Yukon Legislative Assembly Number 60 3rd Session 34th Legislature HANSARD Monday, November 9, 2020 — 1:00 p.m. Speaker: The Honourable Nils Clarke YUKON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 2020 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 McLean 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 Joseph Mewett Hansard Administrator Deana Lemke Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly November 9, 2020 HANSARD 1797 Yukon Legislative Assembly that did not see them as equal citizens or provide them with the Whitehorse, Yukon same rights and benefits as their fellow soldiers. Monday, November 9, 2020 — 1:00 p.m. This year is the 75th year anniversary of the end of World War II, and I want to highlight two Yukon First Nation citizens Speaker: I will now call the House to order. who took part in the conflict: First, I want to recognize We will proceed at this time with prayers. Alex Van Bibber from the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, who died at 98 years old in 2014. Van Bibber was one Prayers of the last Yukon First Nation veterans to serve in World War II. He survived the war and returned to Yukon, where he spent DAILY ROUTINE the rest of his life giving back to his community. However, like Speaker: We will proceed at this time with the Order so many other indigenous veterans, Van Bibber may have Paper. fought for his country, but he lost his official Indian status in Introduction of visitors. the process. Many returning indigenous veterans gained the right to INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS vote, which was still not afforded to all indigenous people. Hon. Mr. Pillai: I would ask the Assembly today to Many lost their official status and benefits as were then outlined welcome some individuals who are here for our tribute to in the Indian Act. Farmer of the Year: Mr. Mario Ley; Dionne Laybourne; and In spite of these challenges, Van Bibber would go on to their children, Emerson, Aislyn, and Dietrich. become active with the Assembly of First Nations, receive the I would also ask you to welcome two of our leaders in the Order of Canada, and become a founding member of the Yukon Agriculture branch, Mr. Brad Barton and Mr. Kirk Price. Outfitters Association and the Yukon Fish and Game Applause Association. He was also given a lifetime achievement award by Indspire, formerly known as the National Aboriginal Hon. Ms. McLean: I know that not all the guests are in Achievement Awards. the Legislative Assembly yet. We are juggling things around a Chief Elijah Smith was also a World War II veteran and little bit to ensure that everyone has a chance to be here for the Order of Canada recipient. After the war, Chief Smith went on part that they’re attending for today. to, of course, lead the creation and signing of the Together I would like to welcome the Porter Creek Secondary Today for Our Children Tomorrow historical document. This School students. We have Gabriel Hopkins, Rylee Reed, year, he is being considered to be featured on the country’s next Alia Krueger, Brendan Gregory, Daniel Hansen, Annabelle $5 bill. In spite of his leadership roles, Smith was also one of MacLeod, Xander O’Donnell, and special guests with them, the thousands of World War II indigenous veterans who lost Mr. Jason Cook and Felicity Brammer, and the principal for their status due to their service in the war. He was also denied Porter Creek Secondary School, Peter Giangrande. We will also the benefits and same compensation given to fellow non- have today Joe Wickenhauser, the executive director for Queer indigenous soldiers. Yukon, and Edwine Veniat, my ministerial advisor. We also After serving on Canada’s behalf in support of human have folks from the Women’s Directorate and Justice listening rights, both Van Bibber and Smith came home to a country in today, as there is not enough room for everyone with the where their indigenous people did not receive equal treatment. restrictions in seating. National Aboriginal Veterans Day is meant to bring this history Thank you very much for being here today. I am looking to light and to properly recognize the veterans like Van Bibber, forward to the business of the day. Smith, and thousands of others who fought on behalf of Applause Canada. In 1991, Canada began to address the past wrongs with an agreement to compensate indigenous veterans who did not Speaker: Tributes. receive the benefits that they deserved. In 2001, a beautiful monument was erected in Ottawa to honour those who served TRIBUTES and died. In recognition of National Aboriginal Veterans Day On behalf of the Government of Yukon and all Yukoners, Hon. Ms. McLean: Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf I want to express our deep appreciation and respect to all of our Yukon Liberal government to pay tribute to National indigenous veterans who have served and continue to serve Aboriginal Veterans Day, which took place this past Sunday. with courage and dedication. Your sacrifices will never be National Aboriginal Veterans Day honours the many forgotten, nor will your important role in keeping our country courageous First Nation, Inuit, Métis, and other indigenous and Canadians safe. We will honour your contributions by veterans who have served in uniform throughout Canada’s continuing our path toward reconciliation. history. Up to 12,000 indigenous Canadians have answered the Applause call since World War I, and sadly, approximately 500 have died in conflicts around the world. Unfortunately, their valour and Ms. Van Bibber: I rise on behalf of the Yukon Party courage went unrecognized for many years. After witnessing Official Opposition to pay tribute to National Aboriginal the horrors of war, many who survived came home to a country Veterans Day, a day observed annually on November 8 in 1798 HANSARD November 9, 2020 Canada. This special day recognizes the significant overseas during World War II — friends who were treated as contributions of indigenous veterans past and present, military equals when it came time to war, but in times of peace, their members who serve and have served our country in conflicts government and the institutions that they had gone to war to around the world and also on the home front throughout protect and serve treated them very differently. Denial of Canada’s war efforts and during peacetime. services, to veterans’ benefits, and denial of the right to the Thousands of indigenous people have served over the most basic democratic right in a democracy — the right to vote years, voluntarily enlisting in the Canadian military from all — persisted for many years. regions of the country. They have been on the front lines. They Mr. Speaker, it has been remarked upon many times that have worked in support of military campaigns. They have made the indigenous people of this country have shown remarkable contributions to war charities and they have volunteered labour patience in the face of persistent and system racism. In 2020, in war-time industries. They came together for our country and some may find it hard to believe that it took until 1995 — 50 we come together in recognition of their contributions. The years after the end of the Second World War — for indigenous contributions of the indigenous people of Yukon were people to be allowed to lay Remembrance Day wreaths at the monumental. National War Memorial in Ottawa to remember and honour The war brought entire communities together to raise their dead comrades, or that it was not until 2001 that the first funds. Resources and materials were collected. Fundraisers monument commemorating the role of indigenous people were held and many efforts were recognized nationally. But it during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War was not until recently that stories began to surface about the was dedicated in Ottawa, or that it took until 2003 for the extensive efforts of indigenous Canadians stepping out to join Government of Canada to provide veterans’ benefits to First the Canadian forces and other supports.