Members of the Yukon Medical Association (YMA) passed seven motions at their annual general meeting on Friday afternoon.

They ranged from endorsements for the creation of a new youth emergency homeless shelter to a smoking ban in all public places. They met at the High Country Inn.

The Friday afternoon session was the only one open to the media. The approximately 60 people passed most of the motions unanimously, including the one calling for a youth emergency shelter in Whitehorse.

'There are a lot of youth on the streets,' said Dr. Dan Carew, who moved the motion. 'They're at risk for violence, pregnancy, and poor health.'

Members also unanimously passed a motion to endorse Bill 104, the Smoke Free Places Act, which calls for a smoking ban in all public places.

The third motion brought forward calls for the Yukon government to adopt 'an integrated water stewardship approach to ensure that all Canadians have access to adequate supplies of clean, safe, and reliable drinking water.' It also passed unanimously.

The fourth motion related to the ever-controversial issue of climate change.

It read: 'The YMA urges the federal government to put into place measures to mitigate the impact of climate change in the health of aboriginal populations in remote northern regions as traditional subsistence practices are disrupted due to adverse changes in water resources, fisheries, forests, wildlife and ecosystems.'

Dr. Wayne MacNicol, who brought forward the motion, said that 'the permafrost is melting. It could have huge implications.

'Caribou might not just be there. Somebody, somewhere has to start thinking about this in a rational fashion.'

The motion passed with two opposed and one abstension.

MacNicol also brought forward the fifth motion, which said, 'The YMA urges the Yukon government to review the health, environmental and social impacts of uranium mining in the Yukon.'

The preamble to the motion said uranium, a radioactive substance, can contaminate ground water, river systems, humans and animals.

The increasing uranium exploration along the Wind and Bonnet Plume Rivers prompted MacNicol to put forward the motion, he said.

After some discussion, during which it was pointed out that the motion was also a development issue, and not strictly a health issue, the motion passed with two abstensions.

The sixth motion, which passed unanimously, said: 'The YMA strongly endorses greater recognition of the need for mental health care resources in the Yukon and most especially a restoration of psychiatric nursing staff to a minimum of two full-time qualified psychiatric nurses.'

Dr. Armando Heredia, who brought the motion forward, said Whitehorse General Hospital currently employs just one psychiatric nurse.

Thus, there is no replacement whenever the nurse is off-duty.

Heredia added that, to the best of his knowledge, the hospital has not made any attempt to fill the position.

Dr. Allon Reddoch, a past president of both the Yukon and Canadian Medical Associations, presented the final motion calling for an endorsement of the Ramesh Ferris Cycle to Walk Society.

The society's objectives are to help eradicate polio through vaccinations, to assist in rehabilitation for those affected by the disease, and to educate the public about polio.

The motion passed unanimously.