Yukon Legislative Assembly Number 5 3rd Session 34th Legislature HANSARD Thursday, October 10, 2019 — 1:00 p.m. Speaker: The Honourable Nils Clarke YUKON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 2019 Fall 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 Kate White Leader of the Third Party Third Party House Leader Takhini-Kopper King Liz Hanson Whitehorse Centre LEGISLATIVE STAFF Clerk of the Assembly Dan Cable 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 October 10, 2019 HANSARD 119 Yukon Legislative Assembly TRIBUTES Whitehorse, Yukon In recognition of International Day of the Girl Child Thursday, October 10, 2019 — 1:00 p.m. Hon. Ms. Dendys: I rise today on behalf of the Yukon Liberal government to pay tribute to the United Nations Speaker: I will now call the House to order. International Day of the Girl Child. We will proceed at this time with prayers. In 2012, the UN declared October 11 as International Day of the Girl Child in order to highlight and address the needs, Prayers challenges, hardships, and risks that girls face. Nearly 25 years ago, 30,000 people from all genders and from nearly 200 DAILY ROUTINE countries arrived in Beijing for the Fourth World Conference Speaker: We will proceed at this time with the Order on Women. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Paper. the most comprehensive policy agenda for the empowerment of Introduction of visitors. women, was adopted. In the years following, women pressed this agenda forward. Today, movements toward gender INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS equality and safety have expanded. They are being organized Speaker: At this time, the Chair would like to introduce by and for girls. Girls are proving that they are both “unscripted Maxwell Harvey, Chief Electoral Officer of the Yukon, who is and unstoppable”, the theme of the International Day of the Girl sitting in the Speaker’s gallery, here to witness the first reading Child this year. of Bill No. 4, Act to Amend the Elections Act. Please join me in When I think of “unscripted and unstoppable”, I think of welcoming him. the incredible young women and girls who are leading Applause movements right now, in real time, here in Canada and around the world — young activists like Autumn Peltier, a water Hon. Mr. Streicker: We have several folks in the protector and advocate for clean drinking water in indigenous gallery today. I am wondering if we could please welcome communities, and also Greta Thunberg, who has sparked an them. First of all, from the Yukon Liquor Corporation, international movement demanding action on climate change. President Paul McConnell and colleagues Patch Groenewegen Both of these young girls recently spoke at the United Nations and Kayla Yeulet. Climate Action Summit in September, showing their courage, We also have — from Arctic Winter Games — quite a few their wisdom, and their commitment to creating a better future. folks, because they just finished up their second mission They are living examples of being “unscripted and meeting for all the Chefs de Mission. They just wrapped up last unstoppable”. night. From the international committee, we have John Rodda, On top of the achievements of these young leaders, we had Lloyd Bentz, Ian Legaree — sorry if I got that wrong, Ian — an exciting year for gender equality and global activism. This Leigh Goldie, Karl Davidsen, and Doris Landry. We have, from year, Canada had the privilege of hosting the international the Whitehorse host society, Moira Lassen, Jeane Lassen, gathering Women Deliver in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ryan Romero, and Chris Teiman. Over 8,000 delegates from around the world attended. I was We have the 2022 host committee from Wood Buffalo — honoured to attend alongside other delegates from Yukon. It who, by the way, are great jiggers — Sheila Lalonde, was so inspirational to be in a room with incredible leaders, Claris Voyageur, Melissa Blake, Linda McLean, Ashley Ryan, young and old, from all genders who are catalysts for change Kelsey Green, Allison Flett, Michelle Toner, and Erica Brewer. and who are fighting for gender equality in their own Finally, I would like to say welcome — here I go — [Member communities and countries. That work is happening right here spoke in Russian. Text unavailable] — to the team from Yamal at home in our territory too. — all the way from Russia — Luda Kholokholova and Today I am proud to acknowledge and highlight one of the Elena Kulikova. If we can say welcome, please. organizations in Yukon that works specifically with and for Applause young women and girls. Yukon Women in Trades and Technology is an amazing organization that offers Ms. White: I thank the Minister of Tourism and Culture programming opportunities for girls and young women to for the opportunity today to invite a great friend of mine and increase awareness and provide support to women and girls in introduce her to the Assembly. Brenda Barnes is the executive trades and technology. According to the 2016 Canadian census, director of Yukon Women in Trades and Technology, who will only seven percent of trades workers in Yukon are female. be sharing their report about women in trades this afternoon at Although this is a slightly higher percentage than most of 4:00 p.m. at NorthLight Innovation Centre. More than that, she Canada, it shows that we have a long way to go. is a good friend and a mentor, and she has been for a fair Yukon Women in Trades and Technology is working to number of years at this point. Thank you so much for being change this statistic by providing community-based here, Brenda. It’s lovely to have you. programming and also by providing financial support to Yukon Applause apprentices who identify as women. Their program Power Up offers young women eight weeks of after-school skilled trades Speaker: Tributes. sessions to explore carpentry, plumbing, electrical, tiling, and 120 HANSARD October 10, 2019 much, much more. They also host an annual conference that female, others are affected too, so continue to promote gender gives around 200 girls from around the territory a chance to go equality for all. right into the workplace of local businesses working in the While raising awareness on this one day of the girl child, trades and technology sector, gaining hands-on experience. remember the importance of raising all of our children to have Later today they will be releasing the results of their report, love and respect for themselves and for others. Making it Work. One of the findings from the report I found most interesting is that a large growing number of indigenous Ms. White: I rise on behalf of the Yukon NDP to pay girls and women are joining the workforce in trades and tribute to International Day of the Girl Child. We heard nearly technology at a higher rate than their non-indigenous peers. 25 years ago about some 30,000 folks from nearly 200 This offers an opportunity for Yukon communities. As we countries, including a delegation from Yukon, who arrived in develop a whole-of-Yukon action plan for missing and Beijing, China, for the Fourth World Conference on Women murdered indigenous women and girls, we must consider how determined to recognize that the rights of women and girls are to strengthen the economic empowerment of women. human rights. Thank you, Yukon Women in Trades and Technology and The conference led to the adoption of the Beijing all of the role models who lead by example to build up our Declaration and the Platform for Action, the most young women and to support them as best we can. I really thank comprehensive policy agenda for the empowerment of women. Brenda Barnes for all of her hard work over the years, and I It should be no surprise that, in the years following, it was hope that you do stay on for another three years as we just women and girls who have pushed this agenda of equality, and discussed. it’s women and girls leading global movements on issues that These young women represent our future. From what I can affect all people — because women’s rights are human rights.