5 things to watch in the Yukon Legislature's spring sitting

As the Yukon Legislative Assembly convenes for the spring sitting — the last before the territorial election later this year — all three political parties are jockeying to win the hearts and minds of voters.

The battle lines have been drawn for months now, with several people declaring that they're seeking Liberal nominations, and most of the NDP incumbents announcing they will seek re-election.

The Yukon Party, led by Premier Darrell Pasloski, has been silent on the topic. That's likely because if even one cabinet minister has decided to step away from the fray, they could be open to accusations of being a 'lame duck' leader for the rest of the government's mandate.

Meanwhile, the Yukon Party must continue with the day-to-day business of running the territory, while hoping to convince the public to re-hire it for the job.

Here's five things to watch during this sitting:

Last capital budget before election

Pasloski has already told the business crowd that today's budget will see about $300 million in capital spending, and reassured them the Yukon will have "zero net debt."

Will Pasloski carry a surplus, enabling the Yukon Party to tout prudent fiscal management? Or will he table a deficit budget, taking a cue from the federal Liberals that government should spend in lean years?

As for big capital projects to tempt voters, some possible big-ticket items could be a Francophone school, or paving the Dawson City airstrip.

The government has already committed smaller pots of cash to sports and recreation, tourism, museums, campgrounds, First Nations culture, Yukon College, and more — spreading the largesse among more voter groups.

At any rate, the amount of the federal transfer will grow: $946.7 million this fiscal year, compared to $925.7 million last year. That's for a population of 37,526 — nice work if you can get it.

Number of seniors to grow 76%

The question of how best to deliver health care for Yukon's growing senior population continues to reverberate.

The Yukon government has pushed ahead with its plans for the Whistle Bend extended care facility, despite opposition from seniors, particularly those who live in rural Yukon.

The government has attempted to soften the resistance to a colossal institution by backing off on the number of beds it will contain — now referring to 150 beds instead of 300. Health Minister Mike Nixon has said the next 150 beds may not be added for 20 years.

That leaves obvious questions about the efficiency of design: if the next phase is being put off for a generation, is the facility being over-built now?

There's no doubt that more care for seniors is needed — many are currently being housed in Whitehorse General Hospital because there are no beds elsewhere. But what that care looks like, and how decisions have been made, has sparked a more general debate among Yukoners.

Many seniors (or seniors-to-be) are vociferously opposed to leaving their own communities and say they don't want to be "warehoused" in Whitehorse.

According to the territory's chief statistician, the number of Yukoners aged 65 and over will grow by 76 per cent over the next 10 years, so it's an issue that will carry some heft in this year's election.

Yukon seniors used to routinely move south at retirement, but now many elect to remain in the territory. Couple that with the growing trend of younger Yukoners moving their aging parents here from the South, and you get the picture — seniors' issues will continue to dominate much of the social services agenda.

No psychiatric care in Yukon

Yukon is one of only two jurisdictions in Canada that lacks a mental health strategy — a committed plan for delivering not just preventative measures, but also critical care for people with mental illness.

Those illnesses run the gamut from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, to anxiety disorders and major depression, but also include substance abuse and addictions.

The chief of medical staff for the Yukon Hospital Corporation has said "psychiatry and care of the mentally ill patient is... the largest gap in service in the Yukon."

There's no psychiatric care available at Whitehorse General Hospital, even in its secure medical unit.

The head of the Yukon Hospital Corporation told the legislature last fall that "there is no psychiatric program in the Yukon."

The Liberals and the NDP have been hammering the government on this lack of care.

In this election year, expect the government to table a mental health strategy during the spring sitting. Whether it has teeth, or any concrete way to track efficacy, is another question.

At any rate, there likely won't be time to measure anything before the next election, leaving the Yukon Party able to claim a paper success, if nothing else.  

First Nations: Working hard to repair the rift

If there was any doubt that Yukon First Nations carry clout at the ballot box, it was dispelled during last fall's federal election.

The Council of Yukon First Nations urged voters to vote strategically. In Yukon, that translated into votes for the Liberals. Larry Bagnell won by a considerable margin.

The Yukon Party's record on First Nations relations has been spotty, with several expensive (and publicly funded) lawsuits as a result.

The government has been working hard recently to show voters that it's responsive to First Nations' concerns, with a smattering of agreements on land tenure, culture, tourism and housing, as proof.

The premier even signed a "co-operation agreement" with the often intractable Kaska, early this year. That may be a hollow victory — there are no details on what's in it. Citizens of both the Ross River Dena and the Liard First Nation say they don't know, they weren't consulted, and didn't have the right to vote on it.

On the bright side, there will be a Yukon Forum in the very near future — only the third in Pasloski's mandate, and therefore a rare opportunity for candid discussion of issues between the two levels of government.

Papering over the economic cracks

The Yukon economy continues to drift in the doldrums, with commodity prices remaining low and the number of operating mines going, going... nearly gone.

Capstone's Minto copper mine is expected to shut its doors later this year, in hopes of waiting out low copper prices. Yukon Zinc's Wolverine Mine has been closed for over a year now. Selwyn Chihong has put its ambitious plans for the Howard's Pass mine on hold, and other large projects — Casino, Coffee, Eagle — are nowhere near fruition.

During the 2011 territorial election campaign, metals prices were soaring and exploration spending was at a record high.

Then, the Yukon Party claimed ownership of the booming economy. Now, it's singing a different tune, claiming that it's a hostage to world markets.

The final numbers aren't in, but GDP is forecast to contract for the third consecutive year, decreasing in 2015 by six per cent. Unemployment rose to 6.7 per cent in 2015, and retail sales continue to fall.

That leaves government capital spending as a primary economic driver, a godsend perhaps in lean times, but hardly a healthy long-term solution.

The opposition will castigate the Yukon Party for failing to diversify the economy and for remaining dependent on the boom and bust cycle.

All three parties are shifting into full-on election mode, where jobs and the economy always take centre stage.