise to give notice of the following motion:= p>
THAT this House:
(1) recognizes that there is an urgent need to safeguard natur= e and halt and reverse biodiversity loss; and
(2) supports the Government of Canada for signing on to the Kumming-Montréal Global Biodiversity
Framework that lays out clear goals and targets to protect nature and
biodiversity, as well as supporting the protection of at least 30 perc=
ent
of terrestrial, inland water and of coastal and marine areas by 2030.
Ms. Van Bibbe= r: I rise to give notice of the following motion:= p>
THAT this House urges the Government of Canada to work with ot= her levels of government, tourism stakeholders, and the Canada Border Services Agency to:
(1) determine appropriate opening and closing dates for the Yukon-Alaska border crossings for the 2023 tourism season; = p>
(2) determine appropriate operating hours for Yukon-Alaska bor= der crossings that reflect the needs of Yukon and Alaska tourism; and = span>
(3) establish stronger communications between border operators, contractors, tourism operators, and governments about the ongoing operation= of the Yukon-Alaska border crossings.
Hon. Mr. = ;Streicker: I rise to give notice of the following motion:= p>
THAT this House supports the development of resource road regulations that will provide a modern framework for managing and enforcing resource roads in the Yukon.
Mr. Cathers: I rise t=
oday to
give notice of the following motion:
THAT this House urges the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resour= ces to provide an update to the public on the timelines and process for changing zoning regulations in the Shallow Bay area.
Hon. Mr. = ;Mostyn: I rise today to give notice of the following motion:
THAT this House:
(1) congratulates the Village of Carmacks ahead of the grand o= pening of its new arena this weekend;
(2) acknowledges that the previous Yukon Party government and = their Community Services minister failed to make any progres= s on a replacement arena in the Village of Carmacks from December 2014 until it le= ft office in November 2016;
(3) recognizes that it was not a priority for the previous Yuk= on Party government to address rural infrastructure needs;
(4) recognizes that the previous Yukon Party government’= s position, namely that building infrastructure was too expensive and their government = did not have the capacity to manage such projects and left rural communities without proper facilities; and
(5) acknowledges the work of the current government that has e= nsured that the Village of Carmacks has a new and much-needed arena.=
Some Hon. Mem= ber: (Inaudible)
Point of ord=
er
Speaker: Member for Lake Laberge, =
on a
point of order.
Mr. Cathers: I wo=
uld just
note that the motion read by the Minister of Community Services seems very
clearly to be out of order based on your previous rulings. I would ask you =
to
review the motion and report back to the House.
Speaker’s ruling
Speaker: I would remind all member=
s that
motions are reviewed every day by the Clerks. If there is an issue with one=
of
the motions, it will be brought up the next day.
Are there any further not=
ices of
motions?
Ms. White: I rise to give notice of =
the
following motion:
THAT this House urges the
Government of Yukon to increase the amount of medical travel subsidy to ref=
lect
the actual costs to patients and medical escorts.
I also give notice of the
following motion:
THAT this House urges the
Government of Yukon to create a health lodge in Whitehorse for rural reside=
nts
attending medical appointments, as referenced in the 2021 Yukon Liberal Par=
ty
platform.
I also give notice of the
following motion:
THAT this House urges the
Government of Yukon to investigate the option of booking blocks of hotel ro=
oms
in Vancouver and/or other locations for Yukon patients and escorts on medic=
al
travel.
Ms. Tredger: I ri=
se to
give notice of the following motion:
THAT this House supports =
the
implementation of maximum allowable rent adjustments in the Northwest
Territories, as proposed by Katrina Nokleby, Me=
mber
of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories for Great Slave.
=
Speaker:=
195;Is there a statement by a
minister?
Ministerial
Statement
5th
Avenue and Rogers Street lot development
Hon. M= r. Pillai: I rise today to update Yu= koners on the 5th and Rogers lot. Today, the land application package f= or the development of this lot will be available online for the next eight wee= ks.
The 2.= 12-hectare lot represents a significant opportunity to increase the housing stock in a prime downtown Whitehorse location. The City of Whitehorse’s official community plan identifies a vision for a mixed-use, residential-commercial = use in the area to increase the vitality of downtown.
Prepar= ing the 5th and Rogers lot for development has required significant work due to the requirement for remediation and the recent landslides experienced along the escarpment, but this remains an area with incredible potential. The land application package will consider social benefits, such as much-needed affordable housing in the downtown core, unit accessibility, and the participation of First Nations.
This p= roject supports the housing action plan and the recommendations of the Office of t= he Auditor General of Canada. Our government has been listening to the Yukon business community on the best approach to developing the 5th&nb= sp;and Rogers parcel. It has been important to our gove= rnment to hear all feedback relating to this promising site.
The re= quest for proposals has been developed using the results of the 2020 expression of interest, which will see this parcel sold as a single, raw-land parcel. The expression of interest feedback also indicated that prospective developers = were looking for flexible payment and construction commitment schedules in the s= ales agreement. Our government is prepared to provide this based on the successf= ul bidder’s commitment to realizing community social benefits through the development. The future developer will need to address the building of a be= rm, ensure compliance with a risk-based restoration permit due to previous contamination under the site, remove existing structures, and assess the location of power lines.
From t= he expression of interest, it was indicated that most respondents wanted no further site improvements to be made prior to the sale of the land. We have taken this feedback seriously by leaving those components for the future developer.
The re= lease of the land application package represents an exciting milestone for all invol= ved and the fulfillment of a platform commitment in the item from my mandate letter.
As the revitalization of this important area of Whitehorse progresses, we look for= ward to working with the successful bidder, the City of Whitehorse, and Whitehor= se residents.
Ms. Clarke: Thank you to the Premier for the update on the 5th and Rogers lot development in downtown Whitehorse. It seems that, according to this statem= ent, the government is hoping that the private sector will move forward to devel= op this for the city’s housing market. My colleagues and I will watch for the results of the RFP that will ultimately determine what developments hap= pen.
Salama= t po.
Ms. Tredger: Almost
exactly two years ago, I remember standing at 5th and Rogers dur=
ing
the 2021 election, talking about how we had to move faster to develop land =
for
housing. Before that, my predecessor, Liz Hanson, stood at 5th&n=
bsp;and
Rogers in 2016, making the same call to action. So, it is a relief to see t=
hat
this parcel of land will now finally be available for development, and I’m hopeful that this is the last we hear of 5th
and Rogers, other than from new tenants telling their friends where they ha=
ve
just moved to.
With a= vacancy rate of 0.8 percent, as of December 2022, it is critical, now more than ever, that affordable rentals be the focus on this development area in Whitehorse. With the wait-lists at Yukon Housing, people couch surfing, and families underhoused, this government needs to make affordable rentals a pr= iority.
When t= he minister speaks of the vitality of downtown, I think with pride about the g= reat diversity of Whitehorse Centre, but then I remember that his government is planning to remove our neighbourhood school and wonder how that contributes= to vitality and how that contributes to mixed use and diversity — how all those new downtown families that I hope will live at 5th and Rogers will have to send their kids over the bridge to Riverdale or up the = hill to Takhini, and how that goes against so many of the things this government says that it stands for.
So, I = hope, as this government supports the development of downtown, they will keep in mind the priority of the Downtown Residents’ Association — an elemen= tary school downtown.
Hon. Mr. Pillai: I will just start by addressing the points from the Third Party first. My understanding — and I will check with my colleague — = is that there is a conversation and consultation that is going to occur concer= ning education infrastructure in the downtown, and I will leave it to her to spe= ak to that later.
I woul= d also point out the fact that in 2015-16, yes, there was a conversation that was happening concerning 5th and Rogers, and we have, since 2021, mo= ved on this project. Of course, there have been some challenges along the escarpment, and I will speak to that in a second.
Mr.&nb= sp;Speaker, our government is, again, continuing to deliver on our commitment to increa= se housing supply in the territory so that all Yukoners have a place to call h= ome. We are advancing the sale of 5th and Rogers, and I am as excited= as the Yukon Party is to look and see what the results will be. I know that th= ere is a lot of interest. People have been reaching out, looking to see what our package looks like that we are going to provide and look at the opportuniti= es to build something quite significant.
The pr= ivate sector is going to be a key partner. This is something that successive governments have talked about. We will move on it. We think it’s important that the private sector plays a key role in the diversity of our housing ecosystem.
I just= want to point out a couple of things. I think it’s extremely important that, in this House, we are providing that accurate information. I know that, in the fall, I was called “disingenuousR= 21;, and I think that was a pretty strong statement and it was really about the = fact that we were delaying this RFP because we wanted to make sure that we had geotechnical work completed. That geotechnical work has been completed. I <= span class=3DGramE>don’t want to see people living at 5th and Rogers and having a risk. The City of Whitehorse reached out to us and said that we needed to do that work. We respectfully listened to them, and that = work has been undertaken and it will change a bit of the scope of the structures that will go on-site, but the berm is going to be something that will be a major mitigation effort.
I want= to say to the Yukon Party, please, I’m open for a conversation any time on these points. It was really ju= st a technical undertaking, but it does give instability in our investment ecosystem when we hear comments like that.
Mr.&nb= sp;Speaker, I want to thank the City of Whitehorse for their work. = I’m proud of our team. There were press releases in 2015 and in 2016 about the = work that was going to be done in steering committees, and we go back and forth about — to be fair to Yukoners — who is getting stuff done, but= I’m proud of the fact that we are moving on these sometimes very complex files. Sometimes we have to deal with wicked problems, and we take them on and we move through them.
I’m going to thank my
colleagues at Energy, Mines and Resources, as well as Community Services. S=
ome
of the things that I will share with Yukoners — yes, it took time to
prepare this parcel. Safety for all Yukoners is of the utmost importance to=
our
government, and after the slides last summer, geotechnical studies were
This w=
eek, there
were some comments that were made by different members — some communi=
ty
members — who said that we were not aware of the priorities of the co=
mmunities.
I think we have shown, through our work and our studies, that we are. I thi=
nk
some folks are out of touch with the individuals they represent. I think we’re doing good work on lot development, and
we’re doing good work on making sure that the private sector can play=
a
key role in helping us with our housing solutions.
Speaker: Thi= s then brings us to Question Period.
QUESTION PERIOD
Question re: Campgr= ound development
Mr. Dixon:= 195;Yukoners who utilize our wonderful network of campgrounds have been looking forward = to the development of a new campground since the Liberal government made that announcement in 2020; however, there is a subtle change in this year’s five‑year capital plan from the one tabled last year that has caught = the eye of some Yukon campers.
Last y= ear, there was a line item for — and I quote: “Development of a new Yukon campground.” This year’s five‑year capital plan reads differently. I have a simple question for the Minister of Environment: Is t= he construction of a new territorial campground still in the government’s plans?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: We recognize that user demand for campsites has returned to pr= e‑pandemic levels and is anticipated to increase steadily for years to come. To address this demand, we are actively working to increase the number of available campsites in the territory.
In 202= 3, we will add approximately 20 campsites across three territorial campgrounds at Cong= don Creek, Wolf Creek, and Ethel Lake. Our intent is to offer a range of recrea= tion opportunities that appeal to a diversity of park visitors. Seasonal work to improve community and visitor experience at some of these locations will be= gin this spring.
Yukon = Parks continues to meet with First Nation governments to further the Yukon parks strategy and to deliver on our commitments. Through these discussions, we h= ope to advance plans to significantly expand and improve some of our recreation parks. We are in the process of completing conceptual designs for potential expansions and recreational activities at several campgrounds. These includ= e: Conrad, Little Salmon, Pine Lake, Snafu, Tarfu,= and Twin Lakes.
I cert= ainly recognize from the question from the Leader of the Official Opposition that this is a priority for Yukoners — it is an amazing experience and ama= zing value proposition, and we are working hard to meet the demand.
Mr. Dixon: So, it appears from the minister’s answer that there is no new campground= in the works.
Since = the parks strategy was released in 2020, Yukoners have been getting excited at the id= ea of a new campground in the Yukon. In fact, as recently as last year, the minister told Yukoners they should get excited about it. Here is what he sa= id just last year — and I quote: “I’m pleased to share the work that is underway to select a new campground locat= ion. Indeed, this is an exciting project to provide greater opportunities to all Yukoners and to the guests we welcome here on an annual basis.”
So, my= question for the minister is: When was the decision made to cancel the development o= f a new campground?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: Four existing campgrounds and one land reserve have been ident= ified as potential candidates for significant expansions to become better campgrounds. Those include Tatchun Lake, Million Dollar Falls, Lake Laberge, Twin Lakes, and possibly the Scout Lake land reserves. The expansion concep= ts include treating these more as full parks and not just campgrounds, includi= ng a focus on First Nation collaborative management and cultural continuity.
During= previous engagement, First Nations indicated that they did not want more land to be developed within their traditional territories to create a new campground. = As discussed at the November 22 DM briefing, Parks is now looking at existing campgrounds where there are possibilities to add a significant number of new camping sites and/or expand campground boundaries, if a= t all possible.
To ans= wer the member opposite’s question, we are engaging with impacted First Natio= ns. We are having these important discussions to create opportunities. We will = not be developing lands where we do not have the support of the impacted First Nation governments.
Mr. Dixon: Last year, the minister made it very clear that a new campground was coming, and that was something that was committed for a numb= er of years now. I know that many Yukoners were very excited at the prospect of a= new campground and will be disappointed to hear that what the government is doi= ng instead is simply doing infill in existing campgrounds.
Here= 8217;s what the minister told the Legislature last year, and I quote: “̷= 0; various sites within a two-hour drive from Whitehorse are being considered. The fin= al decision has not yet been made, but I can advise that, as indicated, the proposed campground could be larger than 150 campsites. It should ultimately have a rustic atmosphere and well-spaced campsites, have a quiet zone available, and provide active recreational opportunities like hiking trails.”
The mi= nister didn’t just promise a new campground; he basically promised the best campground ever. Now, what we are hearing from the minister is that there w= ill be no new campground for Yukoners, and instead just simply infill.= p>
My que= stion for the minister is this: Why is he letting down Yukon campers?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: As I have indicated, we will be engaging with the affected Fir= st Nation governments, and we will seek their guidance. We believe that there = are incredible opportunities to improve the camping experience.
To the= member opposite’s question, if the ultimate decision is that there are opportunities to create greater recreational opportunities, including recreational trails, including, for instance, what occurred last year in Ha= ines Junction — the Pine Lake to the Village of Haines Junction connector trail, which promotes active transportation, so that the residents in Haines Junction and the campers in Pine Lake can walk, bik= e, scooter, or whatever they wish between the two communities — we see t= hose being opportunities.
Question
re: Driver’s licensing process
Mr. Ha=
ssard: So, over the past =
year, we
have heard concerns raised by businesses in both the tourism and mining
industries about the growing red tape and the process for obtaining a class=
4
driver’s licence. Class 4 licences are a necessity for tourism busine=
sses
to transport clients and operate tours, as well as moving crews on- and off=
-site
in the mining industry. Now, we have heard that the waitlist for booking a
class 4 road test is multiple months, which is hampering recruitment and
retention of employees in an already tight job market.
So, will the minister agree to cutting=
the
red tape and streamlining the class 4 driver’s licence process to ease
the strain felt across the private sector?
Hon. M=
r. Clarke: Thank you for the questio=
n from
the member opposite. I have been in contact with the Tourism Industry
Association of Yukon, as have my colleagues, and we have responded to their
executive. We have addressed some of the issues. The first issue is with
respect to reciprocity, and we have advised the Tourism Industry Association
that Yukon has reciprocal agreements in place to allow existing class 4, or
equivalent, driver’s licences from other jurisdictions within Canada =
or
the United States to exchange their licence to a class 4 Yukon licence with=
out
further testing. In such cases, applicants are provided a new licence with a
new expiry, up to five years from the date of issue, meaning that they are
treated as new licence applications, which will alleviate the typical testi=
ng
requirements.
I can say that, while the testing
requirements are streamlined in such cases, Yukon motor vehicle regulations=
do
require that commercial licence applicants file a medical examination
certificate at the time of their application, and the Motor Vehicles Act requires that the medical examination
certificates have been completed within 180 days of the date of filing.
I can also advise that it is helpful t=
o note
that the Motor Vehicles branch in Yukon will accept the medical examination
certificate from any jurisdiction within Canada o=
r the
United States, should an individual wish to complete medicals prior to leav=
ing
their home jurisdiction.
Mr. Hassard: I appreciate the answer from the minister, but one thing that I would like to know is, is that, in fact, in place today? Because, if not, why are busines= ses being told differently, Mr. Speaker?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the question fr= om the member opposite. This is the guidance that my department has provided to the Tourism Industry Association of Yukon, and it is my understanding that is t= he current situation with respect to the reciprocity of the driver’s lic= ence and with respect to the medical examination certificate being usable from another jurisdiction.
So, I = guess, to answer the Member for Pelly-Nisutlin’s question, yes, that’s the information that I have and that has been c= onveyed to the chair, to the vice‑president, to an executive director, to the project manager, and also to the president of the Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon. So, we have communicated with the Yukon Chamber of Mines, the Yukon Producers Group, the Yukon Chamber of Commerce, and as indicated, the Wilderness Tourism Association, and of course, the Tourism Industry Association of Yukon.
Mr. Hassard:&= #8195;I’m sure the tourism and mining industries will be happy to hear that from the minister today. The other thing that the minister brought up was the fact a= bout the driver’s medical exams, and we appreciate the fact that they are actually accepting the exams from outside of the territory, but it’s still a problem for people who are wishing to get a new class 4 driver̵= 7;s licence here in the Yukon.
So, wh= at is the government doing to ensure that someone who wants to get a new class 4 driver’s licence here in the Yukon is able to get a medical exam in a timely manner to get that licence?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I would just say at the outset that, of course, our all-of-government approach will make every effort to support the various industries that have raised concerns, in order to streamline the licensing process, and we will not be putting up any unreasonable barriers. = p>
I have= reached out to my colleagues at Health and Social Services to share concerns raised about accessing medical exams in the Yukon in order to obtain a Yukon class= 4 licence. I have been informed that providing medical exams for drivers̵= 7; licences is not an insured service; however, our government continues to wo= rk with partners to improve access to our health care system as a whole, which should alleviate some of the pressures related to this matter.
I will= certainly be in contact with the Minister of Health and Social Services on an all-of-government basis to expedite the licensing in all of these key industries, which are getting going in this early spring and into the summe= r.
I do n= ote for all Yukoners that there are issues with respect to waits on driver training= and driver examinations, and that is acknowledged, but we= 8217;re making best efforts to fill that gap as soon as possible.
Question
re: Medical travel
Ms. White:= 195;Dealing with the medical travel in the Yukon can be notoriously difficult. In fact, every week, we hear from Yukoners who are left behind by the system. Even f= or folks who are lucky enough to qualify for a medical travel subsidy, the mon= ey runs out fast. People get $150 a day to pay for everything they need away f= rom home: food, hotel room, and transportation. Anyone who has booked a hotel in the last few years knows that rooms under $150 a night are hard to come by. That means that people are forced to pay out of pocket, borrow money from friends, or take money out of their savings, all to access the medical care they need.
Will t= he minister increase the medical travel subsidy to reflect the actual cost of travelling?
Hon. Ms. McPhee: I appreciate the question, particularly because it’s important that Yukoners know that we have already doubled the medical travel subsidy. For years, it was not responsive to the needs of Yukoners. The Government of Yukon is committed to supporting Yukoners to access the servi= ces that they need, including medical travel and care coordination. Our governm= ent continues to expand the in-territory programs to ensure that more Yukoners = can access care closer to home and not need to travel. Certainly, there will be situations when some people will still need to travel outside their home communities, either here to Whitehorse or to receive medical services outsi= de of the Yukon.
Our pr= ogram provides supports for insured health services that are not available in someone’s home community. We’re inve= sting in enhancements to our care coordination and medical travel units by implementing the recommendations of Putting People First. It was relatively recently that the medical travel subsidy was increased to $155 per day from $75 per day, where it had only started on the second day. It was doubled under our government. It begins on the first day, and that is what is available at this time = to Yukoners.
Ms. White: So, the medical travel subsidy is still far from being enough. People should not have to pay out of pocket for essential health care, and throwing a few roc= ks into the giant pit left by the Yukon Party is not enough anymore, after six years of being in government, which is why I am asking the question.=
So man= y of the policies for medical travel simply do not make sense. The minister may reme= mber our letters from last fall, when medical travel was denied to a person who = was waiting for a double lung transplant. Good news — after the story bro= ke in the media, it was resolved, but not for long because here we are again. = This time, medical travel has denied her husband’s medical escort subsidy,= despite the fact that her transplant team was very cle= ar: she cannot live on her own. It is not just risky; it= 217;s impossible. Again, this is just one of the latest examples, but it is far f= rom being the only one.
Can th= e minister explain why her department makes decisions that go against medical orders?<= /span>
Hon. Ms. McPhee: It is not appropriate for me to discuss a particular case here= on the floor of the Legislative Assembly, and I won’= t do so, but I will say that the member opposite does not have the most recent facts. I can also indicate that when — and I encourage all members, w= hen individuals come to them, to please contact our office. We have resolved hundreds of cases on an individual basis, not only with respect to medical travel, but with respect to making sure that individuals are receiving the absolute best care wherever they need it to be.
We are= exploring the recommendation to deliver a safe and alternative service to Yukoners who travel to Whitehorse to access care, as outlined in the Putting People First recommendation related to the medical trav= el. That has been implemented. As I have noted, it has been doubled, and the in= dex to inflation is considered annually. As of April 1, 2023, the medical travel subsidy that the member opposite has noted will be $166 per day. In additio= n to the medical travel subsidy, eligible clients receiving social assistance may have their hotel costs covered for outpatient medical travel, and there are lots of additional opportunities for Yukoners to receive service —
Speaker: Ord= er.
Ms. White: So, 15 minutes before Question Period was the last time I talked with the coupl= e I referenced, and I sent two e‑mails this morning to the minister’= ;s office, and the last time I was able to check, I had not heard back. So, I think my information is up to date, but I would like to be wrong — I really would.
I̵= 7;m not surprised with the minister and her points about medical subsidy, but I want her to know that I think there’s another option. I went down to Vanco= uver with a friend this winter, as the escort, and was only covered for one day,= and I was stunned to see dozens of Yukoners in the lobby, and all of them were there for medical travel, and all of them were paying for a room in downtown Vancouver for whatever the hotel’s regular rate was.
I don’t think that it has to be this way. The gove= rnment could work with one or multiple hotels in Vancouver, or where required, and secure a block rate for Yukoners travelling for medical reasons. Block rate= s are typically cheaper than the regular rate. Will the minister work with hotels near hospitals Yukoners most frequent to secure block rates for Yukoners who —
Speaker: Ord= er, please.
Hon. Ms. McPhee: I know that Yukoners have committed their information through the Putting People First report and th= rough the discussions that took place to develop that report. We have accepted al= l 76 recommendations and are working to implement them, incorporating the feedba= ck from Yukoners through that process.
I am v= ery pleased to say that a number of the elements of Putting People First have already = been implemented, including the advice about medical travel. I can also indicate that there are discussions and comments in that report that deal with places for individuals to stay that would be more economical, safe, and welcoming places for them when they are in very stressful times, dealing with medical situations when they are far away from home.
We will absolutely continue the work to explore those options from that report and = look forward to doing so.
Question
re: Hunting in Yukon
Mr. Istchenko: This weekend, the Minister of Environment gave a speech at the Yukon Fish and Ga= me Association wild game banquet. In that speech, he committed to working to improve the relationship between the government and the hunting community. = One specific promise that he had made was to create new hunting opportunities f= or licensed hunters.
This w= as welcome news to the community, but they would like to know a little bit more information on what the minister means. What new hunting opportunities is t= he minister considering?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: We are in the process of reviewing the data with respect to the various surveys, and we are considering — for instance, in some of the ranges and the areas where we have both the aerial surveys and where permit hunts have been provided for — providing additional opportunities.
My pri= ority is to provide, where supported by science and by the data from my wildlife biologists — I will provide opportunities to Yukon resident hunters. I will do so. I have met with the Fish and Game Association. I will meet with them again, and we will continue these conversations.
They h= ave asked to be provided with additional opportunities with, potentially, the elk hunt and different ways of hunting elk. They have asked for reconsideration of t= he Sifton-Miners Range. They have also asked for consideration of perhaps increasing the deer hunt. I said that all these issues are on the table.
Mr. Istchenko: Since this government has been power, they have focused on reducing hunting opportunities for licensed and resident hunters. They have been quick to sh= ut down and restrict hunting, but incredibly slow to revisit those decisions to create new opportunities. It was a welcome change of position when the mini= ster told the Yukon Fish and Game Association at their banquet that he was chang= ing his position and was trying to create new opportunities; however, during his speech, he was light on details and he is very light on details in this Hou= se today.
He has= raised the expectations of the hunting community, and we are all looking for some concrete examples of some of the new hunting opportunities that he is considering. Will the minister put some meat on the bone here? When he announced that he will be looking to create new hunting opportunities, what= did he mean?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I would like to take this opportunity, fir= st of all, to congratulate the president, Bryce Bekar= , and executive director Eric Schroff and their e= ntire executive for putting on an incredibly successful fish and game banquet. I thank them for having me.
As I i= ndicated, we recognize that the Yukon’s unique and valuable opportunities for hunting and the Department of Environment’s decisions about hunting — we are committed to ensuring harvesting is done sustainably while respecting the importance of wildlife conservation and Indigenous subsisten= ce harvest rights. Managing human activity — particularly hunting —= ; is our primary tool to conserve game.
The al= location framework is needed, however, to help improve our transparency and fairness, and thus the public’s understanding and acceptance of the process, ru= les, and responsibilities around hunting opportunities. Our goal is to develop a clear harvest allocation framework that includes a modernized process. The allocation framework will ensure that the division of hunting opportunities between resident and non-resident hunters align with Yukoners’ values, reflects the best available data, and respects First Nation subsistence har= vest rights.
I will= continue these conversations and I am listening to the Fish and Game Association as = to what they are —
Speaker: Ord= er, please.
Mr. Istchenko: So, in his speech to the Yukon Fish and Game Association on Saturday night, the minister made it clear that he wants to repair the relationship between his government and the hunting community that was so damaged by the previous minister. One of the most symbolic decisions that the former minister made = was to cut funding to the Fish and Game Association. While the minister has restored some of that cut, the funding to the Yukon Fish and Game Associati= on still has not returned to the level where it was before the cut.
Will t= he minister now agree to fully restore the funding to the Yukon Fish and Game Association?
Hon. Mr. Pillai: I want to commend the minister on his work so far with the fis= h and game organization. I, of course, highlighted in the mandate letter that I provided to the minister that it was important to do two key things. One wa= s to look for the best opportunities for Yukoners to have a chance to go out and= do what they love, which is not just about supporting their families, but traditional undertakings — but to ensure that the hunting community h= ad the best opportunities to do what they do here for resident hunters. Second, it= was about ensuring that we support the work of the Department of Environment to collect data so that we can make sure that appropriate decisions can be mad= e, and it needs to be work that is timely. I am going to commend the minister = on those points.
I thin= k it’s also important that we take into considerat= ion other boards that have a key role in these decisions, which come from the Umbrella Final Agreement, and some= of the work done — whether by the renewable councils or by fish and wildlife. I am going to be here to support the minister in those discussion= s.
I had = an opportunity to meet with the leadership, as well, of the Fish and Game Association. In those discussions, we talked about the contribution agreeme= nts and if they were in a position right now to do the work that they can do. T= hey said that they can, but they also said that they would be interested in sup= port for different projects in the future, and we are interested in more conversations. So, we are here to support that community —
Speaker: Ord= er, please.
Question
re: Yukon River crossing at Dawson City
Ms. Van Bibber: Last year’s budget included $250,000 for the planning of a new bridge cros= sing the Yukon River at Dawson City. Next week, the Department of Highways and Public Works will be hosting a meeting in Dawson to discuss the development= of a new bridge.
Can th= e minister tell us whether or not engagement has begun with= the City of Dawson or the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: Highways and Public Works is responsible for the safe and sust= ained operation of Yukon’s transportation system. Climate change is impacti= ng the Yukon’s transportation infrastructure in many ways. Shifting permafrost is affecting our highways, record snowfalls are creating more frequent avalanches, and changing temperatures are affecting the feasibilit= y of winter roads and ice bridges. The impacts of changing climate on the Dawson City Yukon River crossing are substantial. The Yukon River saw record flows this summer and more unpredictable environmental conditions make the construction of the ice bridge increasingly uncertain, although we have been fortunate in the past two seasons. Given these circumstances, we need to st= art having discussions with the residents of Dawson City on the future of the r= iver crossing.
Highwa= ys and Public Works and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Chief and Council met in Septembe= r 2022 to begin discussions on community engagement and to discuss the future of t= he river crossing in Dawson.
As Yuk= oners have likely read, Highways and Public Works will be hosting an information sessi= on for Dawson City residents this month. We will also be re‑engaging wit= h Tr’ondëk Hwëch= 8217;in in March about what is important to them when considering the future of the Yukon River crossing in Dawson City.
Ms. Van Bibber: We are well aware of the climate ch= ange issues. The challenges that this government has had with the ice bridge in Dawson are well-documented and the source of a lot of humour within the community and throughout the territory.
We not= e that this project is not in the five‑year capital plan. When can we expect this project to advance?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: As the Member for Porter Creek North has indicated, currently Yukoners rely on the George Black= i> ferry and the ice bridge to cross the Yukon River in Dawson. As we know, th= e George Black ferry typically opera= tes between May and October, and ice bridge construction begins in mid-December — although it is not fully operational to, I think, around 40,000 kilograms until even a month after that. It is dependent on environmental conditions. Dawson residents, of course, know that this means that, twice a year, there is a gap in service affecting residents of West Dawson, includi= ng the ability to access emergency services.
In add= ition, in past years, there has been enough variation in the freeze‑up that we = aren’t able to construct a safe and sanctioned i= ce bridge. This resulted, at the time, in residents crossing over the ice at unsanctioned crossings that were not determined to be safe.
Absolu= tely this engagement process is happening. We know — perhaps new Yukoners don’t know this — that the Yukon bridge wa= s to have been constructed 15, 16, 17 years ago under the former Yukon Party government — at a much lower cost, I’m sure —
Speaker: Ord= er, please.
Ms. Van Bibber: Over the past year, we have seen the community deal with real = issues because of the mechanical issues facing the George Black ferry. Last summer, Highways and Public Works officials told CBC Yukon that replacing the George Bla= ck ferry was under consideration. It doesn’t seem like buying a brand new ferry would make sense if the government is planning on building a bridge.
What a= re the plans for the George Black ferr= y, and how do those plans fit with the timing of construction of a new bridge?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: Supporting the Tourism Industry Association, supporting Yukon = placer miners, and supporting the economy in general is a priority in our all-of-government approach. That has been shown now, where we have, on an all-of-government basis, opened up access to Six= ty Mile placer miners, and we are beginning the process of opening up the Bona= nza loop early as well so that placer miners can get in and support the Yukon economy.
Certai= nly, alive to the issue about the George Black= ferry — this is an active conversation that IR= 17;m having with my team. I am being briefed on this issue. Even most optimistically, any sort of permanent bridge crossing, which the former Yuk= on Party government didn’t get done, will not occur in the near future, = so certainly, the George Black fer= ry has to be looked at, and any possible redundancy, which may have to be built in= .
I’m having these conver= sations. I’m alive to the issue. Thank you for the question from the member opposite.
Speaker: The= time for Question Period has now elapsed.
We wil= l now proceed to Orders of the Day.
Orders of
the Day
Government
Bills
Bill
No. 26: Act to amend the Munic=
ipal
Act (2023) — Second Reading
Clerk: Second reading, Bill No. 26, standing in the name of the Hon. Mr. M= ostyn.
Hon. Mr. Mostyn: I move that Bill No. 26, entitled Act to amend the Municipal Act (2023), be now read a second tim=
e.
Speaker: It =
has been
moved by the Minister of Community Services that Bill No. 26, entitled=
Act
to amend the Municipal Act (2023), be now read a second time.
Hon. Mr. Mostyn: It is my privilege and honour to introduce Bill No. 26, Act to amend the Municipal Act (2023)<= /i>, which amends the Municipal Act.= Bill No. 26 will extend the term of office for municipal and local advisory councils fr= om three years to four, effective with the October 2024 general election.
In May= 2022, the Association of Yukon Communities, which includes municipalities and local advisory councils, passed a resolution that the Government of Yukon increase the term of office for municipal council from three years to four years. In March 2022, the Government of Yukon and the Association of Yukon Communities signed a renewed partnership agreement. The agreement sets the foundation f= or how the two parties would work together over the next three years, based on principles of fairness, cooperation, and collaboration.
This b= ill supports this government’s commitment to partner with the Association= of Yukon Communities. Recognizing the changes such as this requires proper engagement with citizens. The Association of Yukon Communities asked the Government of Yukon to work together to seek public input. We held a public engagement from September 1 through 28, 2022. The Yukon Bureau of Statistics received data from 149 Yukoners. The majority of= the respondents supported a four-year term; 93 said yes, 51 said no, while five said that they were not sure. Most respondents said that they vote whenever they are eligible to, and only nine respondents said that a four-year term would make them less likely to vote. Similarly, most respondents reported t= hat a change in term would not affect their likelihood of running as a candidat= e or volunteering in election campaigns.
We als= o invited councils to provide government-to-government feedback if they felt anything= was not captured in the Association of Yukon Communities’ resolution. No formal responses were received.
The As= sociation of Yukon Communities resolution states that a longer term will give municip= al councils additional time to enact strategic priorities; allow them to plan beyond the three‑year term; meet the demands on municipal councils to plan and set direction to address the needs of their citizens, which are increasing with population growth; and finally, meet the increasing requirements related to the implementation of Yukon First Nation land claims and self-government agreements, and the transfer of administration and cont= rol of land and resources, from Canada to Yukon. These are great objectives and ones the government is happy to support.
Mr. Dixon: I am pleased to rise and speak to this bill at second reading on behalf of the Y= ukon Party Official Opposition. I would like to acknowledge the work done by the City of Whitehorse and the AYC in advancing this issue. As members may reca= ll, this started with a motion put forward at the city council here in Whitehor= se. I believe it was championed initially by Councillor Kirk Cameron, who spoke= to the issue in the media following the passage of that motion. After that mot= ion was passed by the City of Whitehorse, it proceeded to the Association of Yu= kon Communities annual general meeting where, under the sponsorship of the City= of Whitehorse, it passed with the support of AYC.
We wer= e pleased to see it come forward here today in the spring session. In this case, I ha= ve to give the government some credit for moving quickly on this priority. The motion only passed through the AYC process recently, so they have obviously done some work to advance this priority very quickly.
I shou= ld note as well, though, that despite its passage at AYC, there were some communities across the territory that did raise some concerns and had some questions, s= o we will be sure to bring forward some of those questions in Committee of the W= hole and ask the government to respond to some of the concerns that were raised = by members of the municipal governments across the territory during the debate= at AYC. We are also curious to learn a little bit more about the role of LACs = in this process and any changes that are contemplated in the process by which = the terms of LACs are set. Obviously, the councils are set in this legislation,= and we would like to discuss a little bit more about the role of the director in setting the terms of the LACs.
Finall= y, we certainly recognize the benefits of a lengthened term. The ability to act on strategic priorities, the ability to better sync with the budget cycles of municipalities, and a range of other benefits would come with the four-year term. However, as I noted earlier, there were some questions raised, partic= ularly by smaller municipalities that had some questions about the impact it would mean for them.
So, we= are supportive of this bill coming forward. We look forward to getting into deb= ate in Committee of the Whole and asking some questions that have been raised throughout the discussion on this issue over the course of its debate at the municipal level.
With t= hat, we will look forward to getting into Committee of the Whole.
Ms. White: Today, in speaking to Bill No. 26, I echo the sentiments of my colleagues, wh= ich is we heard the desire of this change to happen from the AYC, heard about t= he motion and how that went down, and the truth of the matter is that changing= the terms from three to four years makes sense. So, we look forward to Committe= e of the Whole.
Hon. Mr. Streicker: <= span lang=3DEN-CA>I will just add a couple of comments. I happened to be a city councillor when the Municipal Act= i> had a fairly significant rewrite about a decade ago = and, at that time, I recall us debating, through the Association of Yukon Commun= ities, whether we should go to a four-year term. The Association of Yukon Communit= ies, at that time, was undecided; it was quite split. So, I am happy to hear tha= t it is much more concurrent at the moment with a fou= r-year term. I’m excited for councils. I think, w= hen I look across Canada, most other provinces have gone to four-year terms, so I think they are seeing this when they go the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and meet with colleagues from across the country and they discuss whether it’s better or worse. I th= ink, generally, the feeling with municipalities is that it is better.
One sm= all comment that I will raise is that we have five local advisory councils in t= he Yukon, and four of them are in my riding of Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes. I o= ften attend those local advisory council meetings. I was at one last night; I wa= s at one the night before; I will be at one tonight. For the local advisory councils, they are less keen on four years, but they are very supportive of= the overall initiative for municipalities and for the Association of Yukon Communities.
Really= — you may have heard me when I rose to speak to the budget. I tried to give a shout-out to those local advisory councils, because those folks do a lot of volunteer work in their positions, and it is a hard role for them — o= r it is a demanding role for them — and they are nervous about making that extra commitment, but I think they will also grow into it well, and they ha= ve been supportive of this bill coming forward, and I have been keeping them u= p to date on the progress.
Thanks= very much, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to the vote at second reading.= span>
Speaker: If = the member now speaks, he will close debate.
Does a= ny other member wish to be heard?
Hon. Mr. Mostyn: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I really appreciate= the thoughts and views of the members this afternoon on this very important mat= ter. I really want to stress how important this was to AYC. We saw it as an important move as well. This is a step forward for representative governmen= t at the community level within the territory. I want to commend the department officials from Yukon government, both in Community Services and with the Bu= reau of Statistics — and, of course, Justice for fast-tracking this piece = of legislation and getting it before the House in the spring. It really was an amazing effort on behalf of the civil service to get this before it, and I really do appreciate that work.
I look= forward to the questions from the opposition when we get into Committee of the Whol= e.
Speaker: Are= you prepared for the question?
Some Hon. Members: Division.
Division
Speaker: Div= ision has been called.
Bells
Speaker: Mr.= Clerk, please poll the House.
Hon. Mr. Pillai: Agree.
Hon. Ms. McPhee: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Streicker: <= span lang=3DEN-CA>Agree.
Hon. Ms. McLean: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Silver: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Mostyn: Agree.
Mr. Dixon: Agree.
Mr. Kent: Agree.
Ms. Clarke: Agree.
Mr. Cathers: Agree.
Ms. McLeod: Agree.
Ms. Van Bibber: Agree.
Mr. Hassard: Agree.
Mr. Istchenko: Agree.
Ms. White: Agree.
Ms. Tredger: Agree.
Clerk: Mr.&n= bsp;Speaker, the results are 17 yea, nil nay.
Speaker: The= yeas have it.
I decl=
are the
motion carried.
Motion for second reading of Bill No. 26 ag=
reed
to
Bill No. 209:
Interim Supply Appropriation Act 20=
23‑24
— Third Reading
Clerk: Third reading, Bill No. 209, standing in the name of the Hon. Mr. = Silver.
Hon. Mr. Silver: I move that Bill No. 209, entitled Interim Supply Appropriation Act 2023‑24, be now read a t= hird time and do pass.
Speaker: It = has been moved by the Minister of Finance that Bill No. 209, entitled Interim Supply Appropriation Act 2023&= #8209;24, be now read a third time and do pass.
Hon. Mr. Silver: I want to thank members opposite for their comments during Com= mittee and also at second reading, and I will cede the = floor to the opposition.
Mr. Cathers: I won’t speak at length here as I did talk to this budget — interim supply — earlier. As has been the practice of = the Yukon Party Official Opposition, since interim supply is a confidence bill,= we do not vote in favour of confidence matters for this Liberal government. I would note, as well, that we, of course, don’t object to the general practice of an interim supply bill to ensure that gov= ernment is able to pay the bills on time, but it is a timely time, I think, to remi= nd this Liberal government that, in the fiscal year that we are just finishing right now, there were a number of serious issues with government not paying their bills on time, including those affecting health care delivery.
That i=
ncludes
the fact that they shortchanged the hospital in excess of $14.5 millio=
n,
based on the budget that the hospital chair and CEO indicated to us last fa=
ll
of their budgetary needs of $103.5 million for O&=
amp;M
prior to factoring in inflation and pandemic impacts, and the fact that,
according to the supplementary budget tabled by the Fin=
ance
minister, they are currently only receiving $88.9 million in O&M, according to the Yukon Hospital Services line
item.
Other = areas where they were late in paying the bills included paying doctors in a timely manner for health care services they provided, with physicians telling us t= hat some of their billings have been outstanding for over 90 days, and that the= problem is something that they have raised with government on a number of occasions and has yet to be resolved. We saw the government delayed in paying pharmacists for some items for many months; nurses who didn’t receive bonuses promised by this minister — the Minister= of Health and Social Services, pardon me — which led to grievances filed against this government and, of course, in the area of the regulated and fu= nded midwifery program, which was committed to and then re‑announced many times by this government, we saw the government actually ban midwives opera= ting in unregulated private practice, fumble the ball for many months on starting the program, and then abruptly shut it down.
So, my= point is that we do agree with the importance of paying the bills on time. We would encourage the government to make sure that they are doing that, especially = in areas where it impacts health care services.
Ms. White: Today, in speaking to the interim bill, I would remind the House that, when I was = in the Official Opposition capacity to a Yukon Party government, we didn’t get along, and we still voted in favour of this, because it is what allows government to run. So, today, we will vote = in favour of this for that reason and many others.
Speaker: If = the member now speaks, he will close debate.
Does a= ny other member wish to be heard?
Hon. Mr. Silver: Thanks to the members opposite for their comments. I will be <= span class=3DGramE>definitely interested in Committee of the Whole when H= ealth gets a chance to respond. Again, just because the member opposite says it, = doesn’t actually make it so, especially with the midwifery situation.
It was= quite interesting to come into government, and after hearing the associations, organizations, and midwifery concerns across the Yukon for five years in op= position, and hearing the government of the day say that they are working on midwifery — the Yukon Party — and then coming in and realizing that not e= ven the beginning of the regulation work to actually prepar= e was even started.
The le= gislative process took a long time, for sure, but again, really disheartening to fina= lly come in and be able see how much work was just not done by the Yukon Party = in midwifery in Yukon. So, we are very proud that now, we have done the regulations, we’ve done the legislation, a= nd the Yukon Liberal Party is responsible for midwifery being regulated in the Yuk= on. We are very proud of that track record, as the Yukon Party basically just <= span class=3DGramE>didn’t lift a finger on it.
Thank = you again for the support from the NDP as well, because I agree with the Leader of the Third Party: it’s important that we keep t= he lights on, and this is what the interim supply bill does.
Speaker: Are= you prepared for the question?
Some Hon. Members: Division.
Division
Speaker: Div= ision has been called.
Bells
Speaker: Mr.= Clerk, please poll the House.
Hon. Mr. Pillai: Agree.
Hon. Ms. McPhee: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Streicker: <= span lang=3DEN-CA>Agree.
Hon. Ms. McLean: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Silver: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Mostyn: Agree.
Mr. Dixon: Disagree.
Mr. Kent: Disagree.
Ms. Clarke: Disagree.
Mr. Cathers: Disagree.
Ms. McLeod: Disagree.
Ms. Van Bibber: Disagree.
Mr. Hassard: Disagree.
Mr. Istchenko: Disagree.
Ms. White: Agree.
Ms. Tredger: Agree.
Clerk: Mr.&n= bsp;Speaker, the results are nine yea, eight nay.
Speaker: The= yeas have it.
I decl= are the motion carried.
Motion for third reading of Bill No. 209 ag= reed to
Speaker: I d= eclare that Bill No. 209 has passed this House.
Hon. Mr. Streicker: <= span lang=3DEN-CA>Mr. Speaker, I move that the Speaker do now leave the Cha= ir and that the House resolve into Committee of the Whole.
Speaker: It = has been moved by the Government House Leader that the Speaker do now leave the Chair and that the House resolve into Committee of the Whole.
Motion agreed to
Speaker leaves the Chair
Committee
of the Whole
Deputy Chair (Ms. Tredger): = b>Order. Committee of the Whole will now come to order. <= /p>
The matter now before the Committee is
continuing general debate on Vote 55, Department of Highways and Public Wor=
ks,
in Bill No. 207, entitled Third
Appropriation Act 2022‑23.
Do members wish to take brief recess?<= o:p>
All Hon.&nb=
sp;Members: Agreed.
Deputy Chai=
r: Committee of the Whole wi=
ll
recess for 15 minutes.
Recess
Deputy Chair: Committee will now come to order.
Bill No. 207:
Third Appropriation Act 2022‑=
23
— continued
Deputy Chair:̳=
5;The
matter before the Committee is continuing general debate on Vote 55, Depart=
ment
of Highways and Public Works, in Bill No. 207, entitled Third Appropriation Act 2022‑23.=
Department of Highways and Public Works — =
continued
Deputy Chair:̳= 5;Is there any further general debate?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: Yesterday afternoon, just prior to the end of the afternoon se= ssion, I had provided the balance of my introductory comments. I will just reintro= duce Deputy Minister Catherine Harwood, to my right, and her assistant, Alyson Miller, to her right, here assisting from the department. I will sit down a= nd look forward to the debate this afternoon.
Mr. Hassard: I, too, would like to thank the officials for being here today to assist the minister in some smooth progress this afternoon — I foresee.= p>
The fi= rst question I would have is if we could get a break= down on the Klondike Highway budget in the supplementary.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: My understanding is that there is a commitment from the department to provide a detailed breakdown of the work that has been, or is anticipated to be, completed on the Klondike Highway for fiscal 2022‑23. The member oppo= site will know that the voted amounts — or the legislative authority to sp= end from the main estimates on the Klondike Highway — was $42,898,000, reduced in this capital budgeting exercise by $5,832,000, for a revised proposed vote of $37,066,000, and the notes indicate that has to do with timing, and also with respect to some supply cha= in interruptions — the Sikanni bridge in northeastern British Columbia. = So, that was one of the issues, but in any event, notwithstanding that, it is predicted that somewhere in excess of $37 million will have been dedic= ated to the Klondike Highway in this fiscal year, and there is more work to be d= one.
I do h= ave specific information with respect to the work that has been done on the nor= th Klondike Highway over the course of this last year and can provide that to = the member opposite, if he wishes, in this Committee of the Whole session this afternoon. The answer is — it looks like approximately in excess of $= 37 million having been spent and committed, via a legislative return, to provide the breakdown to the House.
Mr. Hassard: I appreciate that from the minister, and maybe it would be easier just to do = it all at once. When the department is getting that legislative return in orde= r, if they could also provide the changes in major projects, as well as the li= ne item on the Alaska Highway, if that would be possible, Deputy Chair.=
The on= e further question I have in regard to that is in regard t= o the Nisutlin bridge. So, I am wondering if the minister could provide some upda= te on where we are at with the Nisutlin bridge and why the change in the supplementary budget for that particular project= as well.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: As the member opposite has noted, the primary increase in the supplementary budget request for Highways and Public Works is, in fact, in relation to the Nisutlin Bay bridge replacement project. The other two proj= ects are the Dempster fibre and the Carmacks bypass projects, which I can speak = to at some point this afternoon as well.
Bid pr= ices for this project, as was communicated, came in higher than anticipated due to c= urrent global economic circumstances and the high premium on steel and other mater= ials arising from general inflationary pressures and also, as we heard, the war in Ukraine. As well, this contract was ultimately awar= ded in May 2022, so into this fiscal year. In an all-of-government approach, the decision — although it was difficult to make, we needed to move forwa= rd with this critical piece of infrastructure. The contract was awarded in May 2022. At the time, there was just really a place-holder value budgeted for = the Nisutlin Bay bridge in the amount of $3.94 million toward the Nisutlin= Bay bridge and an additional $400,000 toward repairs in the 2022‑23 mains budget.
Once t= he commitment was made on an all-of-government basis, it was known that more w= ould be spent in 2022‑23, and the overall capital expenditure for the government, which the member opposite will know was just in excess of $546&= nbsp;million, was being closely monitored as to whether a supplementary in the fall would= be required for Highways and Public Works. The member opposite and the House w= ill note that eventually various lapses were identified in the supplementary budget. On page S‑14 in the S= upplementary Estimates No. 2, for 2022‑23, the lapses that were identifie= d at the Yukon Development Corporation, the Yukon Housing Corporation, Tourism a= nd Culture, Health and Social Services, Environment, and Community Services — so they were all identified at the period 8 variance. In consequenc= e of that, on an all-of-government basis, the 2022‑23 vote today was $546,477,000 and the revised vote was also $546,477,000.
If tho= se projected lapses had not occurred — and, of course, Highways and Publ= ic Works would have had to ask for more spending — well, on an all-of-government basis, they would have= had to ask for more spending authority. In fact, it would have been something l= ike $580 million or $590 million. But, by the fall, it was evident th= at it was unlikely that, on an all-of-government basis, $546 million woul= d be expended. So, that was the amount.
We hav= e worked with Transport Canada to secure an additional $52.5-million contribution to= the national trade corridors fund to support the increased cost of the project.= As I indicated in my comments, we worked together as one government to identif= y areas across departments where money was available from other projects. There were projects that were likely to lapse, as I’ve indicated, and that’s why we ended up with the amount that was reques= ted specifically by Highways and Public Works but not resulting in a net additi= onal request for authority to spend on the 2022‑23 capital budget. It’s the same as it was in the spring of 2022. <= /span>
Mr. Hassard: It was interesting to listen to that answer from the Minister of Highways and Public Works. There was something said by the Finance minister that the additional request in the supplementary budget for= the Nisutlin bridge was because of the accelerated schedule. My understanding f= rom looking at the project on a daily basis is that, in fact, it’s behind schedule, so I’m curious if the minister can give us some understandi= ng as to why the Finance minister would have used t= he words “an accelerated schedule”?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I think it’s fair to say that, in the briefings I have h= ad with my department with respect to the three main components of this supplementary budget — which are the Dempster fibre project, the Carm= acks bypass, and the Nisutlin Bay bridge — the one where there was a notab= le request for acceleration was the Carmacks bypass.
There = was an element of acceleration in the Dempster fibre project, but if there was an element of communicated acceleration with respect to the Nisutlin Bay bridg= e, it was compared to what was expected when that decision was being made, whe= ther to proceed or not, as to what might get done. But it became fairly clear du= ring the course of the summer and into the fall that substantive work was going = to be done with respect to the Nisutlin Bay bridge project, which, of course, = is a positive development.
Just f= or the record, the Nisutlin Bay bridge is a critical link along the Alaska Highway= . It is an important landmark for Teslin. In the spring of 2019, the Yukon government and Teslin Tlingit Council signed a project agreement for the br= idge replacement. Through the project charter, we have been working together to design and build a safe, reliable structure that accommodates more traffic while also improving access for pedestrians and cyclists. This project will provide a significant positive economic outcome for the territory, local bu= sinesses, and the community of Teslin.
The te= nder was posted on October 13, 2021, and for two prequalified contractors — and closed on February 3, 2022. A $169.96-million contract, which is the largest infrastructure project so far in the history of the Yukon, was awarded on M= ay 3, 2022, to Graham Infrastructure LP. The project was scheduled to begin in the summ= er of 2022, with a winter shutdown between mid-December to the end of March 20= 23. While the project is in winter shutdown, there are still some activities be= hind the scenes, such as shipping materials to the site, working with utility companies to ensure that the project does not impact the relocating of exis= ting fibre optic cable and electrical lines, and project planning and scheduling. Work is scheduled to start again in the early spring.
The fo= llowing work has been completed to date by the contractor — such as mobilizat= ion, site preparation, construction camp and project office set-up, initial steps for the pit and quarry development for granular and rock production, partial temporary work such as trestle bridge construction, which includes piling a= nd building access ramps, civil work such as clearing and grubbing of the new alignment, and fish salvage work.
The fo= llowing work is planned by the contractor for this spring: temporary and permanent = work such as piling, cofferdam, and complete access road and ramp, and granular = and rock production.
I have= more notes as well, but as far as the department was concerned, the so-called acceleration occurred fairly quickly after the amount — just in exces= s of $4 million — was set aside when it became clear in discussions w= ith Graham Infrastructure LP that work was, in fact, going to proceed and that additional funds would be required.
As I i= ndicated previously in my comments, that’s when the= whole discussion of how the $546,477,000 looked from an all-of-government perspec= tive — did Highways and Public Works require additional spending authority= in the fall to continue, or did it not? Ultimately, there was an exercise undertaken, which now, subject to legislative authority in the House, will allow this project to proceed with no net new request on all an all-of-government basis.
Mr. Hassard: I guess my question for the minister would be: Since the project was awarded = in May and there was no supplementary last fall, did he feel that the roughly = $4.5 million that they had in the budget was actually enough = to cover the work that was going to happen last year? It just doesn’t se= em to make sense to me that, if you award a $160-million project in May, you should be anticipating that you are going to get as much work done as you c= an in the summer, so why would there not have been more money in the initial budget?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I am advised by the department that their recollection is that discussions were occurring quite soon after the contract was signed in June= and July to come up with a work plan, and that the department was monitoring the spend closely, and as I have indicated a few times in my responses, monitor= ing the overall spend closely, and that if there had to be a request for a supplementary budget legislative authority in the fall of 2022, it would ha= ve had to have been made quite soon after the awarding of the contract and aft= er the discussions that were occurring with Graham Infrastructure LP with resp= ect to their work plan.
I woul= d concede to the House that it became fairly clear relatively soon that there was goi= ng to be a substantial work season. Ultimately, that work season is in the ran= ge of $39.7 million, but as indicated, it was also fairly quickly determi= ned that the $546.47 million all-of-government capital budget legislative authority ask for the spring of 2022‑23 was going to be somewhat generous, I suppose, or optimistic with respect to a few departments, so th= at, on an all-of-government basis, although it was monitored very closely, it w= as determined that the ask wasn’t likely to be required. Ultimately, that planning was correct, and it doesn’t appear to have been required.
Mr. Hassard: I also think the interesting thing around this is the fact that the project is considerably behind where the company had anticipated it being at this point in time. You know, last fall, the compan= y, Graham construction, had talked about hoping to have bollards concrete pour= ed; 30,000 metres of gravel in place; and we’re not anywhere near that. So, I am wondering if the minister knows: Was this wint= er shutdown that has taken place — was that anticipated beforehand, or w= as this something that came up later on?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I can advise that the Department of Highways and Public Works = is in frequent contact with Graham Infrastructure LP — I would venture to s= ay probably weekly telephone conversations. I know that my deputy minister has= met with the leaders — the executive and leaders of this project — = most recently in-person, and in Vancouver as well. The most recent communication= we have from Graham is that the project is, as far as they can see right now, still on schedule.
What I=
would
caution all Yukoners, first of all, is that this=
is
the largest infrastructure program structure project that has ever been ent=
ered
into in the history of the Yukon, and it is multi-year. I know that going
forward, in the next year or so =
—
of course there might be bumps in the road. But I’=
;m
answering the member opposite’s direct question with respect to the
scheduling of this project. I’m advised th=
at the
project was scheduled for a winter shutdown between mid-December 2022 to the
end of March 2023, and we are working with the contractor on their return p=
lan
and finalizing the work plan for the upcoming season.
So, what I would say is that this proj=
ect is
still in the relatively early phase. Will it proceed ab=
solutely
seamlessly? Will there be bumps in the road? Likely.
I know that the Member for Pelly-Nisut=
lin in
the prior session identified issues with respect to aggregate. I have been =
to
Teslin at least twice on this matter, and I spoke to both the executives fr=
om
Graham Infrastructure. I also spoke to the persons who are tasked with the
various jobs, including accessing the aggregate. I have heard from them abo=
ut
the disappointment of the quality of the aggregate, but I also heard from t=
hem
that they are a nimble, innovative and problem-s=
olving
national company that is in the business of problem-solving, and they
expressed, in October of last year when I was on-site, a high degree of
confidence that this will proceed as they anticipate it to proceed.
Will there be issues between YG and Gr=
aham
Infrastructure and perhaps with the Teslin Tlingit Council? You certainly <=
span
class=3DGramE>can’t rule that out as being a possibility, but I
suppose, to answer the member opposite’s question, that the original
schedule at the time of tender did include the scheduled winter shutdown and
also, given that it is a multi-year project, it will always take a phased
approach to scheduling, which allows for a pace that will suit the Teslin
Tlingit Council, Yukon government, and the contractor.
I was certainly impressed in my intera= ctions with the leadership from Graham Infrastructure LP. Their commitment to the = Village of Teslin, their commitment to the Teslin Tlingit Coun= cil, their commitment to there being a healthy work camp environment, their commitment to ensuring that any potential negative consequences of the so-called “work camp culture” would be alleviated — I was certainly heartened by that, and I have heard Members of the Legislative Assembly express concerns about that over the course of the last year.
So, ye= s, of course, there will be challenges. I am committed to continuing to travel to Teslin or to meet with Graham Infrastructure LP as might be deemed advisabl= e in order to ensure the success of this project. But I have met in person with = the ownership group — the vice-presidents who are responsible for this project — and they certainly have expressed an excitement and enthusi= asm in having a strong partnership with an Indigenous self-governing government= and about succeeding in a project in a remote, northern environment.
I cert= ainly got the impression that — and I have said this before — this is not their first rodeo, and they are professionals. Even if we do have some disp= utes on discrete issues, I have a high degree of confidence that we will get this done.
Mr. Hassard: I
am certainly not questioning Graham Infrastructure’s abilities or
The mi= nister said that the original schedule showed a winter shutdown. I am wondering if= the minister could actually table that schedule for = people to see, because the understanding of the community was that there would be a Christmas shutdown but not such a lengthy shutdown as this. I am hoping that the minister could provide that schedule so that members in my community ca= n actually see that this is in fact the case.
Also, = it would be nice if the minister could provide an updated budget and schedule, too, = just so that people can see if the schedule is still the way that it was intende= d to be and that the budget is still moving according to plan, because it is ver= y interesting to look at the equipment — the cranes in particul= ar that are sitting there for months — not moving.
Obviou= sly, that equipment doesn’t sit for free; somebody n= eeds to be getting paid for it. I would be a little bit surprised if Graham Infrastructure was having that equipment on-site just out of the goodness of their heart.
So, if= the minister could provide us with that updated budget and updated timeline, it would certainly be appreciated.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I think that I can be brief in this answer. The member opposit= e will know this, but a detailed breakdown of the budget information is sensitive,= as it would likely contain the manner in which they= are conducting their business. But, in any event, to answer the member opposite’s question, yes, the total can be provided to date — a= nd yes to the schedule, as soon as we are able to provide that going forward — so, yes.
Mr. Hassard: I certainly look forward to seeing that information and I appreciate the mini= ster making that available.
On the= line of bridges, I have questions regarding the Big Creek bridge between Watson Lake and Tes= lin as well. My understanding is that this job was supposed to be completed in = the fall of 2021.
It is = still not completed. We know that there have been issues with some work that wasn’t up to standard and, therefore, the bridge= was not able to be opened. But we haven’t heard anything in terms of what mitigation is going to have to take place in order for that project to be completed.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: Candidly, I have driven past the Big Creek bridge a few times = in the last year and a half or so in my travels between Teslin and Watson Lake, an= d I certainly agree with both the Member for Pelly-Nisutlin and the Member for Watson Lake that this project ought to have been completed and that there h= ave been delays. I will just provide some information to the House today.
The Bi= g Creek bridge is nearing the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced. The bridge is located approximately 65 kilometres west of Watson Lake on the Al= aska Highway and is an important part of Yukon’s transportation network. T= he project to replace the existing bridge started in 2020 and is currently scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2023. In 2020, the tender was awar= ded to Julmac Contracting Ltd. with an original pla= nned completion being within the calendar year of 2022. However — the memb= er opposite will likely know — in 2022, defects were discovered during inspections of the new bridge. The department has developed a plan with the= contractor to address the deficiencies and ensure that the bridge meets required specifications. Our position is that the rectifications of the deficiencies= are the responsibility of the contractor. At this time, the contract has been extended for one year, to the end of September 2023, with no additional fun= ds added to complete the work.
Deputy= Chair, until the new bridge is ready, we are continuing to perform regular mainten= ance and inspections of the existing bridge and to ensure that it remains safe f= or the travelling public. To better understand how these deficiencies might im= pact the structure, the Department of Highways and Public Works worked with the contractor to do a full assessment of the bridge. The assessment provided details of what additional work the contractor is required to perform to al= low the bridge to be opened for public use.
Mr. Hassard: I
appreciate that answer from the minister. I am happy to hear that there
I have= some questions regarding the parking lot at the main administration building = 212; it has come up in the Legislature a couple of times. When we heard about it= a couple of days ago, earlier this week, the Finance mini= ster — and I will quote from Hansard. The Finance mini= ster said: “When we do Management Board, we will get an envelope for certa= in things from Highways and Public Works. To think that the paving of the actu= al parking lot that we as ministers decide upon — it= ’s not — we give allocations to envelopes of spending for the department. They will prioritize that spending.”
So, I = am curious if the minister can provide some context around this statement. It doesn’t appear to make a lot of sense. Was there= some type of special envelope for this project, or maybe the minister could just provide some context around how that decision was made?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I will provide some background on the parking lot, and I think= I will be in a position to answer the Member for P= elly-Nisutlin’s question about prioritization of cap= ital projects and how that operates. Grading, drainage, and resurfacing improvem= ents to the south parking lot at the now Jim Smith Building have addressed flood= ing and pooling previously experienced during heavy rainfall and spring snow me= lt. As members will know, and employees and the general public who attend the J= im Smith Building know, after heavy rain, flooding and pooling would occur, limiting full use of the lot and making it a challenge for people with mobi= lity issues to access the building.
This w= as the first major regrading and repaving of the parking lot since its initial construction in 1976 — approaching 47 years ago. These improvements h= ave made the Jim Smith Building a more inclusive and welcoming environment for = both the staff who work here and the public. Resurfacing of the parking lot was completed in October 2022; however, electrical work and the bike shelter construction will be completed in the spring of 2023. The main defect of the old parking lot was the consistent flooding. To address the issues, the department removed all of the old asphalt, added gravel, and regraded the parking area. It should be noted that the concrete curbs were also deteriorating and needed to be remade.
While = doing this work, the department also included needed safety upgrades, such as removing trees so that sightlines were clear, both for vehicles and security. Also, = the leaves from the trees blocked the storm drain and caused the substantial ponding to occur.
In add= ition, we upgraded the lighting in the parking lot to eliminate low lighting or dark sections and improve energy efficiency and security. As well, this project = has sustainability features, including a new bicycle shelter, which has either = been constructed or is about to be completed, being constructed to the south of = this building in order to support active transportation, and to ensure that cert= ain areas of the new lot can support the future installation of electric vehicle chargers, including two in the near future.
There = are also several other benefits to these improvements — new energy efficient L= ED light fixtures that have been installed in the parking lot to increase visibility and to improve pedestrian safety and security. A covered bicycle shelter will be built to encourage active transportation, as I indicated. T= here are also options for the future installation of charging stations for elect= ric vehicles, or plug-in electric vehicles, adding to what is already on-site.<= /span>
As ind= icated, some trees needed to be removed during the construction. The trees closest = to Rotary Park have been replaced, while the trees that were in the middle of = the parking lot have been replaced with planter boxes. This will allow for a hi= gher level of maintenance to be provided.
In ans= wering the question with respect to prioritization envelopes for infrastructure projec= ts, both in Whitehorse and across the Yukon, I am advised that Highways and Pub= lic Works Property Management division is allocated a building maintenance enve= lope annually. It is used for projects across the territory. The Property Manage= ment division uses a prioritization matrix to rank projects. Based on the ranking and budget, the Property Management division decides which building mainten= ance projects to do in a given year.
Factor= s in ranking include age of asset and safety, and some of the other factors, whi= ch I set out in my comments with respect to the parking lot upgrade to the south= end of the Jim Smith Building.
My und= erstanding is that it is not a political decision with respect to this, that there is a ranking matrix with respect to priority projects, and that decisions are ma= de based on, hopefully, an objective matrix of decision-making, and then it’s sequenced in given years.
That’s the information = I have with respect to the decision-making processes that take place at Property Management division. I will indicate once again that my information is that parking lot had no substantial work done since the coming into existence of what used to be known as the Main Administration Building, which is now kno= wn as the Jim Smith Building. I am understanding from my officials at Highways= and Public Works that parking lot, after 47 years, came to the top of that deci= sion-making matrix. The decision was made, and new, resilient infrastructure was created there.
That’s my information, = Deputy Chair.
Mr. Hassard: Could the minister provide us with some clarity around that? Is there a dollar threshold, or an amount, before it has to have Management Board approval, or is it just whatever is in the PMD’s maintenance budget, that they can just spend however they want?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: The information I have currently — and perhaps I will co= nfirm this by legislative return — but the information I have from the department is that, pursuant to GAM 2.17, there is an exemption for mainten= ance work, and that it applied to this project, and that, therefore, specific Management Board approval was not required, and it came to be, and was appr= oved through an envelop of funding during that year — but that’s the information I have with respect to that project.
Mr. Hassard: I certainly look forward to receiving that legislative return and getting that information.
If I c= ould go back, for a minute, Deputy Chair, I had a couple of other bridge questions = that I forgot to mention. One regarding the Big Creek bridge was to ask if the minister could clarify, or let us know, if all of the subcontractors have been paid up to date in regard to that project?<= /p>
Hon. Mr. Clarke: That’s a fairly specific question. I don’t disagree with the member opposite t= hat it is important that subs are paid. I will certainly follow up to see if th= ere are any outstanding claims underway. The member opposite will likely know, = but there is a process for unpaid subs to approach YG, and if the Yukon governm= ent has funds, we put them aside. They can be put aside in trust while the disp= ute between the general contractor and the subcontractors is resolved.= p>
On the= specific question with respect to the Big Creek bridge, is there any late‑brea= king information? No? I will endeavour to get the answer as to whether all of the subcontractor claims have been satisfied.= span>
Mr. Hassard: Would the minister be willing to provide that in legislative return?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: My hard-working department will be busy, but it is important = to provide this important information to Yukoners and to the member opposite, = so the answer is yes.
Mr. Hassard: I certainly appreciate that commitment from the minister, and I thank the department for going through the work to provide that for us, because Yukon= ers do appreciate it.
I had = a question for the minister — not necessarily about bridges, but major projects, such as the Nisutlin Bay bridge, or the Carmacks bypass. Does Highways and Public Works have any way of tracking, or do they even attempt to track, how much money is kept in the community where these projects take place?=
Hon. Mr. Clarke: As the member opposite likely knows, the Yukon government has = the business incentive program, which provides financial incentives for Yukon companies to report back on the local involvement in projects. YG and Highw= ays and Public Works do track the benefits in the Yukon First Nation procurement policy. Highways and Public Works does not have a method for tracking money directly in the community, and that would, of course, require significant d= ata from contractors. I can go to the specific notes, but perhaps keeping it at high level with respect to these three projects that are sort of the subject matter of the supplementary budget debate today, of course, there is a proj= ect agreement with the Teslin Tlingit Council with respect to the Nisutlin Bay bridge, and there will certainly be a report card from the Teslin Tlingit Council.
My ong= oing discussions with Chief Morris as to whether the spirit and intent of that project agreement has been met and whether there actually has been sufficie= nt and meaningful financial and socio-economic benefit to the Village of Teslin and to the Teslin Tlingit Council, so that will be an ongoing report card f= or YG in the Village of Teslin and in Teslin Tlingit Council territory.
Simila= rly, with respect to the Carmacks bypass, there is also a project agreement there with the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation. Once again, we will also receive an ongoing and active report card from the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation — and perhaps the Village of Carmacks as well — as to whether t= he spirt and intent of that project agreement have been met, and that there ha= ve been meaningful financial benefits to the Village of Carmacks and the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation traditional territory.
The De= mpster fibre project also includes transboundary First Nations — the Gwich’in Tribal Council and Gwich’in Nation in the Northwest Territories — but the First Nation government that we have been deali= ng with most recently is the Tr’ondëk <= span class=3DSpellE>Hwëch’in. I had the privilege of meeting w= ith Chief Joseph and her council twice in the last four or five months bec= ause there were concerns about benefits accruing to the Tr&= #8217;ondëk Hwëch’in. I met with Chief Joseph an= d her council and my officials. There was certainly a loud and clear message that they wish to have meaningful benefits. We heard that message loud and clear= . I believe — and I believe Chief Joseph publicly indicated that she thought that the relationship between YG and Tr’= ondëk Hwëch’in was back on track with resp= ect to meaningful benefits accruing to the Tr’ondë= k Hwëch’in with respect to the Dempster fibre project.
This i= s a roundabout way of answering the member opposite’s question, but with respect to the major projects, they will all have significant First Nation, Indigenous, self-government project agreement components. There is another aspect for the non-Indigenous Yukon component as to how — I think what the member opposite is also asking is: How sticky is the money? Are the benefits of the projects — whether it’s the Dempster fibre, national trade corridors funding on the north Klondike,= or the airport, the Nisutlin Bay bridge, the grid-scale battery project, turbi= nes — some of these projects necessarily have a lot of fixed costs — big metal, lithium, copper infrastructure that’s coming up the road f= rom somewhere else. Obviously, those funds are not sticky at all.
I am l= earning, too, but we certainly should be in a position to analyze how circular the available funds are for the major projects — remain within the territory. But kudos to Pelly Construction on the Carmacks bypass. By all accounts, that has been a positive news story. Hats off to K= eith and Jennifer Byram on that project. That seems to have gone very well, and = we hope that there will be reports of meaningful benefit accruing to the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation and the community of Carmacks.
As I s= aid previously in some of my comments, I have reason to believe that Graham Infrastructure will invest in the community of Teslin and with the Teslin Tlingit Council in a positive manner and that benefits will accrue with the= m as well.
I am j= ust reviewing my notes, Deputy Chair.
On a 4= 5,000-foot level, of course, when you see the budget highlight documents, there are ma= ny projects. I won’t go into detail right now= , but I certainly can if I find myself on my feet for longer this afternoon.
There = are many projects across the territory, including, as we heard in a tribute or notic= e of motion — congratulating the community of Carmacks on the completion of their recreation centre and their rink. Or we hope that the Pelly Crossing = pool is open soon, this summer — and I know that it is an incredibly impor= tant asset.
It’s a roundabout way o= f saying that we are investing in all kinds of infrastructure projects across the territory. I believe the member opposite’s suggestion is a good one. = We should be as aware as possible as to how “sticky” the money is = with respect to both major projects, medium projects — maybe less so with = the small projects — but I don’t disagree with the member opposite.=
Mr. Hassard:&= #8195;Just a follow-up to that, the minister talked about the benefit agreements that = had been signed with the three First Nations on those three particular projects, and he also talked about the report cards. He talked about= the Village of Teslin and the Village of Carmacks. He didn&= #8217;t mention the City of Dawson, so I’ll ask about those two in particular. Will those two villages also have input into that report card, or will that report card only have the input of the First Nations in those two respective areas?
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I take the members opposite’s point, and I have just con= ferred with my deputy minister on this topic. I can commit my department to lots of things this afternoon, but certainly, I have met with the town of Dawson Ci= ty town council; I have met with the Mayor of the Village of Carmacks; I have = met with the Village of Teslin town council and the Teslin Tlingit Council in a joint meeting. So, it’s only fair for my department, and perhaps Community Services, at some point too, to bind my minister colleague to the left — I’m joking — but yes, on these major projects, it makes sense for our officials to speak to — there are two orders of government in those three communities, and we should be speaking to the vil= lage or town administrations as well, because we can always do things better, and these are multi-year contracts, multi-year projects — the Dempster is three or four years, and Nisutlin will be three or four years, and Carmacks bypass will be two-plus years, so there is time to gather that feedback.
I will= certainly instruct my department to have those meetings. We do anticipate having more Resource Gateway projects. We will have more “dirt moving” or r= oad building between Carmacks and Dawson. There is a prospect of ongoing work at the airport as well. So, we can always do better, and we can always develop better practices.
So, I = guess that is a roundabout way of responding to the member opposite, and saying yes, we will engage with the three municipal administrations.
Deputy Chair:̳= 5;Do members wish to take a brief recess?
All Hon. Members: Agreed.
Deputy Chair: Committee of the Whole will recess for 15 minutes.
Recess
Deputy Chair: Order, please.
The ma= tter before the Committee is continuing general debate on Vote 55, Department of Highways and Public Works, in Bill No. 207, entitled Third Appropriation Act 2022‑23.
Is the= re any further general debate?
Mr. Hassard: Thank you, Deputy Chair. I would like to thank the minister for that commitment before the break. I know that the Village of Teslin, for sure — and I= am quite sure that the Village of Carmacks and the City of Dawson will also be happy to hear that they will have some input in that regard.
I have= a couple of questions around the First Nation procurement policy. My understanding, = when the First Nation procurement policy was first implemented, was to ensure th= at 15 percent of government procurement went to First Nation businesses, = so I am just curious if the minister can give us an update on, I guess, two thin= gs. How are we measuring that progress, and where are we in terms of meeting th= at goal? Or, if there is a different goal, then he could provide us with that information as well.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: I can provide the House with a more general survey of where we= are in the Yukon First Nation procurement policy, but perhaps, for the purpose = of the time I am spending on my feet right now, I will provide the most up-to-= date data we have. The time period is from October 4, 2021 to December 31, 2022. During that period, with respect to the Yukon First Nation procurement poli= cy, 144 tenders that closed had a bid value reduction applied to one or more bi= ds. The estimated percentages are: 6.2 percent of contracts measured by nu= mber were awarded to Yukon First Nation businesses, and this represented 452 contracts of the 7,238 contracts awarded by YG. I thought to myself that th= is is a lot of contracts, but I have been assured by my deputy minister that t= his is for all manner of contracts, down to relatively modest-value contracts. Perhaps more importantly, from a metrics perspective, 7.8 percent of contracts measured by dollar value were awarded to Yukon First Nation businesses. This represents approximately $48 million of YG’s approximately $617-million expenditure over that period= of time. As we heard about today, two community development agreements = were finalized as well.
So, th= e Member for Pelly-Nisutlin is correct that the objective, when the Yukon First Nati= on procurement policy was launched — under the stewardship of the former Minister of Highways and Public Works, now the Minister of Community Servic= es, and then when I came into this position — was to work toward awarding= 15 percent of all — or higher — government procurements. There is still wo= rk to be done.
Mr. Hassard: Probably my final line of questioning for the day is about drivers’ licences. I brought this up with the department officials at the briefing, so I’m hoping that the deputy minister is right on = top of this one. With regard to class 5 drivers’ licences, we understand that there are some 50 people on the list waiting to get a driver’s licence, and it’s three or four months. At the briefing, the deputy minister told us that, in fact, Highways and Public Wo= rks had just finished a competition and they were confident — I think that she said “confident” and I hope I’m= span> not putting words in her mouth — that there would be another driver trainer hired shortly and that this should take care of the backlog —= or hopefully start taking care of the backlog.
One of= the other questions was around the ability to go to a different community to take your driver’s test. The example was that there were only four people on the list in Haines Junction, so a parent wanted to take some children in her vehicle to Haines Junction to do their driver’s test there because it would be quicker there as they were going to do it in mid-March. The parent= was then told that, in fact, no, she can’t do that because they have to g= et their driver’s licence in their home community, which, as I explained= to the Highways and Public Works officials in the briefing, didn’t seem = to make a lot of sense, because I got my driver’s licence in Teslin, whi= ch doesn’t mean that I can only drive in Teslin, whereas the Member for Copperbelt North got his in Whitehorse and is still allowed to drive in Tes= lin. It didn’t seem to make a lot of sense, so = I was just hoping that maybe we could get some clarification on that particular i= tem, and also if there is maybe an update on whether that person has been hired = as a driver trainer in the hope of getting that backlog whittled down more quick= ly.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: With respect to the first question and acknowledging that there currently is a backlog of road tests based on a shortage of driver examiner= s, I can advise that the competition has closed. Assuming th= at certain candidates have qualified and can go through the interview and hiri= ng process, we will make best efforts to hire as soon as possible.
On the= second issue, the Member for Pelly-Nisutlin is correct. I am advised by the depart= ment that there is no requirement to book or take the test in your home communit= y, which may create some challenges for the department. But I am advised that,= if there are any follow-up issues with respect to that, I would certainly urge= the member opposite to reach out to my department, reach out to my deputy minis= ter, but that is the information we have from Motor Vehicles branch.
Mr. Hassard: I appreciate that information from the minister and the department. My last question for the day would be: Has Highways and Public Works considered, or would they consider, contracting out that driver examiner to the private sector? Because we know that there are driver training schools here in Whitehorse — that’s just a question = or a thought or an idea, I guess. I will leave that with the minister and again thank the officials for being here. I appreciate their time.
Hon. Mr. Clarke: As the member opposite will likely know, the driver examiner positions are union positions, but I have been advised by the department th= at if these challenges continue, then the next step would be a conversation wi= th the union to try to resolve this impasse. Certainly, we understand the memb= er opposite’s point that there may be some logic, some utility, to his suggestion, but the first hurdles are the ones that I have just indicated, = which are that they are union positions and that the union would have to be communicated with, but certainly, in the last few months, I have heard about the frustrations we spoke about in Question Period today from the Tourism Industry Association, Yukon Chamber of Mines, Wilderness Tourism Associatio= n, and other groups, that we do want to move this to unclog this log jam, and = we want Yukoners and new Yukoners arriving to be road tested as soon as possib= le. So, I will take the member opposite’s suggestion under advisement, an= d I believe I have put forward the position of the department so far.
I woul=
d also
like to thank my officials for their input today, and I look forward to the
Committee of the Whole debate =
8212;
sorry, unless there are any questions from other members — but otherw=
ise
clearing this department.
Deputy Chair:̳= 5;Is there any further general debate on Vote 55, Department of Highways and Pub= lic Works?
Seeing= none, we will proceed to line‑by-line consideration.
Mr. Hassard: Pursuant to Standing Order 14.3, I request the unanimous consent of Committee of the Whole to deem all lines in Vote 55, Department of Highways and Public Works, cleared or carried, as required.
Unanimous
consent re deeming all lines in Vote 55, Department of Highways and Public
Works, cleared or carried
Deputy Chair:̳= 5;The Member for Pelly-Nisutlin has, pursuant to Standing Order 14.3, requested t= he unanimous consent of Committee of the Whole to deem all lines in Vote = 55, Department of Highways and Public Works, cleared or carried, as required. <= /span>
Is the= re unanimous consent?
All Hon. Members: Agreed.
Deputy Chair:̳= 5;Unanimous consent has been granted.
On Opera=
tion and
Maintenance Expenditures
Total Op=
eration
and Maintenance Expenditures in the amount of $3,780,000 agreed to
On Capit=
al
Expenditures
Total Ca=
pital
Expenditures in the amount of $37,481,000 agreed to
Total
Expenditures in the amount of $41,261,000 agreed to
Departme= nt of Highways and Public Works agreed to
Deputy Chair:̳=
5;The
matter now before the Committee is general debate on Vote 7, Department of
Economic Development, in Bill No. 207, entitled Third Appropriation Act 2022‑23.
Do mem= bers wish to take a brief recess?
All Hon. Members: Agreed.
Deputy Chair: Committee of the Whole will recess for 10 minutes.
Recess
Deputy Chair: Committee of the Whole will now come to order.
The matter now before the Committee is
general debate on Vote 7, Department of Economic Development, in Bill No.&n=
bsp;207,
entitled Third Appropriation Act 20=
22‑23.
Is there any general debate?
Department =
of
Economic Development
Hon. M=
r. Pillai: First, I would like to we=
lcome
the officials from the Department of Economic Development who are here to
support me today. Deputy Minister Justin Ferbey=
and
our director of Finance, Beth Fricke, will be here to help provide informat=
ion
to the Legislative Assembly. I will just start with some prepared remarks. =
This supplementary budget, of course, =
has
one really minute change to the budget that we had tabled. I will just give=
a
little more information concerning that.
Deputy Chair and honourable members, as
Minister of Economic Development, I rise today to produce the Supplementary Estimates No. 2=
for
the 2022‑23 fiscal year. At the Department of Economic Development, o=
ur
work is focused on assisting our partners in building a prosperous Yukon by:
creating and fostering economic opportunities; pursuing economic initiatives
with a shared vision of prosperity, partnerships, and innovation; and forgi=
ng,
maintaining, and expanding partnerships with First Nation governments in the
economic development of the Yukon.
This supplementary budget request incl=
udes
additional funding to support the department’s Labour Market Developm=
ent
branch.
It is clear that the work of = the Labour Market Development branch is greatly needed to address the ongoing labour shortage. So, we are asking for $741,000 for the Labour Market Development branch, related to a new, two-year agreement with Canada to fun= d the Skills for Success program. The objective of the Yukon Skills for Success project is to improve labour market outcomes for people in the Yukon with a focus on underrepresented individuals seeking support to advance toward the= ir goals. The project-specific objectives are to increase the number, variety,= and quality of services, tools, and training resources available for service providers, individuals, and employers to measure and develop skills for success; to increase the number and variety of opportunities available to prepare individuals for jobs that are in demand; and finally, to acknowledge the significance of First Nation ways of knowing, doing, learning, and being — with respect to the Skills for Success model — and advocate f= or their inclusion within.
More b= roadly, the labour market branch supports workers and employers by providing funding for training and development, and administering programs, which include Building UP, which supports projects that increase labour market participat= ion, and Staffing UP, which provides funding support for employers seeking assistance to find, hire, and keep workers.
In clo= sing, we are asking for a supplementary budget increase of $741,000 for the Departme= nt of Economic Development, and really, that concludes our scope for this year’s Supplementary Estimate= s No. 2. I am open to speaking to that, and I am sure that we may talk about some ot= her initiatives at the department that have been occurring over the early part = of this fiscal year, so I will cede the floor to the opposition.
Mr. Dixon: I appreciate the opportunity to rise and speak to this line in the supplement= ary budget with regard to Economic Development today= . I will begin, just on the subject matter that the minister began with, which = is labour mobility. In the fall, the Premier will certainly recall fielding questions from my colleague, the Member for Porter Creek Centre, about the MOU between the Yukon and the Philippines with regard to labour mobility. At that time,= the minister indicated that there had been some delays because of a change in government in the Philippines, and so, I would like to ask for an update on= the implementation of that MOU and, in particular, the development of the terms= of reference.
Hon. Mr. Pillai: Specifically speaking to the MOU, I will give a bit of a snaps= hot. On March 18, 2022, the Yukon and the Philippines signed the memorandum of understanding on the employment and protection of Filipinos under the Yukon nominee program. Shortly after that, there was the conclusion of a federal election in the Philippines. Within that transition period of the new leadership of the federal government in the Philippines, the department that had overseen the work — which was the Department of Migrant Workers — sorry; the previous department had now become the Department of Mig= rant Workers, and that was formed in February 2022.
As the= member opposite has outlined, there was a bit of transition at a federal level wit= hin a very significant-sized country. We are in a bit of a holding pattern, wai= ting to get the right direction from the Philippine government, and beginning to engage on that work again.
The De= partment of Economic Development is working to finalize the implementation of the guidelines of the MOU with the Department of Migrant Workers. What has happ= ened since: we had representatives from the department — and I want to bri= ng this back, but I believe, in the last 10 business days, there have been discussions in Vancouver on this point. I will bring that back to the House= .
There = has been one significant change, which I think is positive as well. The Consul Gener= al of Australia, whom we were dealing with throughout this process, was a real champion on behalf of the Philippine government and has now become the amba= ssador. I just received a letter to my office giving validity to that change. I hea= rd it was coming, but now it is underway. We are going to be working through t= he ambassador’s office in Ottawa as well.
The re= quest from my office to the department, firstly, has been to expediate this process. T= hey are aware of that. We want to get this done.
Second= ly, we were invited, at one point, to have some engagement in the Philippines to h= ave a signing done and to look at other opportunities for recruitment in the Philippines for some of the shortages in our labour market. That is somethi= ng that we are contemplating undertaking, so it is not just about getting the = MOU in place. Getting the framework — there are some components to that we think are very important. One I can signal is ensuring that, when individua= ls from the Philippines come, they are properly prepared for things that are specific to our climate and culture, climate being, of course, some incleme= nt weather at times, or challenging weather for individuals who have not grown= up here in the Yukon — but just making sure they know what they are gett= ing into.
Second= ly, there is a commitment that has been really well-receiv= ed. You will see it highlighted in our immigration strategy, which will be out later this spring, but it is really focused on the fact that we want individuals to have a strong understanding of First Nation culture — a lot of organizations call it “First Nations 101”, and it is bei= ng delivered by the university at some times, and then by other contractors in= our community. So, we want elements of that to be integrated into the MOU ̵= 2; not into the MOU, but sorry, into the curriculum that will be delivered, we will call it — the orientation materials. So, that is something as we= ll we want to be able to talk to folks on the ground.
The ot= her thing I would just like to mention, when it comes to the importance of that relationship between the Yukon and the Philippines — we are watching = what other jurisdictions have been doing in some of their recruitment efforts. We did want to be on the ground last year, in February. We, as a government, f= elt it was appropriate to reschedule that, based on the fac= t that the federal election, which was concluding in the Philippines — we wa= nted to watch that process conclude before we were meeting with officials, of course, or previous officials, in Manila or Cebu. We now, moving forward, t= hink it’s important to be there, but also to lo= ok at, you know, what Manitoba is doing right now on some of the recruitment, when= it comes to nurses. We are also looking at some of the undertakings from provinces, like Newfoundland, where they are really being proactive in their international work.
What t= hey are doing is bringing leaders from their post-secondary institutions to the Philippines, or to India, so that they can look at the curriculum that is b= eing delivered for programs, like an LPN program or an RN — registered nur= se — program, and they have the ability to review that material; they ha= ve the ability to suggest changes to that material, and I think that would help alleviate bottlenecks on recognition of foreign credentials.
So, th= at is a dialogue that we would like to have. In my initial conversations with the university, when the current president had taken on that role, I and the assistant deputy minister — I think was with me at that point, from Economic Development — we did discuss the fact that we think it’= ;s important that the university is playing a vital role in this conversation,= and we think that it would be important to have some business leaders, as well = as some of the academic leaders, together in these discussions.
So, I = will just flag that we do believe that the engagement with the Philippine government = is very important. We are frustrated with the fact that we couldn’t move= as seamlessly as we wanted to. We, of course, are going to respect the elector= al process that took place. We are the first jurisdiction of any province or territory to undertake an engagement at this level. I did meet with my coun= terpart from Manitoba, who is from the Philippine diaspora, last year in New Brunsw= ick, with the deputy minister, during our immigration ministers meetings in Saint John, New Brunswick. They were interested in looking at what we were doing.=
So, we= know we have something that is cutting-edge. We know it’s= important to conclude it, and we think now that there is stability within s= ome of those departments, so that we can make sure that we proceed on this extremely important work. I will come back to the House — maybe during mains, we can continue that thematic around where we were and what we found= out in the last couple of weeks in the discussions at the Consul General’s office in Vancouver.
I’ll hand it back to the opposition.
Mr. Dixon: Are there terms of reference for the MOU?
Hon. Mr. Pillai: I want to make sure that I get a sense of what was concluded i= n the work. At least one of the individuals who had undertaken those discussions = at the Consul General’s office last week is currently, I believe, at immigration ministers in Halifax today — our assistant deputy minister and her director — so, let me get back to the House. My sense was that they were really going from the meetings in Vancouver, at one point, and th= en making a move to Halifax, and yes, the department is just working to finali= ze the implementation guidelines.
I want= to know exactly where that work is, but I haven’t = had a chance to sit with the department since the meetings that occurred in the l= ast number of weeks.
Mr. Dixon: So, the implementing guidelines — my understanding is that they would be approved by the joint committee. Who is on the joint committee?
Hon. Mr. Pillai: My understanding is that it is representatives from our department’s immigration unit and representatives from the Philippines — the department that we are working with, which is called, I believe, the Depart= ment of Migrant Workers.
Mr. Dixon: Is there an equal number from the Philippines government as the Yukon governme= nt?
Hon. Mr. Pillai: I will table in the House the scope and terms of reference for= the group. I know that there was representation for both, but I want to make su= re that I’m giving accurate information to the member opposite. I will find out what the ratio is and how many seats are t= here for each organization.
Mr. Dixon: Just so I heard the member correctly, he said that he will table the terms of reference for the joint committee — is that correct?
Hon. Mr. Pillai: Yes, what I will do is table the scope that outlines the representation that is on the committee that was just asked about. As the w= ork is concluded, I am very comfortable with tabling any material that has to do with this particular undertaking, unless there i= s some sort of NDA in place — I don’t believe that would be the case, = so I will ensure that the work that’s there — we can table the implementation guidelines — not a problem. Without taking a look at the completed implementation guidelines, I will not know if there is an appendix attached to that showing the actual breakdown of the representation, but I think what we really want to know here today is: Who = is on the committee and what are the implementation guidelines? As that work is completed, I will make sure that I bring that to the House and table it on behalf of our government.
Mr. Dixon: I appreciate the minister’s willingness to share that information. Just= so that I am clear, are the implementation guidelines complete?
Hon. Mr. Pillai: The work is not complete. After the previous conversations, we=
are
just now waiting for information to come from the Vancouver office to compl=
ete
that work, and then I will have an opportunity to bring it to the House
Mr. Dixon: When would we expect — like, when we look on the implementation of this policy, I appreciate that there are still some short-term things that need = to occur. When would we expect the first Filipino applicants to be moving thro= ugh this newly established process?
Hon. Mr. Pillai: I definitely don’t want to ge= t into the world of hypotheticals when it comes to a large federal government that= is embarking on a relationship with a provincial-territorial government, as ou= rs, for the first time. I don’t want to give inaccurate information. What I can say is that we want this process to move= as quickly as possible. I am proud of our team for undertaking something that = has never been done in this country. I think that it is important to note that = the many Filipino individuals who make the Yukon their home are individuals who= we support strongly. Our trilateral agreements between Canada, the employer, a= nd Yukon government lay out strong terms to ensure that individuals are suppor= ted, that their work life here is one that has a foundation of respect in it, and that individuals are improving their quality of life and are not being put = in a situation to be taken advantage of. I think that those are some of the key pieces of our work anyway, but it is also about making sure that — two things, from my recollection — and I can go back. One is that there w= as a fee that was being charged. That was one of the key drivers of this. There = was a fee that was being charged. I want to premise this by saying that I don’t have the exact number in front of me, but = from memory I think it was about $2,000 that was being charged to individuals wh= en they were coming here. It was under the concept that they would be going ba= ck to the Philippines at some point, and the cost was being transferred on, in some cases, I believe, to the private sector here.
So, th= e nominee would make a decision to come here, the agreement would be put in place, and there would be a fee charged to this individual before they left the Philippines to come to Canada. The private sector memb= ers in the Yukon would then be paying this fee, understanding, though, that the individual was coming to the Yukon through our nominee program with the hop= e of going into a PR program to inevitably become a citizen of the Yukon and a citizen of Canada. Within that, we didn’t = think it was appropriate. The private sector worked with us. We listened to the private sector. We tried to support this, and it was re= ally about ensuring that the fee was no longer charged to those individua= ls from the Philippines who were coming here. That was a key piece.
Some o= f the five major points were: the memorandum of understanding improves coordination between the Yukon and the Philippines; it improves the ability for Filipino= s to be identified and recruited through our nominee process, which we think is important to streamline our ability to meet our labour market challenges; it supports the safety of Filipino nominees to the Yukon through requirements = for Yukon employers under the Yukon nominee program, which I just touched on; it formalizes the Yukon-Philippines cooperation on labour mobility and the Yuk= on nominee program through the creation of the joint committee, which the memb= er opposite has touched on — and I will get back with a clearer understanding of which individuals, and how many individuals, are sitting t= here from both sides; and it waives the existing fees, which I mentioned, applie= d by the Philippines to the Filipino YNP applicants; and lastly, it clarifies the interaction between the YNP and the Philippines, and it pre‑screened = and vetted the pool of qualified Filipino workers. That really will reduce the amount of red tape that those workers have to go through before they come h= ere. So, there are a number of benefits — the f= ees being one.
As we = have more information on this process that we have undertaken and will put in place — the start of the question simply was: When is this going to happen?= I can say that our team members were there in the last two weeks. We know that there is an interest to get this completed. We know that a lot of this work= is getting done through some of our processes — maybe not as effectively= as we want to have it done — but once we conclude this work in the near future — or as pieces of it are conc= luded — I will bring that information to the House, and I am happy to share with the member opposite.
Mr. Dixon: What role has the Canadian Filipino Association of the Yukon played in the development of this?
Hon. Mr. Pillai: Many of the ideas that have come to light in this work are wha= t we are getting from conversations from the Filipino community at large. I think that is important to say. There are a lot of individuals who have gone thro= ugh these processes and have identified some of the challenges. There are many = Filipino nominees who have shared with our department members the challenges that th= ey have had making the transition — or the many opportunities, but also information that would have been helpful for them.
In the= early stages of this work between our officials and their officials, I know that I attended a meeting with the Canadian Filipino Association of the Yukon and there was a discussion at that time to ensure that we kept a dialogue going= on this work. We invited the president of the association, Aurora Viernes, to = the signing. She travelled to Vancouver and was there with us, as well as anoth= er individual who is now the vice‑president of the association. There is another current vice‑president of the association who I keep in close dialogue with on a number of things concerning t= his work, but not only this work — the hopes and dreams of this community= and priorities of the community. I made a commitment in my role, not only as Premier but as minister responsible for immigration, to continue to have th= at dialogue. So, again, I want to ensure that they have an opportunity to have dialogue, but a lot of the work was at the officials’ level, back and forth. But I know that, even subsequent to takin= g on my role as Premier, Aurora Viernes, who is the president, has sat with me a= nd we have talked about a large scope of things concerning forward-looking work that we plan to do, making sure that we have representatives from the commu= nity with us if we do decide to have work done on the ground in the Philippines.=
Mr. Dixon: I will switch gears now. With the remaining time that we have today, I would = like to talk about the port of Skagway. There was a recent announcement coming o= ut of the borough of Skagway around a new agreement between Yukon and Skagway,= so I will begin by letting the Premier provide a bit of an overview, from his perspective, about what that agreement will do.
Hon. Mr. Pillai: I thought that the member opposite was going to say: Good job, folks, on that big undertaking that helps to secure access to tidewater for at least 35 — not 50 — years. = span>
But we= will just get into the policy discussion.
The Go= vernment of Yukon recognizes that the Skagway ore terminal is a valuable export opti= on for the Yukon mining industry. Control of the ore terminal will again rever= t to the Municipality of Skagway in March 2023. That is when the White Pass lease lapses. Skagway’s plan for redevelopment will eliminate its ore export capability, and the ore loader is scheduled for demolition in October 2023.=
We are= currently in negotiations with Skagway. That work has been ongoing. What we saw just = over the last week is that there was a decision made at the municipal government level in Skagway to accept a draft terms sheet. The draft terms sheet laid = out a number of requests from the Yukon government, and it identified a path forward for the Yukon government to work with the municipality on advancing an infrastructure project. The infrastructure pro= ject focuses on something called a “marine service platform” — MSP. It is about 227 feet long. It has a T-shape for those who are listenin= g. It is a place that you can tie industrial boats to, and it gives an opportu= nity to add to the infrastructure of the Skagway waterfront.
This h= as been a very important undertaking. I am going to say that I have mentioned it in t= he House before. There are a number of individuals = from the Department of Economic Development: deputy minister, assistant deputy minister, directors, and policy folks who have really been focused on this = work. They know how important it is for the Yukon, and they know how important it= is for Canada.
As min= ister responsible for Economic Development, my job has also been to ensure that t= he federal government in Ottawa understands how important this is, not just for the Yukon, but for Canada. Sometimes you have to remind folks at the federal level what is happening on the ground, whether = it is on the east coast, on the west coast, or in the north, and how important this work is. So, it is a unique situation, in that we have companies that = are extracting critical minerals in the Yukon, but they hav= e to ship across an international border, into a small community, to get access = to tidewater.
It is = also a sensitive undertaking. I know that there were some comments by the oppositi= on, and it has really been about how we, at Economic Development, or how we, at= the Yukon government, engage with the community. So, I just want to put on the record that my perspective on this engagement is really — it is a foc= us on respect, and it is a focus on understanding the historical impacts that previous projects in the Yukon and the previous supply chain may have, or h= ave had, on the community of Skagway. It is important to understand the interac= tion between both of our communities, and it is important to understand some of = the legacy impacts that still have to be remediated.=
So, fi= rst, I will start with some of those impacts. The same way that the Yukon governme= nt and the Government of Canada are working on remediating the Faro mine site, there is still an understanding in Skagway that there could be some existing work from that same project that has to be remediated. The focus, as we have been told, is on the bottom — the floor of the harbour. Of course, lo= ts of Yukoners spend much of their summer in Skagway; they recreate there. Tha= t is a really important place, not just for the people of Skagway, but for many Yukoners. I know lots of Yukoners — probably, they work extremely hard throughout their professional career, and they get to spend their time exac= tly on that harbour, in their boat, if they are so lucky. They have had a successful career and have worked hard, and they get to enjoy some of their more relaxed years.
Right = there, there is an understanding in the municipality that there is a lot of cleani= ng that has to be done. I have been asked by the me= dia, “Does the Yukon government have any liability around the scope of that work?” The answer is no, we don’t. A= s I understand it, that is a conversation between the municipality of Skagway a= nd a company that is still doing work there, which is called White Pass.<= /p>
We all= know White Pass from their important work of bringing tourism visitors now back = into the Southern Lakes area of the Yukon, and they still hold access to a number of pieces of land and an easement on their ra= ilway that comes into the Yukon and into Whitehorse.
There = is a lot of concern there. What I am getting from the community of Skagway is that t= hey want to ensure that future activity will not lead to the same consequences.= That’s one thing that — for those other government officials, or anybody who is listening today — that is something that we have to consider: how people in the town of Skagway feel.=
We cou= nter this conversation — not counter, but we add to this conversation by saying that we think a lot of people in Skagway come to Whitehorse and the Yukon f= or the great amenities that we have. They come to our stores, and they spend money. They come, in some cases, to get access to parti= cular health care. When I think about that, what I am getting at is maybe dental. Sometimes people come from Skagway, because there might be only one= or two people who cut hair in Skagway, and they come here to get their hair cu= t.
We bel= ieve that Whitehorse is an important part of the lives of many people in Skagway.
We, on= this side of the House, believe that a balanced economy that̵= 7;s being driven well by our mining industry is helping to ensure we have all t= hese things that the —
Deputy Chair: Order.
Mr. Dixon: I appreciate the Premier’s overview there. When I asked the question, I should have been more specific. I appreciate that the minister wanted to co= ver some different areas, but I was particularly interested in the details of t= he agreement, because the agreement is going to be, presumably, signed by the Yukon government, at some point, now that it has been approved by the borou= gh of Skagway.
The mi= nister referenced the terms sheet that makes up that agreement. Of course, that has been available for the last few weeks on the borough of Skagway’s website. Of course, I know that a number of folk= s from the Yukon mining industry have reviewed it, have been discussing it, and ha= ve been asking questions about what it will mean for the mining industry here = in the Yukon going forward. As we stand here today, obviously, there is only o= ne user of the ore‑loading facility right now, which is the Minto mine. Obviously, Hecla’s Keno mine would employ that dock as well once they= are back in operation, but it means a lot to the industry as a whole, despite the fact that there are only one or two users currently. There is a lot of concern that has been raised about what the agreement and what the future infrastructure that’= ;s going to be developed there might mean for the industry going forward.
Those = concerns, I think, can be lumped into two categories: one is access and the other is functionality. When it comes to access, I do certainly acknowledge that wha= t we have seen from the agreements so far does a good job at ensuring ongoing ac= cess for the industry, but on the second piece, there are both near- and short-t= erm concerns about the functionality of what is being proposed at the Skagway p= ort. In the short term, obviously, there will be an impact on Minto mine — immediately, as soon as later this spring, if and when<= /span> the current ore loader is dismantled. Then, of course, the question that co= mes after that is: What will replace the existing ore loader, and how will it l= ook and work?
I appr= eciate that, as I understand it, the design of that future loader is only at a 60-percent design — or at least, the marine service platform and the = ore dock are at a 60-percent design — but, nonetheless, there is some con= cern and a lot of questions about what this will mean for the industry. Alas, I = think we will have to save that for another day.
Deputy= Chair, I move that you report progress.
Deputy Chair: It has been moved by the Member for Copperbelt North that the Chair report progres= s.
Motion agreed to
Hon. Mr. Streicker: <= span lang=3DEN-CA>I move that the Speaker do now resume the Chair.
Deputy Chair: It has been moved by the Member for Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes that the Speaker do= now resume the Chair.
Motion agreed to
Speaker resumes the Chair
Speaker: I w= ill now call the House to order.
May th= e House have a report from the Deputy Chair of Committee of the Whole?
Chair’s
report
Ms. Tr=
edger: Mr. Speaker, Committ=
ee of
the Whole has considered Bill No. 207, entitled Third Appropriation Act 2022‑23, and directed me to report
progress.
Speaker:=
195;You have heard the report=
from
the Deputy Chair of Committee of the Whole.
Are you agreed?
Some Hon.&n=
bsp;Members: Agreed.
Speaker:=
195;I declare the report carr=
ied.
Hon. M=
r. Streicker: I move that the House do =
now
adjourn.
Speaker:=
195;It has been moved by the
Government House Leader that the House do now adjourn.
Motion agre=
ed to
Speaker:=
195;This House now stands adj=
ourned
until 1:00 p.m. Monday.
The House a=
djourned
at 5:25 p.m.
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