Political round up March 17

Yukon political parties spent St. Patrick’s Day campaigning. We sum things up for you.  

Yukon NDP Leader Kate White started off the day by talking to CHON FM.

White says she has been reflecting on the relationship between first nations and the Yukon government. The reflections come after recent news of Carcross/Tagish First Nation filing a court proceeding against the government for not consulting over a subdivision plan and Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation filing a court proceeding for the Beaver River Land Use Plan.

“The Yukon NDP believes that if you are going to have real honest government to government relationships, one government can’t supersede the other. And it’s up to a first nation to say ‘yes we’ve been adequately consulted, this is our green light, this is our red light’ and it’s up to Yukon government to respect that.”  Says White.

White says having two court cases come forward against the government is not good and that relationships with first nations need to be re-written.

White went on to talk about the NDP’s plan to raise minimum wage. White says the Northwest Territories decision to increase their minimum wage to $15.20 an hour will drop Yukon to seventh place in the minimum wage rankings across Canada, which will trigger a wage review.

“Its’s disappointing to me because I don’t think we should have dropped like that. Right, you know? Our cost of living is high. Rent is high, food costs are high, power is high, you know? Fuel is high.” Says White.

White says her party’s plan to raise wages for the lowest paid workers to $15 an hour is not quite enough. She says it is a start on closing the gap between the minimum wage and the living wage.

White also says that Yukoners can expect the NDP’s full platform next Tuesday. She says it’s all based on real people’s experiences.

“It’s all grounded in people’s experience. So, nothing in that document isn’t something that I’ve heard or learned or experienced you know? Either beside or behind others as they like, move through systems, and so it’s a really exciting thing.” Says White.

White says she wants people to vote for something, not against.

After her weekly update, White held a press conference where she announced that an NDP government will create a walk in and phone in clinic to make mental health counseling available seven days a week.

Liberals will subsidize birth control and period products.

Yukon Liberal candidate for Porter Creek Centre Palo Gallina alongside Porter Creek North candidate Stacey McIntosh announced in an online press conference this morning that if re-elected, the Liberal party will subsidize birth control and period products.

They said they couldn’t talk numbers right now, but they are confident they can provide solid support.

“The finite details are still to be confirmed. I’m not prepared to, we’re not prepared to share it right at this point, what that subsidy looks like. You know? We recognize that this is important to Yukoners, to Yukon women. I feel like our commitment to subsidize would be substantial and it would make sense.” Says Gallina.

The NDP announced last week that if elected, they will make prescription birth control free to Yukoners. The Yukon Party has not released anything on birth control.

The candidates also reiterated their announcement from earlier this month, saying that childcare will be subsidized in the territory on April 1^st.

The Yukon Party unveiled two more planks in its platform.

Leader Curie Dixon says “Tech businesses are going to be key to our economic future, just as these entrepreneurs are innovating and improving how the world does business, government needs to innovate and improve the way it supports them as they grow the economy.”

A press release from this morning reads – Our economy has been hit hard by the pandemic and unemployment has grown significantly. The economic recovery of the territory will be the primary challenge for a new Yukon government. While short-term relief is required to help businesses survive, it has become clear that fresh and bold new action is required to diversify and make our economy more resilient.

It goes on to say - The knowledge and innovation sectors are well positioned to help lead the Yukon’s recovery. This industry of innovative thinkers and entrepreneurs needs government to support them and let them lead the way. To do this a Yukon Party government will:

• Create a venture capital program based on the successful B.C. model that offers tax credits to investors to encourage them to make equity capital investments in Yukon-based small businesses.
• Use government procurement to better support technology and telecommunication companies by earmarking a portion of government’s information and technology budget for locally produced solutions.
• Use trade agreement exemptions to target support for technology companies.
• Explore ways to enter longer-term support and maintenance contracts with local businesses to ensure they have stability to grow.

This afternoon Scott Kent, the party candidate for Copperbelt South held a press conference in the yard of Yukon Equipment Services to talk about how a Yukon Party government will support infrastructure and reliability.

Kent says the Yukon Party wants to create certainty for contractors.

“A Yukon Party will, number one, institute a tendering forecast each fall for projects that Yukon businesses can rely on to give contractors enough time to plan for the upcoming construction season and be competitive when submitting bids. Longer term government investments in infrastructure and clear and decisive government planning can translate to Yukon business being able to provide training to their employees, plan for recruitment and retention strategies, and make greater contributions to the Yukon communities within which the project is located” Says Kent.

Kent also announced that the Yukon Party will commit that Yukon Gateway funding will remain with transportation infrastructure and capacity building. They will also work with the government to lobby for Yukon’s access to tidewater via Skagway and Haines, Alaska and Stewart, British Columbia. Kent went on to promise that the Yukon Party will reverse cuts to the Rural Road Upgrade Program and the Roads to Resources Program. They will also work to push the United States to live up to commitments under the Shakwak agreement.

The territorial election will take place April 12th.