Legislative Reports

Legislative Reports • Bill No. 67, Act to Amend the Administration Building (now the Employment Standards Act Dawson City Museum). The busi- • Bill No. 68, Act to Amend the ness of the day was Motion #830, Yukon College Act moved by Mr. Nordick, in whose • Bill No. 69, Miscellaneous Statute riding Dawson City is located. Law Amendment Act, 2009 The motion proposed that the • Bill No. 70, Child and Youth Legislative Assembly, “on behalf Yukon Advocate Act of all Yukoners, acknowledges • Bill No. 71, Act to Amend the and commemorates the efforts of Human Rights Act n May 14th, the 2009 Spring those who have contributed to OSitting of the First Session of • Bill No. 72, Corrections Act, 2009 the attainment and development nd of representative government in the 32 Legislative Assembly ad- Special Sitting in Dawson City journed. The 32-day sitting had Yukon over the past 100 years.” convened on March 19th. The Sit- When Yukon became a territory Each Member present, includ- ting concluded with Assent being on June 13, 1898, its legislative ing Speaker Ted Staffen, spoke given in the Chamber by the Com- body – the Territorial Council – to the motion, which passed missioner of Yukon, Geraldine was composed entirely of persons unanimously. In their speeches, Van Bibber. appointed by the Government Members referenced touchstones Pursuant to Motion #799 of Canada. Amendments to the such as the advent of party politics (moved by private member Steve Yukon Act in 1899, 1902, and 1908 in Yukon territorial elections in Nordick, Klondike, Yukon Party), allowed for the election (as op- 1978, the 1979 Epp Letter (which which carried on May 13th, the posed to the appointment), re- brought responsible government House reconvened for a Special spectively, of two, five, and finally to the territory), and Canada’s Sitting in Dawson City on June 12, all members of the Council. The Yukon Act, 2003. Achievements 2009. election of the first wholly-elected and developments in the area of Council took place on June 28, First Nations self-government in Assent 1909. This Council (comprising Yukon were also highlighted. As In the Spring Sitting, a total of 12 10 members) met for the first time well, the House recessed to hear bills (all Government bills) were on July 15, 1909.Yukon has had a remarks from Eddie Taylor, Chief granted Assent by Commissioner fully elected legislative body ever of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Van Bibber: since. Nation and Dawson City Mayor th John Steins. • Bill No. 13, Third Appropriation To commemorate the 100 an- Act, 2008-09 niversary of representative gov- Among the special guests • Bill No. 14, Interim Supply ernment in Yukon, the Legislative in attendance at the Special Appropriation Act, 2009-10 Assembly held a Special Sitting Sitting were Commissioner • Bill No. 15, First Appropriation in Dawson City on June 12, 2009. Van Bibber and several former Act, 2009-10 Dawson City had been Yukon’s MLAs. The latter group in- • Bill No. 64, Act to Amend the capital and seat of government cluded two former Premiers Legislative Assembly Retirement from the territory’s creation until (Chris Pearson, Government Allowances Act, 2007 1953, when the federal govern- Leader from 1978-1995, and Tony • Bill No. 65, Act to Amend the ment decided to move the capital Penikett, Premier from 1985- Yukon Advisory Council on to Whitehorse. 1992); past Commissioners Jim Women’s Issues Act The Special Sitting took place Smith, Ken McKinnon, and Jack • Bill No. 66, Corporate in the original chambers of the Cable; Senior Justice Ron Veale; Governance Statute Law and former Klondike MLAs Art Amendment Act Legislature in the old Territorial 36 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/AUTUMN 2009 Webster, David Millar, and Peter development presaged the 1978 on November 12, 2009. Jenkins. territorial election, and the official Significant Legislation recognition of parties in the 24th Commemorative Book Legislature. During the Session, a number of pieces of significant legislation re- In anticipation of the centennial rd On March 23 , the House paid ceived Royal Assent, including: of representative government in tribute to Joyce Hayden, who Yukon, Speaker Staffen commis- had been Member for Whitehorse • An Act to Amend the Islander Day Act (Bill No. 72) amends sioned a book to chronicle the first th South Centre in the 27 Legislature the Act to provide that Islander half-century of the history of the (1989-1992), a Cabinet Minister, Day, the province’s newest Legislature. The book, which was and a Chair of the Public Accounts statutory holiday, shall be the officially released at the Special Committee. Ms. Hayden sub- third Monday in February of Sitting, was written by Yukon sequently wrote a book entitled each year. The holiday was archivist and historian Linda first celebrated in 2009 on the Yukon’s Women of Power: Political second Monday in February. Johnson, under the guidance Pioneers in a Northern Canadian and direction of Speaker Staffen, • An Act to Amend the Smoke- Colony, and co-authored the biog- free Places Act (Bill No. 76) Floyd McCormick, the Clerk of raphy, Victoria Faulkner: Lady of establishes a prohibition on the Assembly, and former Clerk, the Golden North. smoking in a vehicle when Patrick Michael. The project was a person under the age of 19 co-sponsored with Yukon College During the 2008 Fall Sitting (on years is present. The legisla- October 30, 2008), the Speaker, on President, Terry Weninger. tion strengthens the Act in a behalf of all Members, paid tribute number of ways, including The book is entitled With the to former MLA Jean Gordon. Ms. prohibiting designated smok- People Who Live Here: The History Gordon, the Member for Mayo in ing rooms in public places and workplaces, with the exception of the Yukon Legislature 1909-1961. st the 21 Legislature (1967-1970), of long-term care facilities. The overleaf notes that this title was the first woman elected to the • An Act to Amend the Executive recognize[s] the efforts and Yukon Territorial Council. In the Council Act (Bill No. 89) permits contributions of all Yukon summer of 2008, former Member one additional person to be people past and present in Bea Firth, a Member from the appointed to the Executive building the rich legacy that is th th Council of the Province, bring- ours to enjoy in Yukon today. 25 – 28 Legislatures from 1992- 1996, passed away. Ms. Firth ing the maximum number of It is taken from the words of persons on Executive Council Councillor James Smith at the had served as a Cabinet Minister, to eleven, exclusive of the opening of the 1958 session of and as a member of the Public Premier. the Yukon Council: ‘Make no Accounts Committee. mistake – the success or failure Voices of History of the vision of the North rests with us, the people who live Linda Kolody From 1968 to 1995, the debates here.’ Deputy Clerk of the Prince Edward Island In Remembrance Legislative Assembly were record- ed on reel-to-reel tape, and stored During the 2009 Spring Sitting, in the Public Archives in the Coles the House paid tribute to two Building, located adjacent to former Members who had Province House. During that time recently died. On March 19th, period, only a very limited number the House paid tribute to Fred of debates were transcribed Berger, the Member for Klondike (Prince Edward Island Hansard in the 23rd Legislature (1974-1978). did not commence operations A memorial service was held Prince Edward Island until February 1996). The reel-to- for Mr. Berger in Dawson City, reel tapes were slowly deteriorat- on the same day as the Special n May 15, 2009, the Second ing and the machine used to play Sitting. In addition to being the OSession of the Sixty-third them was antiquated and often in first leader of Yukon’s NDP, General Assembly prorogued af- need of repair. Recognizing the Mr. Berger ran in the territorial ter 65 sitting days. According to danger of losing this part of our election under the party’s banner the parliamentary calendar, the legislative history, Hansard staff before party affiliations were Third Session of the Sixty-third have begun digitizing the reel-to- recognized in the House. This General Assembly will commence reel tapes, starting with the Third CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/AUTUMN 2009 37 Session of the Fifty-first General leadership in their community Sound and Light Show Assembly (22 February-25 April and in their chosen occupation or Celebrate the Canadian Dream-Voices 1968), and then transcribing the profession. from the Island is a new and enter- audio. Beyond the transcript, the taining tourism product which de- digital audio will be available on Changes to Senior Management buted on Canada Day. The sound line and available to the public on A series of adjustments to the and light show, modelled after the the Legislative Assembly’s web provincial government’s senior Ottawa version, showcases Prince site (www.assembly.pe.ca). With administrative level were an- Edward Island’s history and cul- 27 years of tape to transcribe, nounced by Premier Robert Ghiz ture, along with national sym- this project will take some time on July 14, 2009. Doug Clow has bols. Music, narration and iconic to complete, but it will safeguard been appointed Deputy Provincial images playing on the facade of and make accessible the legisla- Treasurer, following the retire- Province House tell the story of ture’s historic debates long into ment of the former Deputy, Paul confederation and Prince Edward the future. Jelley. Allan Rankin has been Island’s role in Canadian history. appointed as a member and Vice- Committee Activity chairman of the Island Regulatory Marian Johnston The Standing Committee and Appeals Commission.

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