Now that the territorial election is over, it’s time to put words to action, says the executive director of the Yukon Conservation Society.

Christina Macdonald said in an interview last week the Liberals made substantial promises during the campaign.

They committed to protecting the Peel River watershed in keeping with the recommendation from the Peel land use planning commission.

As well, they committed to a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, among other things, she pointed out.

Macdonald said members of the conservation society and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s Yukon chapter conducted their own door-to-door campaign leading up to last Monday’s election to see what environmental priorities were on Yukoners’ minds.

“What we heard was fracking and the Peel land use plan,” she said.

“Obviously, we are keen to see the Liberals, when they are sworn in, make some public announcements on the good sounds leading up to the election. They were making all the right noises; let’s see them take some action.”

Liberal premier-designate Sandy Silver and his team earned a majority government, with victories in 11 of the 19 ridings.

No date has been announced for the swearing-in ceremony.

In the 50-year history of the conservation society, Macdonald said, the society has worked with political parties of every stripe. It’s ready to work collectively with the Liberals to advance their common goals.

It was exciting to see the Liberals promise to implement a carbon tax that provides Yukoners with an opportunity to be part of the solution, she said.

“They understand that climate change is real, and we need to take action.”

The outgoing Yukon Party built its unsuccessful campaign around the imposition of a carbon tax.

Macdonald noted the commitment to not only uphold the recommendation of the Peel planning commission, but to restart the territory-wide regional land use planning effort.

Regional planning stalled with the Dawson regional plan pending a resolution of the legal battle over the land use plan for the Peel watershed.

The dispute over the Peel land use plan is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada on March 22, 2017.