Photo by Whitehorse Star
Jeanie McLean
Minister reviewing report on problems with taxi industry
Jeanie McLean, the minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, has weighed in on a scathing report on the state of the city’s taxi service.
Jeanie McLean, the minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, has weighed in on a scathing report on the state of the city’s taxi service.
Over the Jan. 8-9 weekend, the Yukon Women’s Coalition released a report that doesn’t paint a very flattering picture of Whitehorse’s taxi industry.
The report is rife with stories of encounters with taxi drivers that border on the criminal.
Women are particularly targeted, according to the report, and especially Indigenous women.
“Safe transportation has been a critical issue in our community for decades,” McLean said in a statement to the Star last week.
“Yukon’s MMIWG2S+ Strategy includes an action item on providing safe transportation options. This report on taxi safety from the Yukon Women’s Coalition reinforces that more work needs to be done to ensure that women – and all Yukoners – can get where they need to safely.”
The government is reviewing the report and recommendations that relate to itself, McLean added.
“I look forward to working with the City of Whitehorse, Yukon Women’s Coalition, and other partners on this.
“It is also important to note in March 2020, the Government of Yukon formally launched the Sexualized Assault Response Team, or SART, in Whitehorse.
“SART ensures that people who experience a sexualized assault will receive consistent and co-ordinated support that is victim-centred, trauma-informed, non-judgmental and provided in a Yukon context.”
SART offers emergency services, including 24/7 access to trained examiners at the hospital and a confidential, toll-free, 24/7 support line at 1-844-967-7275.
The Star attempted to obtain reaction to the report from local cab companies, but no one would respond to its conclusions.
A spokesman for the City of Whitehorse has indicated there will be no comment from the city until after the report has been presented to council.
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Comments (14)
Up 3 Down 1
Nathan Living on Jan 21, 2022 at 6:49 pm
It's best to have all cab related legislation and compliance overseen by GY.
The COW is incapable to dealing with safety concerns.
Up 2 Down 1
drum on Jan 21, 2022 at 5:58 pm
So the starving horses north of Whitehorse no longer matter. How about all the people who donated money so the YARN could buy Hay for Jim Dillaboughs starving horses. He should have been banned for ever owning animals 50 years ago. He has pigs, goats etc. Who is looking after them? He sure is not.
Diane
Up 9 Down 2
Groucho d'North on Jan 20, 2022 at 9:54 am
Posturing is not the same as performing.
Up 5 Down 4
Chuck Farley on Jan 20, 2022 at 8:58 am
bonanzajoe; who is we? and who are the perps? Your observations are some what vague.
Up 8 Down 5
Genies cause mischief on Jan 19, 2022 at 7:04 pm
Dear Mary - I believe most Jeanies in a bottle create more problems through act of mischief in granting their wishes. They are more akin to the traditional stories of raven as trickster.
So, assuming Liberals have consciousness it is likely that this Jeanie (Genie) fits the mischievous version rather well. However, it seems more likely that Liberals do not have consciousness. So, maybe not so much.
If there was a market for incompetence though the Liberals could make a fortune bottling it up and it would be one way that they could contribute positively to the economy.
Up 13 Down 3
bonanzajoe on Jan 18, 2022 at 4:19 pm
Wilf, we know who the perps are. Not too many years ago, we would be able to identify them. How times change.
Up 31 Down 2
Erwin Glock on Jan 18, 2022 at 11:18 am
Minister McLean is reviewing the report ??? ... and nobody ever heard from
her again !!!
Up 20 Down 6
Mary on Jan 18, 2022 at 10:44 am
As the old story goes, if you have an issue with something, find the magic bottle and the Jeanie will come out and solve whatever issue you have.
Unfortunately this Jeanie in a bottle doesn’t really solve issues.
Up 27 Down 9
Matthew on Jan 18, 2022 at 3:33 am
Oh please, don't expect the liberals to do anything. They don't give a s*it about women and kids, Hidden Valley proves that!
Up 31 Down 4
bonanzajoe on Jan 17, 2022 at 7:58 pm
The government can spend all the millions of dollars on this dumb project, but won't solve the problem. When the truth does come out - and most of us by now know the truth - it will all be hushed up because of the racial factors behind it. I know who it was who bought out the entire taxi industry in Whitehorse and I know what their ideology is because I read their manual. So, either shut the industry down and replace it, or just save the wasted dollars trying to find out answers that will never be reported to the public. Here's an idea, don't give the industry any business. It'll shut down by itself.
Up 27 Down 5
Show up for all your responsibilities on Jan 17, 2022 at 6:37 pm
Minister McLean seems to appear and speaks up for everything but education. Minister McLean leaves that “mess” for the disgraced DM to manage. This government just gets less transparent, less trustworthy and less effective by the minute.
Up 25 Down 3
Ariana on Jan 17, 2022 at 5:05 pm
And what exactly is going to be done to solve this issue, Jeanie? You showed up and made a speech which basically was “call the hotline for support”.
Yes, that’s good and all, but how is this going to be prevented from happening again ? This needs action immediately.
Up 15 Down 3
Wilf Carter on Jan 17, 2022 at 4:45 pm
Who's doing the sexual assaults and why? We need stronger laws on licensing taxi drivers like police checks. We need to have more accountability.
Up 23 Down 4
Davis on Jan 17, 2022 at 4:10 pm
Let's allow ride referral services like Uber in Whitehorse! Why do we keep protecting the taxi industry by not allowing companies like Uber to operate here?