$1.9B Liberal budget passes as Yukon Legislature ends spring sitting

The spring sitting of the Yukon Legislative Assembly finished Thursday much like how it started: with the Yukon Party pushing for a "new vision" from the new premier, the NDP dining on the spoils of its confidence and supply agreement (CASA) and a minority Liberal government trying to appear large and in charge.

MLAs will return to their ridings after passing the territory's $1.94-billion budget, a spending plan the government is promoting as one that makes key investments but has also been criticized for its debt load and rising capital costs.

The Liberals' budget passed with support from the NDP while the Yukon Party voted against it.

The legislature also passed several pieces of legislation:

• The Community Services Statute Law Amendment Act, which is aimed at allowing online licensing for those in security services, real estate and health professions licensed by the department.

• Changing the Municipal Act to extend municipal council terms to four years.

• An amendment to the National Aboriginal Day Act to change the name of the day to National Indigenous Peoples Day.

• An amendment to the Coroners Act and the Public Service Act, removing the requirement for new employees and coroners to swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown.

• Updating references to the Sovereign of Canada in Yukon legislation.

• Expanding the Yukon Advisory Council on Women's Issues to reflect the pursuit of equity for all genders and sexual orientations.

Speaking to reporters after question period, Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon again charged that the Liberal government is being steered by the NDP, and that the third party has been the one introducing original ideas.

During the sitting, the Official Opposition scrutinized the government on matters like costs and timelines of capital projects, a budget cut to rural residential land development and the prospects of its renewable electricity plan.

But the issues that stood out to Dixon were ones he has called an "attack" on the private sector. Those would be policies in CASA like indexing minimum wage and residential tenant protections, but also delays in physician billing and regulatory changes concerning the transfer of homes.

"We knew that there were issues in the CASA that were going to affect the business sector and the private sector part of our economy. But we were surprised to find so many more examples of the government just getting in the way of business," Dixon said.

In mid-March, the Yukon Party found common cause with the NDP on the replacement of École Whitehorse Elementary School; the Yukon Party probed the government on consultations of the school's new location while the NDP pushed for a commitment to put a future school downtown.

NDP Leader Kate White largely avoided pointing to the government's shortcomings on the final sitting day, opting to trumpet gains won through CASA.

She highlighted increases to the child tax benefit and social assistance rates, dental care, paid sick leave and a ban on no-cause evictions.

Those were, as White described, "huge gains" made by her small team. 

"There is power in the position we're in, absolutely. But we do also have obligations to that relationship," White said of CASA. "But it is pretty fantastic to look back at what I was told was impossible two years ago."

The NDP also pressed the Liberals to develop a plan to meet the Yukon's new emissions reduction targets and a Department of Education policy that addresses sexual violence between students.

Premier Ranj Pillai pointed to differences from the NDP in how his party approaches climate change by supporting the mining sector. Last month, his government pledged capital funds to upgrade the Skagway ore dock. The tentative agreement would secure tidewater access for the Yukon's mining sector to supply critical minerals.

Throughout the sitting, Pillai has maintained that he believes the private sector can be a player in housing, even while he's been accused of attacking it. 

"It's easy in opposition to say, 'Don't do that.' But I'm going to make tough decisions and that's leadership and you have to do it," he said about striking a balance in his government's direction.

"We may not get it right every time. We may have to fix things as we go along but we're going to do them. I think as a government, people want to see action."

Pillai cited tying into B.C.'s electrical grid as an original idea the Liberals brought to the table. His government is also touting its actions on inflation relief, dental care, paid sick leave, school replacements and its work with partners on the substance use health emergency.