While Premier Sandy Silver chose to take a rosy view of the legislature’s spring sitting, the opposition parties were less pleased.

Official Opposition Leader Currie Dixon of the Yukon Party continued to condemn the budget introduced by the Liberal government, in a scrum with reporters and in a news release issued later.

“The 2022 spring sitting of the Yukon Legislative Assembly concluded with the NDP propping up the out-of-touch Liberals and passing a budget that was outdated before it was even introduced,” began the news release.

“During the 32-day sitting, the Yukon Party official Opposition highlighted opportunities to help Yukoners deal with the record-high cost of living that the Liberals overlooked in their budget.

“Constructive suggestions from the Yukon Party included a temporary suspension of the territorial fuel tax and insurance tax. This would have left approximately $12 million in the pockets of Yukoners to help offset the skyrocketing costs of food, fuel, housing, and everyday goods and services,” the party said.

During the scrum with reporters, Dixon said, “We felt and we argued the budget was out of date the day it was tabled. The biggest issue facing Yukoners today is the cost of living and inflation, and unfortunately, the budget is silent on that issue.

“The budget doesn’t mention inflation even once, and it’s clear the government has been scrambling to try to keep up. From our side, we feel we put forward of number of measures that would improve Yukoners’ lives. Unfortunately, the government has said no to all of those things.”

The only thing the government has offered, Dixon said, is a $150 credit on electricity bills, “which we think is deeply out of touch.”

Another of the issues Dixon said he was quite concerned about is “the outright attack on the private sector.”

Three times during the sitting’s final two weeks, Dixon suggested the rapid increase in the public sector jobs market is essentially poaching workers from the private sector (see story, p. 3).

“In the words of the Yukon Chamber of Commerce, ‘it’s kicking us while we are down,’” Dixon said.

“What we need is for the government to get out of the way and let the public sector lead the economic recovery the Yukon needs so badly.”

Dixon was vague on exactly what he meant by that – especially after being challenged by a reporter that he was essentially arguing against workers being offered and accepting high-paying jobs in the public sector rather than settling for whatever the private sector can offer.

He also criticized the leadership of the Liberal party, notably Premier Sandy Silver.

“They’re so focused on debating the past they aren’t looking at the problems of today. Over and over again, they want to debate what happened in 2016 (when the Yukon Party formed the government for the first 11 months) instead of what’s happening today,” Dixon said.

“It’s also becoming more and more obvious that the premier has basically checked out and that the leadership torch has already begun to be passed, and ministers are already jockeying to take over for him.”

Dixon said the session provided a “good debate about the issues of the day.

“Unfortunately, the government wants to debate the 2016 election all over again where we are trying to discuss the issues that are facing the Yukoners of today.

“I look forward to the future. The government is entirely backward-looking.”

In the release, Dixon said, “The Yukon Party put forward ideas to help seniors on fixed incomes deal with rising costs.

“We proposed doubling the amount of the Pioneer Utility Grant and increasing the amount claimed through the Home Owners Grant to a maximum of $1,000 for those eligible seniors and elders until the inflation crisis is over.”

The release also suggested the Liberals continue to ignore the health care crisis and the fact that one out of every five Yukoners is without a family doctor.

“The Yukon Party offered constructive suggestions such as improving recruitment practices, the appointment of a territorial medical director, and developing a health human resource strategy,” the party said.

The NDP found some things it liked about the sitting, but leader Kate White didn’t mince many words.

“I think it’s been quite challenging,” she told the Star this week.

She said there were many subjects up for debate – most of which the government dodged.

White wasn’t enthusiastic about the tone of the session either.

She said “the Yukon Party was the Yukon Party,” showing few hints it actually has a social conscience.

White said, as she has mentioned before, that she finds long sessions in the legislature draining. It’s as if MLAs’ whole world becomes the session, she suggested.

“You kind of bubble in,” White said, making it easy to begin to lose perspective.

For her party, the highlight was the passing of NDP MLA Emily Tredger’s private member’s bill calling for changes to the Education Act addressing concerns of LGBTQ2S+ students.

“The Yukon NDP caucus is ending the spring sitting of the Yukon Legislative Assembly on a high note,” the party said in a statement.

“Yukon NDP Bill 304 will ensure safe spaces and programming for LGBTQ2S+ students in all Yukon schools.”

Tredger said, “I’m so proud that Bill 304 is now law. Students told us how important this was to them, and now their schools will be more supportive and welcoming.”

The party said the opening of a public walk-in medical clinic is a priority, following last year’s closure of the only walk-in clinic in the territory.

“We hear all the time from people how difficult it can be to access basic medical care,” said Annie Blake, the MLA for Vuntut Gwitchin.

“When the only walk-in clinic in the territory closed, things went from bad to worse. I’m glad the government listened to the Yukon NDP – we look forward seeing walk-in services being available to Yukoners sooner rather than later.”

The substance abuse state of emergency and crisis “has also been at the forefront of the NDP’s work,” said Blake.

“Deaths due to drug poisoning are preventable, yet they continue to rise at an alarming rate.

“Yukoners have been demanding that government take action for years. While this government finally called the drug poisoning crisis an emergency, we’ve seen no sign of them acting like it is. More resources and more action are needed to save lives,” added Blake.

This fiscal year’s budget includes a territory-wide dental program negotiated by the Yukon NDP, to be rolled out this fall.

“Dental care is health care,” said White.

“This has been a priority of the Yukon NDP for years. I look forward to seeing Yukoners without insurance finally having access to dental care.

“This will be a first in the country. The Yukon NDP is leading the way to better health care.”

The NDP was also largely responsible for bringing electricity rates to the forefront during the sitting.

“The price of electricity is something the government has influence over,” said White.

“We heard from so many Yukoners who were struggling to keep up with unaffordable bills, month after month.

“We’ve asked the minister (John Streicker) to require ATCO (Electric Yukon) to review their rates, and will keep pushing for this to happen.”