Putting People First and Our Clean Future Implementation Committee reports now available

July 19, 2022

Whitehorse, YT – The second reports detailing the work of the Putting People First and Our Clean Future Implementation Committees are now publicly available.

These reports are a requirement of the 2021 Confidence and Supply Agreement between the Yukon Liberal Caucus and the Yukon NDP Caucus.

The Putting People First Implementation Committee is comprised of the Minister of Health Tracy-Anne McPhee and MLA Annie Blake. The conversations have focussed on the departments work to develop an income-tested, payer-of-last-resort public dental care program. The program is slated to launch in December, 2022.

The Committee also discussed the expansion of walk-in/call-in mental health services, the creation of a new walk-in medical clinic in Whitehorse, funding for land based healing and organizational changes within Yukon government.

The Our Clean Future Implementation Committee is comprised of the Minister of Environment Nils Clarke and MLA Emily Tredger. Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker participates as an observer, as the work involving Our Clean Future is also in the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources’ mandate. Recent meetings of this committee have focussed on the work being done under the Yukon Climate Leadership Council as well as progress on the 2022 Our Clean Future actions. There are 23 actions identified for 2022, all of which are either in progress or complete.

The Committee also received information about specific actions including creating intensity-based greenhouse gas reduction targets for the mining industry, flood probability mapping and support for active transportation.

The Confidence and Supply Agreement commitment states:

Section 3.2 Joint Policy Implementation

Policy Implementation Committees and Panels

Within one month of the swearing-in of a Yukon Liberal Government, two policy implementation committees shall launch. The committees will be comprised of the appropriate Cabinet Minister and a Yukon NDP MLA to work jointly with the civil service to finalize implementation of the Our Clean Future and Putting People First reports. The committees will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the recommendations and will report progress to the public every six months.

These committees have met regularly since being established in June 2021.

Quotes:

The government has a responsibility to care for Yukoners’ wellbeing. That includes better healthcare and the protection of the environment. The Yukon NDP is committed to pushing for more accountability and meaningful action to benefit all Yukoners.

• Annie Blake, MLA Vuntut Gwitchin

The Yukon Liberal government is making substantial progress in implementing the recommendations identified in the Putting People First report and meeting our climate goals in Our Clean Future. These two, long-term plans provide a road map for the Yukon’s future and will help improve the lives of Yukoners now and for generations to come. I look forward to continuing to work with our partners to advance this incredibly important work and build a stronger, more resilient territory.

• Tracy-Anne McPhee, Minister of Health and Social Services

Quick facts

• The Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA) was signed on April 28, 2021. The agreement is between the Liberals and the NDP and lays out 16 policy initiatives that the parties will work towards. The agreement is in effect until January 31, 2023.