Photo by Whitehorse Star
Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon
Silver should zero in on labour shortage: Dixon
The leader of the Yukon’s official Opposition is weighing in on Premier Sandy Silver’s attendance at the First Ministers’ conference in Victoria.
The leader of the Yukon’s official Opposition is weighing in on Premier Sandy Silver’s attendance at the First Ministers’ conference in Victoria.
“I am pleased to see Canada’s premiers gather in Victoria for the first time in three years to discuss issues important to all territories and provinces,” Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon said Monday.
“Given the challenges currently facing the Yukon’s economy, I was surprised that the premier is not making the labour shortage more of a priority.
“We have been hearing constantly from the business community about the impact that the labour shortage has had on small and medium businesses throughout the territory,” Dixon said.
“Yukon’s premier should join other premiers in calling for the federal government to help tackle the labour shortage.
“It is concerning the Premier is not raising issues that have been identified by the business community,” Dixon added.
“This further highlights why business organizations like the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, which recently gave the Yukon a failing grade in their internal trade report card, are losing faith in the territorial Liberals.”
The Council of the Federation meeting, he said, “would be a perfect opportunity for the premier to announce that Yukon will be joining other provinces in cutting or suspending the fuel tax to help families and businesses deal with the record-high cost of living.
“Additionally, the premier should call on the federal government to pause any planned hikes to the carbon tax.
“It is also surprising that the premier is not raising federal infrastructure funding at the Council of the Federation,” Dixon added.
“The Yukon needs to begin further planning on new projects that will minimize power and telecommunications outages and will require significant new infrastructure funds to address the requirements of hosting the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse in 2027.
“Finally, I was pleased to note that the premier is hosting a discussion on Arctic sovereignty and security at the meeting.”
Earlier this year, Dixon recalled, he wrote an opinion piece for the Ottawa Citizen, which was also published in the Star, outlining the inadequacy of the current military presence in the Canadian North “and the serious need to invest in a fully built-out Canadian Armed Forces base in the Yukon.
“While the premier has recently said that he was disappointed in the federal Liberals’ budget regarding military spending in the North, I hope that he considers adopting my position that the federal government needs to do much more.”
The premiers’ meeting began Monday and will conclude today.
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Comments (25)
Up 0 Down 0
Arthur Black on Jul 18, 2022 at 7:58 pm
So - Does Dicky Doo have a couple of large apartment buildings to rent ?
Up 16 Down 1
Just Sayin' on Jul 18, 2022 at 9:16 am
Think of all the employees that would be available if redundancy was reduced from all levels of Governments. When at least 60 % of the population works for one form of Government, what do you expect...
Up 14 Down 6
Groucho d'North on Jul 16, 2022 at 10:55 am
I submit there is another matter Mr. Silver needs to add to his To Do list: Explain what YG is doing in relation to the failure of our northern telecomms network by a severed NWTel fibre cable yet again.
Rogers Communications has announced that they will be compensating their customers impacted by their recent 15 hour network failure, which came as a surprise to them following a software update that went haywire. Meanwhile NWTel and YG remain silent on anything they might consider to appease the many thousands of their northern customers impacted by the fibre cable cut in the Liard region which resulted in lost business for many. The frailty of the fibre cable serving the north is well known as this situation has happened a number of times in the past, knowing this, NWTel did nothing to enhance the protection of this vital link to the rest of the world, in some circles that would be called negligence. So far it appears they are hiding in their offices hoping the impacts felt by northern businesses and consumers will be forgotten and they can carry on as if nothing happened. So too, our government remains mute in dealing with this egregious impact to our economy and safety for some whose phones went silent as a result of the severed cable.
For the millions of tax dollars invested into making the NWTel network redundent, some accountability is expected as demonstrated by Rogers to their customers.
Up 11 Down 2
Juniper Jackson on Jul 16, 2022 at 10:44 am
Covid came along, and for the first time, people were forced to stay home. And they like it. I had a supervisor once that was dumber than a doorknob. Her Mom was a Director in another Branch. I had to report to her every day, day in, day out, until i finally moved into another job. Would i have loved to stay home? oh yeah.. I am a social person, but after being in my home for so long, with the dog, Netflix, Prime and Disney. Groceries delivered, pay my cc online, when i could go out, i didn't want to. Most of us are A-OK to be alone with ourselves. We're nice people. At my age, I took up gaming. My guild calls me GrandmaRambo.
There are a LOT of people on welfare that needn't' be.. a lot of people working from home now, that get a tax cut, extra money, for not having to pay child care, gas, clothing etc. I don't know anyone that wants to pay some of the highest taxes in the world to support someone that just doesn't want to work. When people are disabled, and can't work, that's a different thing, FB Buy and Sell is an example of how much people want to help.
The Liberals eliminated the position in Social Services, that investigated fraud. There is SO much fraud in the Yukon. Put the welfare bums to work, and we don't have a labour shortage. The answer is NOT to bring in 4,000 more TFWs, or more and more 'nominee's'. There isn't housing for them, and medical care is scarce at the moment. Plus, Trudeau Liberals are so insulting to them. Trudeau said, these FTWs are eager to do the jobs that Canadian's don't want to do. Oh yeah? A little TFW is so happy to clean the toilet and room of some white dude with the runs?
Put Yukoner's to work. Pay them enough to survive. Join a group extended medical coverage group. Yukoner's already have a place to live, know how to get to work. Re-introduce them to the positive side of going out of your house every day. So many have lost their connections to coworkers, lunching out, being part of something important, even seeing an issue as important. Always provide opportunities for something more. A cashier? Offer to pay for a course at Yukon College, and help them reach for more. A chambermaid forever? a cashier forever? Open doors for people. oh yeah..University. Just my thoughts on this. I really don't want to see more people flooding into the Yukon, and I really, really hate it that the City and the Government import someone from Ontario, rather than hire anyone already in the Yukon.
Up 15 Down 4
Yukoner32 on Jul 14, 2022 at 6:10 pm
@TMYK. So you are saying the Liberals are just doing what the business community tells them? Interesting, as you are usually complaining how anti-business they are. You gotta pick a lane bud. They can't be both at the same time.
Up 7 Down 1
Oya on Jul 14, 2022 at 4:21 pm
@ Marie I was with you until your last sentence.
Up 14 Down 2
Groucho d'North on Jul 14, 2022 at 1:14 pm
Even if this government could attract more to the Yukon's employment ranks- where would they live?
Up 5 Down 9
Josey Wales on Jul 13, 2022 at 5:29 pm
Hey Marie...kinda what it does, bloviating judgmental gibberish.
Everyone has a opportunity to use said podium, even the brain dead.
Actually if ya give it thought, most at the various podiums are the stupid ones.
...kinda the issue up here, the stupid ones grab the podium and begin their cult like chanting. Roy...BnR...PE...me at times (yes I just said that) etc.
The Theological hypocrite, PE is thee biggest passive aggressive uniformed AND completely brainwashed projection that chronically spews absolute bovine scat.
Actually folks as she/he wtfe...really help at keeping folks outta church.
Perhaps a moniker change to Ms. Flanders is in order.
...oh yeah, PE don’t pray for me...pray for some cognitive ability.
Up 6 Down 9
Josey Wales on Jul 13, 2022 at 5:17 pm
Oh yes, there is a very big need to to much zeroing in across this vast land.
...please do not neglect the windage, it’s important.
Up 17 Down 16
Marie on Jul 13, 2022 at 3:32 pm
@ patti
Do you ever read what you write? Such drivel - makes very little sense as usual.
When you get the same amount of time in the Yukon as Wilf, who at least has contributed to the community more than you, than you can have your say at the podium.
Up 5 Down 10
YT on Jul 13, 2022 at 1:37 pm
One of the hot topics is a labour shortage.
Maybe it’s to stop trying to encourage construction and mine workers to move here and offer camp style accommodations.
The Fort McMurray areas been doing this for years. These aren’t your stereotypical Atco trailer camps, but large modular complexes.
If there were accommodations, we’d get workers.
I’m not sure how this would look, whether it would be a government complex or some sort of partnership, but it seem so like a good place to start.
Up 19 Down 6
Erwin Glock on Jul 13, 2022 at 12:21 pm
bonanzajoe - you forgot to mention the overstaffed Government and City workforce. It doesn't need to be only the Welfare clients.
Up 13 Down 12
bonanzajoe on Jul 13, 2022 at 11:45 am
Patti Eyre, we love ya, but do you ever have anything intelligent to offer?
Up 19 Down 11
bonanzajoe on Jul 13, 2022 at 11:42 am
@Rick S on Jul 12, 2022. Like JT he is afraid of exposure. I saw all of the past Premiers in person while they were in office, but Silver? never. What a miserable boring world he must live in while not in his office. And besides, like JT, he doesn't work for Yukon or Yukoners, his agenda is global. Shut the Yukon down for the global collective good.
Up 25 Down 7
TMYK on Jul 13, 2022 at 11:24 am
The Liberal solution for labour shortages has just been to import more cheap labour for businesses. No worries - this just adds to our housing shortage and keeps wages low. This is an intended consequence.
Up 35 Down 18
bonanzajoe on Jul 12, 2022 at 8:48 pm
Sorry Currie, Yukon doesn't have a labour shortage. Just an over abundance of welfare bums living off the sweat and labour of the few workers left to pay the taxes that pay for their lazy *****
Up 38 Down 16
Rick S on Jul 12, 2022 at 8:25 pm
Has anyone ever seen Sandy out and about town? He sure makes himself seem invisible in day-to-day life.
Up 15 Down 9
Wilf on Jul 12, 2022 at 7:28 pm
Has anyone heard the Federal jobless rate? I've heard rumors of below 5%, those are Hot type numbers. Uncanny during these times.
Up 20 Down 14
Patti Eyre on Jul 12, 2022 at 6:57 pm
Wilf if you really believe that you wouldn’t have moved here from the east and taken a job, or according to you, the many multiple numerous untold amount of jobs you’ve had, from Yukoners.
Up 52 Down 8
Emotionally Reactive Leadership on Jul 12, 2022 at 3:37 pm
Sorry… But who wants to work for GY when they have new managers who send introductory emails that state they are a puzzle box of temperate mystery who need their employees to figure them out to ingratiate themselves to this managers particular emotional style? It’s childish to say the least but at least this manager was up front about it. This one worked in the Health and Services Department in Longterm Care.
This was a very narcissistic expression and has no place in civil service work, particularly human service work. Very despotic… The YEU… Meh… This happenstance is the result of poor leadership! The feels - If you see a manager, DM, or any other bureaucratic creature with a copy of Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence on their desk - RUNNNN!!!! Children act on their feelings and they tend to be egocentric as well… But with children you can correct this negative behaviour, in GY you are made to endure it, suffer it, and be traumatized by it because it is so unpredictable. This is a huge problem!
Up 66 Down 25
Bill on Jul 12, 2022 at 3:36 pm
Don't hold your breath Currie waiting for Hi Ho Silver to do anything. He is too busy schmoozing with JT and the gang. Hanley - forget it - dead wood.
Up 55 Down 25
MITCH on Jul 12, 2022 at 3:35 pm
Silver should stay in BC.
Up 29 Down 46
BnR on Jul 12, 2022 at 3:19 pm
No mention from Currie about businesses paying better.....
Up 56 Down 14
Wilf Carter on Jul 12, 2022 at 3:15 pm
Nailed it - Yukon should have more Yukoners in Yukon jobs.
Up 52 Down 14
Klondike Constituent on Jul 12, 2022 at 2:59 pm
Sandy who?????