Yukon Legislative Assembly Number 3 2nd Session 34th Legislature HANSARD Tuesday, April 25, 2017 — 1:00 p.m. Speaker: The Honourable Nils Clarke YUKON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 2017 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 Doris McLean Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Karina Watson Hansard Administrator Deana Lemke Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly April 25, 2017 HANSARD 45 Yukon Legislative Assembly Celebrating Earth Day and reflecting on the reality of Whitehorse, Yukon climate change is important. We need to be aware; we need to Tuesday, April 25, 2017 — 1:00 p.m. think about and celebrate our natural environment. We need to honour the earth, our land, by taking action to heal the damage Speaker: I will now call the House to order. We will already done and to prevent future destruction. As Minister of proceed at this time with prayers. Environment, part of the mandate entrusted to me is to address the realities of climate change, so that Yukoners see a healthy Prayers environment with sustainable wildlife populations and opportunities to enjoy the wilderness as fundamental to the DAILY ROUTINE social and economic well-being of our territory. Speaker: We will proceed at this time with the Order Our current government hears the needs of Yukoners and Paper. it understands how vital it is to the stewardship of the Tributes. environment. We are working toward reducing Yukon’s carbon footprint by expanding the use of renewable energy TRIBUTES sources and reducing our energy use overall. We are In recognition of Earth Day collaborating across the Government of Yukon, First Nation Hon. Ms. Frost: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute governments and communities to integrate climate change risk to an important annual event, Earth Day, on April 22. It is assessments in our policies, processes and projects so that we celebrated across the globe. The international theme of this remain resilient. We are hopeful that the work we do now to year’s Earth Day is “Environmental and Climate Literacy.” address the impact of climate change will help provide Earth Day organizers aim to build a global citizenry Yukoners with a sustainable, happy and prosperous place to fluent in the concepts of climate change and awareness of its call home now and into the future. unprecedented threat to our planet. Northerners are very Our natural environment deserves our care and familiar with the threats caused by climate change and we are appreciation for everything it provides. Today, I encourage us uniquely vulnerable to its impacts. In Yukon alone, the all to give thanks for the gifts of our land and to celebrate average temperature has increased by two degrees Celsius Earth Day with all of Yukon as we call this our beautiful over the last 50 years and continues to rise. These warm home. temperatures have a significant impact on Yukon’s infrastructure, traditional ways of living and ecological Mr. Istchenko: Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of systems. Thawing permafrost shifts the ground beneath us, the Official Opposition to pay tribute to and celebrate Earth challenging the integrity of our buildings and roads. Day, which is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate the Biomass areas of distinct plant and animal species are beauty in our surroundings here in the Yukon. It is an changing. This is causing things like southern species to opportunity to reflect on the choices we have made as migrate north, increasing the risk of invasive species entering individuals and as a community to get where we are today in the Yukon, and caribou and salmon migration patterns to terms of reducing, reusing and recycling — those three shifting, impacting availability and access to traditional food important “Rs” that we are taught from a young age and sources. continue to instill in our children today. It is an opportunity to Climate change is melting our sea ice and causing think to the future and what more we can do to lay solid unprecedented changes in our seasons. groundwork for generations of Yukoners to come so that they We can see through our spring thaw earlier this year a may enjoy the Earth and all it has to offer as we do today. direct correlation to climate change. It is also melting our I would like to take a moment to reflect on the importance glaciers at a record pace. We have recently learned how of continuing the work of the previous government to work dramatic and unexpected the impact of glacier melt can be in toward achieving greener construction and retrofitting schools our own backyards. It has been widely reported that the and other government buildings to limit carbon emissions. Kaskawulsh Glacier in the Kluane National Park has retreated The plan to cut emissions by a measurable means was not so much that its melting water is now running in the opposite only one that would result in much needed repairs and direction. It is now flowing south toward the Pacific Ocean, upgrades to outdated buildings that contribute to the majority when it used to flow north into the Slims River on its way to of Yukon’s emissions, but would be results-based and achieve the Bering Sea. The term for this phenomenon is calling the goal of lower emissions. “stream capture” or “river piracy”. This is when a river I would encourage the current government to build upon drainage system or watershed diverts from its own bed to one this plan, which, by creating jobs, works toward cutting of the nearby streams. emissions in an achievable and measureable way for Some scientists are saying that this is the first generations of Yukoners to benefit from in years to come. documented case of river piracy due to climate change that This year, the theme for Earth Day is “EarthPLAY”. has occurred in modern times. This event shows us the effects Parents are encouraged to focus on getting their children climate change can suddenly have, significantly altering our outdoors as much as possible to play. It is no secret that way of life in the world at any time. 46 HANSARD April 25, 2017 outdoor play leads to healthier kids and, in turn, healthier and critical thinking to accomplish complicated tasks in a fun adults. and hands-on way. Many thanks go out to the educators and I would like to thank all those Yukoners who are making volunteers across the territory who help make experiential a conscientious effort to recycle and limit their waste. Not learning opportunities like this available to Yukon students. only are you doing your part in your community by diverting Also this week, the 49th Rotary Music Festival is your waste from the landfill, but you are teaching your currently in progress, providing Yukon musicians and dancers children and others good habits to carry on and live by. of all ages with an opportunity to learn, receive professional Our schools are doing a wonderful job teaching our adjudication and perform their art. We thank the Rotary Club children the importance of recycling, composting and of Whitehorse, the Rotary Music Festival board of directors, diverting waste. Workplaces are also incorporating these and the staff, volunteers, sponsors and participants who make important habits and our communities are increasingly raising this special community event possible. I know I said that kind awareness. I would like to thank Yukoners for embracing the of quickly, but it’s the 49th Rotary Music Festival. That’s an importance of reducing waste and encourage them to continue extraordinary task — an extraordinary accomplishment for to find ways to do more for our Earth. those young musicians who have all passed through that Mr. Speaker, I’m always fascinated by this Native process and for the Rotary Club of Whitehorse, which has put American proverb that I read many years ago: “We do not it on for many, many years. inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our Lifelong learning requires partners in education.