Talar Stockton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yukon News

Representatives for the three official territorial parties endeavoured to woo the audiences at two forums held in Whitehorse over Oct. 8 and 9.

Both events took place at the Gold Rush Inn in the downtown of the Yukon capital city: the first debate on Oct. 8 was organized by the Council of Yukon First Nations. Various Yukon First Nations chiefs and audience members posed questions of Premier Mike Pemberton, the Liberal Party leader, Kate White, the leader of the Yukon NDP, and Currie Dixon of the Yukon Party.

The first night of forum saw Pemberton apologize for comments made at this summer’s Council of Yukon First Nations general assembly. The News has not been able to confirm what the premier’s comments at the assembly were.

“I want to clearly and sincerely say I’m sorry. What I said at that moment was wrong. It didn’t reflect my values. It didn’t reflect the respect I hold for Yukon First Nations, and it didn’t reflect the kind of relationships I believe in,” Pemberton said.

“I know that words carry weight, especially when they come from someone with a title such as mine, and I take full responsibility.”

Pemberton also apologized later in the evening, for the release of the draft minerals framework to CBC Yukon, who filed an access to information request for the document. Pemberton said that the release was an error made by the public service.

Pemberton also made some promises: he said that he would advocate for an increase to the federal northern living allowance, as well as for tying the allowance to consumer price index (a measure of inflation).

He blamed the rate hike currently proposed by the Yukon Energy Corporation on fourteen years of Yukon Party rule before the Liberal government took power. He accused the Yukon Party of leaving infrastructure in the territory “in disarray.”

The representatives didn’t have an opportunity to reply to one another’s answers.

Pemberton also promised expanding primary care clinics, increasing the medical travel subsidy, and expanding the Whitehorse hospital with a focus on operating rooms.

Pemberton also promised creating a dedicated standalone department to deal with First Nations relations outside of the executive council office.

“During my time as leader of the official opposition, I’ve had the chance to watch from the outside three different premiers in three different styles and ways of engaging with Yukon First Nations, and I think each of them have had their strengths and weaknesses, and I can say with certainty that I’ve learned from each of them,” Dixon said, adding that he has also learned from talking with First Nations leaders. 

He promised to continue the Yukon Forum meetings, which take place four times over the course of a year.

Dixon said he would reconsider the work on climate that has happened in the territory to date.

“We’ve spent too much time debating about unrealistic targets and timelines and not enough time taking real action,” Dixon said. “We’d like to see an updated climate change action plan that focuses on realistic actions that can be taken here in the Yukon to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”

Dixon also said he would look at making communities more resilient to the effects of climate change.

Dixon said Yukon communities have an “infrastructure gap.” He promised to tap into the federal government to find ways to get funding for major projects.

White, for her part, made multiple commitments.

She promised an NDP government would commission a public inquiry into the failures of Victoria Gold Eagle Gold Mine, the Minto Mine and the Wolverine Mine. She also said that she commits to completing land use planning with Yukon First Nations.

White also committed to funding a universal school nutrition program, inspired by the YFNED rural nutrition program, which has been cancelled since its federal funding was cut in September.

White also promised that an NDP government would “take action on all 21 truth and reconciliation calls to action that have been ignored by the Liberals.”

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued 94 calls to action to respond to the damage done by the residential school system.

White promised to act on all recommendations of the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and Two-Spirit report. She also promised to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and aligning all territorial legislation with that declaration. White said that committing to Yukon Forums, periodic meetings between territorial government leadership, Yukon First Nations and the Council of Yukon First Nations,  is “the absolute bare minimum.”

All three candidates committed to continuing the current government’s work on new minerals legislation.

White disparaged her opponents’ track record on the front of the minerals legislation.

“First Nation support is not a nice-to-have thing. It’s an absolute requirement if we as a territory are to succeed. You know what? Industry knows that. Most everyone knows that,” White said.

“But both the Yukon Party conservatives and the Liberals have been in power since the DTA [Devolution Transfer Agreement] and successor mining legislation was never a priority.”

Dixon said that both industry and First Nations have expressed concerns with current draft framework for the minerals legislation.

He said he would also commit to working with First Nations to identify other parts of the devolution transfer agreement for implementation.

“We need to be honest with ourselves and with each other about the capacity of our respective governments to tackle some of these issues. Making priorities and devoting the resources, attention and effort to acting on them requires difficult decision making,” Dixon said.

Pemberton promised to continue the current government’s work on the minerals legislation, as well as advancing land use planning through the development of new plans and plans already underway.

The creation of the Yukon Health Authority — also known as Shäw Kwä’ą — came up in the forum.

Pemberton and White both promised to continue work on the health authority.

White said that implementation would also involve including and supporting healthcare providers, while noting that she’s heard stories of systemic racism within the Yukon healthcare system. She promised to fund harm reduction and prevention education throughout the Yukon.

She also reiterated an earlier promise of ensuring every Yukoner has access to primary care.

Dixon said the Yukon Party supported certain aspects of the Health Authority, such as service integration and a stronger voice for Yukon First Nations.

He said that he had concerns regarding the pensions and benefits of health professionals who currently are employed as public servants.

“We want to prioritize investments being made directly into the front lines of our health-care system, rather than into administrative positions and bureaucracy.”

The second event was a debate held by the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce: Dixon and White represented their respective parties again, while Southern Lakes Liberal candidate and Carcross-Tagish First Nation citizen Cynthia James represented the Liberals.

Candidates discussed mining, the B.C. grid connect project, and the First Nations procurement policy.

A recording of the Oct. 8 debate is available via Youtube and a recording of Oct. 9’s debate will be available online through the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce’s website and Facebook page. 

—with files from Dana Hatherly 

Learn more about our News Monitoring here.

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