Yukon Liberals release platform, say track record speaks for itself

The Yukon Liberals have unveiled their election platform, one grounded in a promise to carry forward work they say is already well underway.

"The platform that I have introduced today offers Yukoners a solid plan for a strong future," Liberal Leader Sandy Silver said. "We have spent four and a half years building a very solid foundation.

"It is not time to change our path now."

Silver released the platform Tuesday morning at the Liberals' headquarters in downtown Whitehorse. The reveal came after two weeks ofannouncements that teased at what the party has in store forthe electorate.

While much of the platform is couched in the Liberals' budget which they tabled on March 4 there are some new promises,including extendingpandemic relief beyond September if needed, creating a park at McIntyre Creek in Whitehorse and helping electrify the highway between Vancouver and Tuktoyaktuk by 2025to accommodate electric vehicles.

In a bid to increase accountability, the Liberals also promise to revamp the code of ethics for MLAs and have them undertake what the party calls an"accountability pledge." Liberalcommunications manager Sunny Patch said littlecan be divulged about this commitment. She did say, however,that travel-related expenses for MLAsin the Whitehorse area and surrounding regionwon't be reimbursed.

Silver said the Liberals' platform is predicated on consultation with First Nations, municipalities and stakeholders, adding the budget is proof of that work.

"Our whole campaign is about let's keep going," he said.

Sections in the Liberal platformaddress issues such as:

1. Climate change
2. The economy
3. COVID-19
4. Healthcare and community wellness
5. Housing

1. Climate change

Silver said Yukonis on the cusp ofsignificantlyreducinggreenhouse gas emissions. If re-elected, the Liberals will follow through with deliveringthat goal, he added.

The Liberals pledge to make good on fully implementing "Our Clean Future," the party's climate change strategy that was released in September. The strategy aspires to reduce emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.

The strategy includes setting intensity-based targets for the mining sector. If the Liberals win the election, Silver said his partywill work with the federal government to establish them. Emission targets at largewill also be legislated, Silver added.

Silver said aterritory-wide wetlands policy will be released infirst year of a Liberal government.

Other takeaways of the platform include:

• Creating species at risk legislation.
• Ramping up biomass capacity.
• Tabling legislation to eventually develop geothermal energy projects.
• Completingthe Dawson regional land use plan and working to complete other plans at the behest of First Nations.

2. The economy

Silver said the Liberals tookbigstrides tobolsterthe economy while in office, adding that progress was evident when COVID-19 shook the territorial economy last year.

Going forward, the Liberals pledge to offer pandemic relief for "as long as needed," according to their platform. In late February, the Liberals announcedfinancial support would be offered until September.

Last week, the Liberals announced the "Great Yukon Summer campaign," which includes providing a roughly 25 per cent discount to eligible Yukon residents wanting to travel locally this summer. This would, in turn, give local businesses across the territory a financial boost, candidates say.

"We will carry our economic momentum forward," Silver said. "Since being elected in 2016, we have changed the course of Yukon's economic future. We have seen economic growth each year and our unemployment rate has frequently been the lowest in the country."

Other highlights include:

• Making Whitehorse the host city of the 2027 Canada Winter Games.
• Working with federal and local governments to possibly reintroduce commercial and passenger rail to the territory.
• Creating a $500,000 fund for organizations to host events this summer.
• Rolling out a music festival this fall in collaboration with the MacBride Museum.

3. COVID-19

The Liberals' platform statesWhitehorse was the first capital city in Canada to roll out a vaccination program to the general public.

But residual impactsare expected to continue,it states.

To guide the territory out of the pandemic, the Liberals' propose to:

• Re-evaluate the level of restrictions across the territorywith Yukon'schief medical officer.
• Expeditetesting rates.
• Work with First Nations, municipalities and stakeholders to improve the Civil Emergency Measures Act and the Public Health and Safety Act.
• Establish a data sharing initiative with First Nations to avoid potential inequities.

4. Healthcare and community wellness

The Liberals promise to make Yukon's healthcare system more patient-focused.

According to the party's platform, this includes creating an integrated health authority, subsidizing birth control and menstruation products and revisingthe HealthProfessions Act in order to improve how healthcare professionals are regulated.

The Liberals also pledge to increase community wellness by creating a "health lodge" in Whitehorse for those who need totravel to the city for medical appointments. The party also proposes increasingteleconference capacity so that rural residents can virtually attend appointments and have prescriptions refilled without leaving their home communities.

Other takeaways include:

• Expanding community safety programming, akin to the community safety officersKwanlin Dn and Selkirk First Nations have.
• Working with First Nations to establish an on-the-land mental health and substance use treatment facility.
• Hiringadditional nurse practitioners.
• Implementingmandatory cultural awareness training for health and social services providers.
• Expanding the Sexualized Assault Response Team program to communities.
• Releasingan LGBTQ2S+ action plan.

5. Housing

In the lastthree years, the Liberals have released 500 lots to develophousing, their platform states.

Now, the party promises to release and develop 1,000 lots overthe course of a second mandate.

"Our population grows, and more needs to be done and it needs to be done fast," Silver said.

Highlights include:

• Working with the private sector to developa parcel of land in Whitehorse located at 5thAvenue and Rogers Street.
• Relocating the grader station in Marwelland conducting environmental remediationto make way for future housing projects.
• Establishing a land bank for housing lots.
• Creatingpermanent affordable housing that include rent-to-own options.

Yukoners head to the polls April 12.

Read the entire Liberal party platform here: