The Yukon NDP unveiled its complete election platform this morning with some big and potentially controversial promises.

Party leader Kate White announced the platform at the Air North air field this morning.

Many topics were touched on, including some bold action on development and taxation that will give many voters food for thought.

Platform highlights include plans to deliver better, more accessible health care and make housing affordable for people.

The platform also delivers on universal affordable childcare, lays out steps toward small business and tourism recovery, and contains measures aimed at improving the education system.

It also promises to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“This platform is the result of thousands of conversations, on doorsteps, in boardrooms, kitchen tables, at markets and on street corners,” White said.

“We’ve worked with experts in dozens of fields and incorporated some of the most innovative and creative ideas that Yukoners have to offer. This plan puts people first and tackles some of the biggest challenges we face as a territory. 

“We want to work on addressing climate change and mitigating its effects.

“We are going to make mental health care more accessible and tackle the issue of addictions.”

On resource development, White said, “when it comes to partnering and collaborating with First Nations, there is unfinished business for our territory. It is high time that our government adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“A Yukon NDP government will respect First Nations as the equal partners that they are, by making Yukon First Nations’ consent, a requirement for all resource development, anywhere on the traditional territory of Yukon First Nations,” the NDP leader said.

“Because there is no such thing as equal partnership when one partner doesn’t recognize the other’s right to say no.”

White spent some time outlining other parts of the platform.

“Our plan is going to tackle the housing crisis, head-on. We’re going to make renting and owning a bit more affordable, and take on homelessness in a real and meaningful way.

“Our plan is going to support minimum wage workers with a fair raise, and make sure that no one has to risk going to work sick, because they can’t afford a day off. 

“And finally, we’re going to provide meaningful and empowering support to Yukoners living with disabilities.”

White said an NDP government would also address many other issues.

“In 2021, it’s not enough to not be racist. We have to be actively anti-racist. A Yukon NDP government will work hard to honour this work and be meaningfully inclusive of the voices of Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour.

“We’re going to take on all of these challenges, and more with real, concrete and creative solutions.”

In the 2016 election, White noted, “Yukoners said goodbye to the Yukon Party. They wanted change, and they embraced the Yukon Liberals.

“And now, nearly five years down the road, a lot of those same people are telling me they’re still waiting for that change.”

White acknowledged that many of her big promises come with hefty price tags.

“The thing about big plans is that they come with big price tags. I’m not naive. I have a plan for how we’re going to pay for our commitments. We’re going to go through the Yukon government’s spending and reallocate funding so it’s put to the best use for what people need now. 

“We’re going to ask those who make the most – those individuals who make more than $250,000 a year, to pay a little more – while still remaining competitive with the territory and provinces closest to us.”

White acknowledged she had no idea of how much revenue that would bring in, nor did she know how many people in the territory make that much money annually.

“We’re going to ask those who fly into our territory for work but take their paycheque and spend it elsewhere, to contribute their fair share of the services they use here, by taxing two per cent of their earnings,” she said.

This is similar to what British Columbia and the Northwest Territories currently do, she noted.

“We’re finally going to ensure that Yukoners get their fair share for the resources that are extracted here, by raising mining royalties.”

She didn’t say how much the royalties would be raised.

“And then finally, we’re going to use the planned surpluses for the next two years, to make sure that money goes to work for people. There’s $115 million on the table, and we believe the right thing to do for our economic recovery is to invest that money into people, our economy and our future.” 

White went on to say the choices in this election are “like a fork in a trail.

“We can choose to keep going down the trail that we’ve walked for so long with the other two political parties – a path where we’re sold a good line, but your lives and the lives of your neighbours, never seem to change for the better. We know what that trail looks like, we can anticipate what’s around the next corner. 

“Or, we can choose the other trail – one where we walk together, and lend a hand to those left behind. We can choose a trail where we have each other’s backs, and we support each other – one where everyone prospers, not just the rich and well-connected.” 

After all of the lessons learned through the COVID pandemic, White said, “we have an opportunity to re-envision and rebuild the new normal.

“We need a future where our basic needs of housing, health and happiness are met. We need a future where we walk softly with the environment, one that supports our tourism industry and the small businesses and entrepreneurs who work here.”

The platform contains multiple measures to increase revenue and reallocate government spending.

“So much more is possible when you put people first, when you prioritize families and communities.” White said.