Yukon NDP MLAs highlight critical issues for Yukoners ahead of Legislative sitting 

The Yukon NDP caucus is calling on the Yukon Party government to stop playing politics on carbon pricing until it reveals the research it has done regarding its impacts on Yukon’s public and private sectors. Documents obtained by the Yukon NDP through Yukon’s access to information law prove that the Yukon Party government was quietly discussing the financial consequences of carbon neutrality as early as 2008 and as recently as February 2016 – a direct contradiction to Premier Darrell Pasloski’s claims that his government is not working on a plan to implement a carbon tax.

The Yukon NDP Official Opposition is calling on the Yukon Party government to pull the curtains back from its plans to introduce fracking to Yukon in light of yet another blocked attempt to shine a light on the government’s intentions. The Yukon NDP caucus has released a copy of the government’s oil and gas engagement strategy, obtained through Yukon’s access to information law, however the entire document (minus an appendix on social media guidelines) is completely censored.

Early this morning, the Supreme Court of Canada granted leave to appeal in the Peel Watershed case, as requested by several Yukon First Nation governments and environmental groups. The decision by the Supreme Court, a win for Yukon First Nation governments and the Yukon public, will prompt a review of the Yukon Court of Appeal’s decision.

Yukon NDP leader Liz Hanson is calling Yukon Party government’s 2016 budget a cynical attempt to buy Yukoners’ votes by giving $100 per child to Yukon families weeks before a fall election. The pre-election budget further ignores the wishes of Yukon seniors and Elders who want to access more local health care services as they age. Investment in an Oil and Gas Action Plan shows a refusal to recognize the opportunities to create green jobs and a long-term sustainable energy plan. A sudden conversion to supporting Yukon businesses should have happened years ago.

This weekend, Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski responded to the United States Government’s awarding of drilling leases in the Beaufort Sea, an area on Yukon’s North Slope with a long-standing Canada-U.S. border dispute:

At this point there isn't an appetite for such drilling offshore and for the Americans to be putting leases in what we feel is Canadian jurisdiction, at a time when there's still so much uncertainty around the safety of offshore drilling, this is a real issue.

This letter from Yukon NDP leader Liz Hanson was published in the Whitehorse Star on January 12th 2016.

Sometimes, the most visionary public policy ideas are right under our noses – and sometimes we need to look a little further for the next big thing.

Just before the Yukon delegation took off for the Climate Change conference in Paris (COP 21), the German Embassy in Ottawa invited Canadian delegates to participate in an Energy policy study tour. The embassy kindly offered to cover our travel costs.

Yesterday, the Yukon Legislative Assembly unanimously passed my motion to improve camping opportunities for persons with disabilities by enshrining accessibility in the Yukon campground design process. Yukon Party environment minister Wade Istchenko amended the motion to ensure accessibility “is considered” in the design and development of campgrounds, but the Yukon NDP caucus will hold the government to account to achieve accessibility... not only to consider it.

The government also removed the reference to making campsites, outhouses and trails accessible when it expands Wolf Creek, Marsh Lake and Teslin campgrounds with budget funds that were announced in Fall 2015. I hope accessible campsites and facilities at those campgrounds will not fall by the wayside when improvements are made next year.

Persons with disabilities have waited a long time to have fair access to campgrounds. Let’s make campground sites and facilities accessible to everyone. All Yukoners deserve the chance to enjoy nature in our fine campgrounds.

Photo: frozentoes / flickr. Used under a Creative Commons BY 2.0 licence.

On December 1st, Yukon NDP Environment Critic Kate White asked the following question in the Yukon legislature about the need to better balance the Yukon government's treatment of resident hunters and non-resident trophy hunters.

Yukon NDP leader Liz Hanson has invited Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski, Sandy Silver and Council of Yukon First Nations Grand Chief Ruth Massie to attend a non-partisan public send-off for their COP 21 delegation in early December.