Yukon Legislative Assembly Number 122 2nd Session 34th Legislature HANSARD Monday, March 11, 2019 — 1:00 p.m. Speaker: The Honourable Nils Clarke YUKON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 2019 Spring Sitting SPEAKER — Hon. Nils Clarke, MLA, Riverdale North DEPUTY SPEAKER and CHAIR OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE — Don Hutton, MLA, Mayo-Tatchun DEPUTY CHAIR OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE — Ted Adel, MLA, Copperbelt North CABINET MINISTERS NAME CONSTITUENCY PORTFOLIO Hon. Sandy Silver Klondike Premier Minister of the Executive Council Office; Finance Hon. Ranj Pillai Porter Creek South Deputy Premier Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources; Economic Development; Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation and the Yukon Energy Corporation Hon. Tracy-Anne McPhee Riverdale South Government House Leader Minister of Education; Justice Hon. John Streicker Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes Minister of Community Services; Minister responsible for the French Language Services Directorate; Yukon Liquor Corporation and the Yukon Lottery Commission Hon. Pauline Frost Vuntut Gwitchin Minister of Health and Social Services; Environment; Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation Hon. Richard Mostyn Whitehorse West Minister of Highways and Public Works; the Public Service Commission Hon. Jeanie Dendys Mountainview Minister of Tourism and Culture; Minister responsible for the Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board; Women’s Directorate GOVERNMENT PRIVATE MEMBERS Yukon Liberal Party Ted Adel Copperbelt North Paolo Gallina Porter Creek Centre Don Hutton Mayo-Tatchun OFFICIAL OPPOSITION Yukon Party Stacey Hassard Leader of the Official Opposition Scott Kent Official Opposition House Leader Pelly-Nisutlin Copperbelt South Brad Cathers Lake Laberge Patti McLeod Watson Lake Wade Istchenko Kluane Geraldine Van Bibber Porter Creek North THIRD PARTY New Democratic Party Liz Hanson Leader of the Third Party Whitehorse Centre Kate White Third Party House Leader Takhini-Kopper King LEGISLATIVE STAFF Clerk of the Assembly Floyd McCormick Deputy Clerk Linda Kolody Clerk of Committees Allison Lloyd Sergeant-at-Arms Karina Watson Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Harris Cox Hansard Administrator Deana Lemke Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly March 11, 2019 HANSARD 3775 Yukon Legislative Assembly Yukon citizens were able to elect all of the people who Whitehorse, Yukon represented them in the territory. Monday, March 11, 2019 — 1:00 p.m. The 10 men — and, yes, they were all men — on the Yukon Territorial Council were not a government in anything Speaker: I will now call the House to order. like the sense of what we have here today — a devolved We will proceed at this time with prayers. Yukon government — but their role was to act as an advisory body to the Commissioner of Yukon. The Council was formed Prayers in 1898, which was the year that the Yukon Territory Act was passed by Parliament, creating the territory that we now call Withdrawal of motions home. Speaker: The Chair wishes to inform the House of a At first, each of the Council members was appointed. change made to the Order Paper. Then, over the years, there was a mix of appointed and elected Motion No. 405, notice of which was given by the members until 1909, when each of those members was Member for Takhini-Kopper King on March 7, 2019, was not elected. The elected Council was a significant milestone in the placed on today’s Notice Paper as it is similar to Motion history of Yukon governance, culminating in the Yukon Act of No. 294, which the House adopted as amended on October 31, 2002 that devolved responsibility for lands and resources to 2018. the territory. I will give you the names of the 10 members of the DAILY ROUTINE Council, and I am sure that they will sound familiar to you — Speaker: We will proceed at this time with the Order some, if not all of them: Rodrick Ashbaugh, George Black, Paper. Charles Bossuyt, Maxime Landreville, Robert Lowe, Introduction of visitors. Willard Phelps, Frank McAlpine, Angus McLeod, James W. Murphy and Andrew Smith. INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS I mentioned that the year 1909 was the first time that Hon. Mr. Silver: For the tribute today on the Yukon citizens were able to elect all of the people who anniversary of the wholly elected Yukon Territorial Council, I represented them in the territory. It is vital to point out that would like to ask all my colleagues here in the Legislative aboriginal people and women were not able to vote at this Assembly to help me in welcoming to the Legislative time. Aboriginal people in Yukon did not have the right to Assembly Carolynn Phelps and John Phelps — brother and vote until 1961, which is also when they were at last allowed sister. Their great-grandfather Willard was one of the first to be elected as council members. According to my math, that councillors. is a mere 58 years ago. Many Yukoners in their prime today Applause would have grown up with the knowledge that they were not permitted to vote. Women gained the vote in Canada in 1921, Speaker: I would like to introduce Max Harvey, the but that did not include aboriginal or Asian women. That took Chief Electoral Officer with Elections Yukon, who is also a few more decades. here for the tribute to the 110th anniversary of the election of Let us be mindful that democracy as we know it today has the first wholly elected Yukon Territorial Council. not been with us for very long, and even today we still have a Applause great deal to do to create a fair society where equality and reconciliation are a reality. I encourage you to look back at the Mr. Kent: I would like to introduce a constituent of history of governance in Yukon and celebrate not only the mine, Ms. Jen Bugg, and a friend of mine, Brooke McKenzie, steady maturing of the territorial government that I stand here have joined us here today as well. representing today, but also the trail-blazing achievements of Applause Yukon First Nations, who are leaders in self-governance across Canada and around the world. Speaker: Are there any further introductions of Applause visitors? th Tributes. In recognition of 50 anniversary of Polar Games Hon. Ms. McPhee: Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf TRIBUTES of the Yukon Liberal government to pay tribute to the 50th In recognition of 110th anniversary of the first wholly anniversary of the Polar Games. This annual sports event has elected Yukon Territorial Council been a celebrated tradition since 1969. Originally, the Polar Hon. Mr. Silver: I rise today on behalf of all Members Games was the only event of its kind in the north and drew of the Legislative Assembly to pay tribute to the 110th elite high school athletes from Alaska, northern British anniversary of the first wholly elected Yukon Territorial Colombia and the Yukon. Over time, as other sporting events Council, which was formed on June 28, 1909. came into play, the Polar Games became a non-competitive For those of us who might need a refresher on Yukon event that uses sport to introduce elementary school students history, I am referring to the anniversary of the first time that to a sense of community. 3776 HANSARD March 11, 2019 This year, the Polar Games were held in Whitehorse from I am sure many of us in the Legislature and in the gallery January 31 to February 1, 2019. Three hundred and seventy- today remember the excitement of the Polar Games, which five grade 6 students from 10 Yukon communities participated began as a high school competition. The games have evolved in the 50th Polar Games. over the years to become a fun-based activity for grade 6 The annual two-day event emphasizes participation, students from across the Yukon. The evolution of the Polar learning, trying new activities and making new friends. There Games has seen the competition go from a quest for medals is no need for scorekeeping or for medals; it is just about and awards to an experience-based, try-a-new-sport event that having fun. Of course, the Polar Games dance remains an is forging new friendships and allows students to play and anticipated highlight. compete in a fun environment. In the Polar Games, students are teamed together with Students from Alaska, northern BC and NWT have students from other schools — a great opportunity to make attended the games over the years, but changes to the structure new friends from across the territory — with colourful t-shirts of the games now limits it to participation to Yukon students autographed by teammates and new friends, which are only. Over the years, the games went from high school to treasured for years to come. Every student picks up to six of junior high and were later limited to grades 5 and 6. In 2013, the many sports that are available and are encouraged to try participation criteria were changed once again, and since then something they’ve never tried before — soccer, basketball, it has been an event solely for grade 6 students. swimming, curling, broomball and archery are favourites at As was mentioned, sports have varied over the years as the games. well, including bowling, curling, handball, soccer, basketball, Different sports are added each year depending on broomball, speed skating and much more. I remember it was volunteers and funding. Last year, students played bocce and always fun to come to the big city and see and meet other badminton and tried speed skating. This year, speed skating community participants — I am dating myself here. We were returned, plus students were introduced to skittle ball, lacrosse billeted with local families, and they ensured that we got and hip hop dancing.