YG rejects MLA’s concerns
A Liberal cabinet spokesman has called a Yukon Party MLA’s comments on the territory’s border closure “shocking.”
A Liberal cabinet spokesman has called a Yukon Party MLA’s comments on the territory’s border closure “shocking.”
Last month, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association expressed concerns that the border restrictions may violate section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Yukon Party is calling on the government to release its legal advice indicating that its actions are consistent with the Charter.
“The government owes it to Yukoners to show us all how they arrived at this decision, and what legal advice they received indicating that the current restrictions are not in violation of the Constitution,” Brad Cathers, the official Opposition critic for Justice and Democratic Institutions, said Friday.
“Democracy dies in the dark. People have a right to see this information, and the Liberals need to recall the legislative assembly so there will be democratic oversight and debate for these types of decisions.”
The cabinet responded to Cathers in a statement released Friday afternoon.
“It’s shocking how little the former minister of Justice appears to understand our legal system,” said spokesman Matthew Cameron.
“The Government of Yukon’s position is that the border control measures introduced on April 16, 2020 (ministerial order 2020/19 under the Civil Emergency Measures Act) place reasonable limits on the section 6 rights of Canadians.
“These are temporary measures that place reasonable restrictions on the entry of people into Yukon from areas where the COVID-19 virus is known to be present, and place reasonable restrictions on the movement and activities of those people while they are in Yukon for the purposes of containing the spread of COVID-19 in Yukon.”
The government is acting within its authority pursuant to Yukon’s Civil Emergency Measures Act, Cameron added.
“Yukoners should take note of the Yukon Party’s suggestion that our territory’s borders should have remained completely open despite the pandemic and the risk of importing COVID-19.
“We have been fortunate to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Yukon so far, but only because of the proactive and precautionary measures that were put in place.”
Comments (19)
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CD on Aug 9, 2020 at 1:59 pm
I've read everyone's comments / view points on the controversy regarding the Canadian Federal Government's and Yukon Territorial Government's decisions of the "Emergency Measures" Act.
This is a copied & pasted quote from the The Canadian Charter of Rights, Section 6, Part 3: "Powers, Duties and Functions
Marginal note:Powers, duties and functions
27 (1) In addition to its duties under Part III with respect to complaints regarding discriminatory practices, the Commission is generally responsible for the administration of this Part and Parts I and III and
(a) shall develop and conduct information programs to foster public understanding of this Act and of the role and activities of the Commission thereunder and to foster public recognition of the principle described in section 2;
(b) shall undertake or sponsor research programs relating to its duties and functions under this Act and respecting the principle described in section 2;
(c) shall maintain close liaison with similar bodies or authorities in the provinces in order to foster common policies and practices and to avoid conflicts respecting the handling of complaints in cases of overlapping jurisdiction;
(d) shall perform duties and functions to be performed by it pursuant to any agreement entered into under subsection 28(2);
(e) may consider such recommendations, suggestions and requests concerning human rights and freedoms as it receives from any source and, where deemed by the Commission to be appropriate, include in a report referred to in section 61 reference to and comment on any such recommendation, suggestion or request;
(f) shall carry out or cause to be carried out such studies concerning human rights and freedoms as may be referred to it by the Minister of Justice and include in a report referred to in section 61 a report setting out the results of each such study together with such recommendations in relation thereto as it considers appropriate;
(g) may review any regulations, rules, orders, by-laws and other instruments made pursuant to an Act of Parliament and, where deemed by the Commission to be appropriate, include in a report referred to in section 61 reference to and comment on any provision thereof that in its opinion is inconsistent with the principle described in section 2; and
(h) shall, so far as is practical and consistent with the application of Part III, try by persuasion, publicity or any other means that it considers appropriate to discourage and reduce discriminatory practices referred to in sections 5 to 14.1.
Marginal note: Guidelines
(2) The Commission may, on application or on its own initiative, by order, issue a guideline setting out the extent to which and the manner in which, in the opinion of the Commission, any provision of this Act applies in a class of cases described in the guideline.
Marginal note: Guideline binding
(3) A guideline issued under subsection (2) is, until it is revoked or modified, binding on the Commission and any member or panel assigned under subsection 49(2) with respect to the resolution of a complaint under Part III regarding a case falling within the description contained in the guideline.
Marginal note: Publication
(4) Each guideline issued under subsection (2) shall be published in Part II of the Canada Gazette.
R.S., 1985, c. H-6, s. 271998, c. 9, s. 20
Kinda' loosey goosey - in other words a shit ton of loop holes that our federal and provincial and territorial governments are exercising during this coronavirus totalitarianism lockdown.
This coronavirus lockdown is not about what political party is in power or not.
It is about the little people!!
You all need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid and stop licking the powder from the bottom of the Kool-Aid barrel.
Hang Loose, Stay Easy & Make A Stand.
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SC on Jun 29, 2020 at 10:01 pm
Yukoner61 - "you accuse me of being a staffer just because you are one"??!! What are we in 8th grade? Liberals are silly.
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DMZ on Jun 20, 2020 at 12:46 am
@Moose, the Legislature has held special sittings from time to time for such things as hearing from executives from public utilities, for crying out loud. This government has enacted the Civil Emergency Measures Act for the first time ever, as far as I know, twice, for six months total and that's just so far. They are using the act to pass legislation with dubious connection to the pandemic. There's a real danger that they're setting a precedent that future governments will be only too happy to follow, complete with the stonewalling. And you want us to think refusing to convene the Legislature is just business as usual, because they "don't usually sit in the summer"?
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Blockhead on Jun 18, 2020 at 4:46 pm
Brad is not a man of the people. Those proposing the charter challenge are self interested business people with no respect for the general public.
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Yukoner61 on Jun 17, 2020 at 10:33 pm
@SC haha you accuse me of being a staffer just because you are one? Come on now. I do work for government just not over at the legislature like you do. And last time I checked civil servants are allowed to have a political voice despite your party's desire to silence them about their employment and livelihood. Again, I'm thankful the so called Yukon Party is out of power, this being one of the big reasons. People no longer have to live in fear about such things. Heck, the current government even hired the current leader of the conservatives at one point. I heard he was working at Economic Development for a while from multiple people.
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Pikachu on Jun 17, 2020 at 9:10 pm
I'm sorry SC but no. " I haven’t seen a Yukon Party staffer jump out in front of the public calling down elected officials yet." That's not true at all. The top guy in their office is constantly calling out elected government officials! You'll feel pretty silly for making that statement if you go check out his social media accounts.
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SC on Jun 17, 2020 at 2:00 pm
Yukoner61 no, I’m no staffer. I’m too old and indignant for that circus. But I haven’t seen a Yukon Party staffer jump out in front of the public calling down elected officials yet. That sort of thing shouldn’t happen. It’s one thing to have a Minister say it, but staff is entirely different. Don’t jump down my throat for calling Cameron on it. What he said publicly was wrong, and not his place to say it. I see the Government’s staff is starting to come out of the woodworks to do damage control in the comments section. People do see through it. Here’s to you Yukoner61 and Moose.
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Lost In the Yukon on Jun 17, 2020 at 1:08 pm
Dearest Moose … yes it well known that there are two sittings. It is also well known that the Spring Session was cut short … by a lot, thus preventing a full and meaningful debate on the tabled record budget. Please look at the March 18th Hansard … you will find a motion by the leader of the NDP that would have seen reasonable steps taken to continue with the spring session … obviously the Liberal Party used their majority to shut it down. You will agree, I'm sure, that these are extraordinary times and our interests in how the Territory is being guided is through our elected representatives. Given the timers and in the interest of all this current Government should heed the call of all to reconvene and have those voices heard in the interest of all Yukoners regardless of party affiliation.
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DMZ on Jun 16, 2020 at 10:19 pm
@Lost in the Yukon I don't think Sandy Silver is interested in a second term. I've never understood why he went into politics in the first place.
@Oya, where is the CCLA rebuttal letter?
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Moose on Jun 16, 2020 at 10:04 pm
@Lost " keep the Official Opposition and Third Party from providing any oversight by keeping the legislature from meeting."
The Liberals are doing no such thing. You are simply drinking the conservative kool aid. Do yourself a favor and research how often the legislature in Yukon has ever met in the summer. Oversight in the Yukon legislature comes every spring and fall. It will again this fall when the legislature goes into session as it has every year for the last few decades. The job of the opposition is to make the government look as bad as possible no matter how ridiculous or exaggerated their claims need to be. Believing such exaggerations and outright lies however is on you. Don't take everything a political party tells you at face value.
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Yukoner61 on Jun 16, 2020 at 9:52 pm
@SC You are obviously a Yukon Party staffer and your comment is downright scary and re-enforces my belief that I made the right decision in voting to get the Yukon Party conservatives out of power.
"Be careful how you go about asserting yourself with this government if you want someone to hire you after the next election." Threatening someone's employment and livelihood for daring to oppose you politically, is cronyism at its worst. It's pretty obvious that the Yukon Party's new young slick leader is in the midst of setting up a new "Old Boys Club" where if you don't openly support the party, you will be burned to the ground. Your attitude is a HUGE red flag for anyone not affiliated with this political party. Gross.
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Spud on Jun 16, 2020 at 7:33 pm
LIY, ha ha, you are sooo funny, 1 term? Weren't you forecastiong a different result before the last territorial election? If not the Liberals, then who? Not sure if picking political results is your niche??
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Lost In the Yukon on Jun 16, 2020 at 3:57 pm
One term Slippery Sandy Silver ... 16 months to go and during that time Slippery Sandy will have plunged us into a debt that will take a generation to recover from and upwards of 25% of small businesses will have vanished. All the while Slippery Sandy will use the “pandemic” to keep the Official Opposition and Third Party from providing any oversight by keeping the legislature from meeting.
Finally come next March Slippery Sandy will present a record setting budget for 2021/2022 with most going to the communities in a desperate attempt to buy votes.
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Oya on Jun 16, 2020 at 2:18 pm
@ Groucho I'm with you. I've never heard a public servant talk like that (except under their breath). But I guess as a cabinet spokesman, he's probably only spouting that what he hears in cabinet.
So what about the CCLA's rebuttal letter that questioned the veracity of what YG relied on to close the borders? They still don't think it was reasonable even after hearing YG's justifications. I have the same questions they had in the rebuttal letter. Why no reference to that, Whse Star?
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SheepChaser on Jun 16, 2020 at 1:25 pm
Mr. Cameron's comments are inappropriate and arrogant. I think this is a great reflection of how the bureaucracy in Whitehorse sees themselves as impartial civil servants while actually holding deep political bias and entitlement to control.
It is right for the official opposition to question ANY further restriction on civil liberties and charter rights. That is the core function of their job and the only useful thing they've done lately.
The fact that the response is a total shut-out rebuke makes me even more interested to see the documents requested. Remember, my fellow citizens, these documents and every document produced by government belongs to you. You have every right to review it and challenge it. This is the fundamental necessity of democracy...
Enough vigilance to keep the type of people who become politicians in check. Check their arrogance. Check their influence. Check their control.
With the territory in a state of emergency, the sitting government (and apparently their lackeys) are currently exempt from most checks and balances. Which is why the opposition is advocating for transparency. And that request is fundamentally democratic.
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Nancy on Jun 16, 2020 at 12:08 am
The fact that only blood related family members can come visit you is ridiculous. My fiance wanted to come and stay in Yukon with me for few months and he was rejected entry. He was ready to take all safety precautions with a 14 day isolation plan.
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SC on Jun 15, 2020 at 11:25 pm
This is actually laughable. Nice try Liberals. “Yukoners should take note of the Yukon Party’s suggestion that our territory’s borders should have remained completely open...”. Mr. Cameron, if they are going to use you as a pawn in their word game, at least make sure what you’re saying is not completely out to lunch. The YP never have and never would say that. You are brave to have your name attached to this drivel. Also, calling down the former (Long-time ELECTED) Justice minister makes you look like a fool. Be careful how you go about asserting yourself with this government if you want someone to hire you after the next election.
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JC on Jun 15, 2020 at 5:57 pm
"We have been fortunate to contain the spread of Covid19 in the Yukon so far". But who is going to take responsibility for all the colaterul damage that resulted when it has been totaled up? Not the Liberals/Silver or the good doc. Somehow they will find Trump to blame.
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Groucho d'North on Jun 15, 2020 at 3:12 pm
So when did Mr. Matthew Cameron get elected? He sounds like a politician rather than a public servant who should be demonstrating respect for all elected representatives in his comments.
At least he had the courage to speak to the media rather than hiding in his office playing computer solitaire like the MLAs who should be commenting to these questions.