4 things Yukon's opposition parties want to know about govt's response to COVID-19

Yukon health officials rolled out new measures to contain COVID-19 this week, including a drive-through testing site in Whitehorse and a mandatory mask rule that starts Dec. 1. 

The government also announced an extension of an existing wage top-up program for low-income essential workers.

With the territory now at 38 confirmed cases and the holiday travel season looming, the opposition had some pointed questions for the Yukon Liberal government Tuesday. 

1. Drive-through testing site

The new drive-through testing site on the Alaska Highway opened Sunday, but wasn't announced by the government until Monday.

"This meant that for an entire day, people were not aware that this option was available to them," said opposition leader Stacey Hassard, who also took aim at the decision to run the drive-through site for six days as a pilot project.

"We started the drive-through up very, very quickly to ensure we enhanced our testing capacity and that every Yukoner who needs to be tested has the opportunity," Health Minister Pauline Frost said.

She said 32 people got tested during the site's first (known) day of operation and that it's possible the drive-through site could continue past six days.

2. Mask rule kerfuffle

The territory's rule requiring face masks in public places starting Dec. 1 isn't controversial in the legislature. But Yukon Party MLA Scott Kent accused the government of sitting on the announcement for a day to give the Yukon Liberal Party —  a separate entity from the government — time to work up some graphics for social media.

There's no sign the Liberal Party had the graphics ahead of time. The Liberal caucus did tweet about the mask rule Tuesday morning.

Scott accused the Liberals of blurring the line between government communications and partisan politicking. 

"Absolutely ridiculous," said Premier Sandy Silver in response. "If the members opposite cared to listen to the public updates that we've been giving ... for weeks now, it's been coming. Masks have been coming."

3. Delay announcing exposures?

Yukon Party MLA Geraldine Van Bibber said the government was slow to announce two potential COVID-19 exposures on Air North flights that occurred Nov. 12 and 15. Van Bibber said the Nov. 15 advisory didn't appear on the Yukon government's website until Tuesday morning. As of Tuesday evening, there was still nothing about the Nov. 12 exposure on the government site (Air North has announced both exposures on its website).

Frost drew howls from the opposition benches when she suggested it's not the government's or the health minister's responsibility to update the government website.

"We have staff in place. We take the advice of the chief medical officer of health. We are responsive and responding appropriately to the pressures," she said, before adding, "Absolutely. I am responsible."

4. Testing Yukoners who come home for Christmas

Kent also wanted to know the government's plan for the looming influx of students, military personnel, athletes and other Yukoners who live outside the territory and are planning to come home for the holidays. He's also calling on the government to offer rapid testing to those people.

Health minister Pauline Frost appeared cool to the idea. So far the government is limiting testing to people with symptoms. And while the health department has some rapid testing equipment, Frost said that's no substitute for the testing policies the government already has in place.

Meanwhile, John Streicker, the community services minister, said the government will step up communications about the rules for self-isolation, including specific instruction for people hosting out-of-territory visitors. A list of those rules can be found here.