Posted: Apr 08, 2021 8:00 AM CT | Last Updated: April 8
Yukon election signs in Whitehorse s Mountainview riding.(Paul Tukker/CBC)
All three major parties had policy announcements this week ahead of the Yukon territorial election on April 12. Here s a roundup of those promises:
NDP
On Wednesday, NDP Leader Kate White promised ways to address addiction and the opioid crisis, which she said is poised to deal another blow to the territory if things don t change and fast.
The NDP pitched creating an on-the-land treatment centre and introducing safe drug supply and managed alcohol programs, among other things. Here s a radical idea: Let s not punish people for having this kind of healthcare problem, but actually treat them as people who need help, White said.
Yukon University’s board of governors is growing.
The Yukon University Act, which came into effect in February 2020, called for an increase from 12 to 17 members to better represent key stakeholder and rights holder groups. Both the board itself and the Yukon government can appoint members to the board.
In November, the government appointed Aan Goosh oo Mark Wedge, Gàndałêch Pearl Callaghan, and Christine Mahar to the Yukon University Board of Governors.
Aan Goosh oo Mark Wedge is a citizen and former Khà Shâde Héni (chief) of the Carcross-Tagish First Nation. He belongs to the Deisheetaan (Beaver) Clan of the Yeitl (Crow) moiety.
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The Yukon Party is sharpening its teeth on the Liberal government when it comes to taxpayer protection.
On Dec. 21, the Yukon Party, as the official Opposition, introduced a bill to strengthen the Taxpayer Protection Act by what it calls “increasing transparency and improving government’s accountability to the legislature when it comes to borrowing money.”
For most of the fall session, party members were hectoring the government on its decision to increase the territorial government’s debt limit to $800 million last spring.
“In June, without any public consultation or democratic oversight, the territory’s debt limit was doubled to $800 million. According to the Yukon 2019/20 Public Accounts, the current long-term debt is now $228.4 million,” a statement from the party suggested.
$1 M raised for new mammography scanner in Whitehorse
Whitehorse General Hospital has a new means of detecting breast cancer. Medical imaging technologist Annaka Sarek says the machine can help detect cancer a little bit earlier, when treatment is a little bit easier, and save lives in the Yukon.
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