Ed. note: this is the first part of a three-part series to be published on consecutive Fridays.

Who killed the Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment (YCEE), Mommy?

It now seems apparent that the people of the Yukon need to know the simple fact that the YCEE belongs to them; it is their very own council.

At the time of its inception, the Yukon Environment Act, inclusive of YCEE, was the first of its kind in Canada.

YCEE does not belong to the Pasloski government, just as it did not belong to the Fentie government.

One has to ask where in the Yukon Environment Act is there any authority which could possibly have ever given Fentie – the then-Environment minister – any right whatsoever to hijack the council which belongs to all Yukoners?

Where in the Yukon Environment Act is there any authority to modify (by not appointing members to YCEE) or to effectively end (by stealth sabotage) the YCEE (not even enough members for quorum?) – the established council – or to even to let it (YCEE) lapse?

The Yukon Environment Act required that: “The members of the Council shall be appointed by the Commissioner in Executive Council.”

Where and how did the official Opposition (Liberals) ever hold Fentie’s government accountable at the time on this issue?

Why would anyone dare say anything about any of this?

Well, actually, the then-NDP minister of Renewable Resources historically said as much way back on May 14, 1991 in the legislature – as reported by Yukon Hansard of that date – when Mr. Art Webster stated: “Although I have already identified the right of action as one of the foundation stones of this act (Yukon Environment Act), there are individual rights articulated, which I believe, will help establish acceptable standards of environmental behaviour.

“These include the right to request investigation of environmental problems; the right to complain against abuses of authority in the administration of this act and have them followed up by the Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment....”

The right (democratic right?) to complain against abuses of authority “in the administration” of the Yukon Environment Act!

OK... so Yukoners not only have a right to complain against abuses of authority in the administration of the Yukon Environment Act ... but they also have the legislated right to have those complaints followed up by the “Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment” as well.

So where is YCEE in 2015?

Where is Yukoners’ “right to complain against abuses of authority in the administration of” the Yukon Environment Act “and have them followed up by the Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment” if YCEE does not have a quorum?

This fact was reported some time ago in a Yukon News article by Genesee Keevil dated way back to April 10, 2010.

According to the above-said particular news article, the then-NDP leader, Todd Hardy said, “The council, together with only eight other groups, was selected as one of the boards that is overseen by the standing committee on appointments to major government boards and committees.”

Chaired by Tourism Minister Elaine Taylor, the standing committee is supposed to review nominations and recommend appointments to boards, including the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board, the Yukon Lottery Commission, the Yukon Utilities Board and Yukon Human Rights Commission. The Council of the Economy on the Environment was considered as important as these other major boards, said Hardy.

And it was put under the standing committee on appointments to ensure the board did not lose members.

“Replacements would keep the board active,” he said. “But that hasn’t happened. And that’s a failure on minister Taylor for not having done her job.”

Later, according to the April 16, 2008 Yukon Hansard, the Clerk presented Motion No. 373, standing in the name of Mr. Hardy which was read by the Speaker:

“It is moved by the Leader of the Third Party THAT this House urges the Minister of Environment to uphold the Environment Act, and make a commitment that the Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment will be brought up to full strength within the next six months and be given the direction and support it needs to fulfill its mandate.”

According to Mr. Hardy, it (the YCEE) was unlawfully abolished/extinguished by the Fentie government.

Hardy said: “Good government is not getting into power and then doing whatever you want. Good government is inclusive, co-operative, and making sure that you are representing the voice of the people out there.

“It’s incumbent upon a government, once they create a board or committee, to ensure that the board or committee has the means to address any items or issues brought before it, to fulfill their mandate.

“It says very clearly that ‘The Commissioner in Executive Council shall ensure that the council is provided with adequate staff support and resources as may be approved in the estimates.’

“What we are talking about here is the failure of this government to ensure that the council has been able to fulfill its mandate. And it’s in our acts. It has a role to play. It is law, and it’s not happening.

“We have a board that no longer has quorum, does not have members on it. I think it’s down to four now, when it could be anywhere from eight to 12, so it’s not functioning on that level.”

The writer is a longtime Whitehorse resident.

By GARY BEMIS