“Every day this plan doesn’t get done is another day of status quo for the mining industry. It’s starting to feel like this is by design.” - Yukon NDP Leader Kate White
The overdue Dawson Regional Land Use Plan was a topic for discussion at the Yukon Legislative Assembly this week.
On Tuesday, Yukon NDP leader Kate White raised concerns that the Government of Yukon is taking too long to respond to the recommendations laid out by Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nations leadership during the negotiations. Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker says that while the plan is a priority for his team, there is a significant roadblock standing in the way.
“I appreciate what Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin is saying: that they want to see it get moving,” said Striecker. “And I agree with them; we do as well.”
“We were working together at the table and seeing if we could find consensus. We were not able to do that, but just in that moment, Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin gave us another unexpected, I don’t know, 70, 80 recommendations. And those required us to go back and do that diligence to consider them.”
In one of her responses to Minister Streicker, White said that the 80 additional recommendations he’s referring to have been available to him since November 2023. But that wasn’t the only concern that she raised.
“A letter sent from the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin to the three political party reads, and I quote, ‘To say that we are frustrated with the lack of progress on this land use plan would be a gross understatement,’” said White. “The lengthy delays are undermining the ability of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin to meaningfully participate in the management of their own lands.”
“Every day this plan doesn’t get done is another day of status quo for the mining industry. It’s starting to feel like this is by design.”
The October 7 letter, signed by Hähkè Darren Taylor and shared to media by the Yukon NDP Monday morning, goes on to criticize the Yukon government’s response during the land use planning process.
“We have made our best efforts to reach consensus with YG on reasonable measures to moderate the pace and intensity of mining in the planning region. However, we do not believe that YG has done the same,” reads the letter. “Rather, over the past year […], we have seen YG repeatedly disregard timelines and disrespect important intergovernmental agreements that guide the process.”
CHON-FM has reached out to Hähkè Taylor to expand on this story.
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