34th Legislature of Yukon

The 34th Yukon Legislative Assembly commenced on November 8, 2016, after Yukon voters defeated the Yukon Party government under the leadership of Darrell Pasloski and returned a Liberal majority government under the leadership of Sandy Silver. The Yukon Party was reduced to Official Opposition status and the New Democrats were reduced to Third Party status.

It is the second Liberal government in Yukon history.

The current Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is Liberal MLA Nils Clarke, who was elected on January 12, 2017.[1]

First Session

The first session of the 34th Legislative Assembly was convened on January 12, 2017.[2] The single-day session was called by the Premier in order to allow the legislature to elect a new Speaker (Nils Clarke) and establish committee membership from among the MLAs. In a rarity, there was no indication from the government as to what its legislative agenda would look like in its term, as the government signaled its preference to use a late spring sitting for its Speech from the Throne.

The short one-day session drew criticism from the Opposition, which claimed that the government had denied them the opportunity to hold the government to account through either debate or Question Periods.[3]

The Premier later called a second sitting of the Legislative Assembly for April 20; five months since the government was sworn into office. According to the Whitehorse Star, since the beginning of party politics in the Yukon in 1978, no government had gone so long between an election and its first Question Period. The decision drew fire from the Opposition, who labeled it a "profound lack of respect for the legislature."[4] Premier Silver also drew criticism for authorizing nearly $30 million in Special Warrant spending - money approved without legislative oversight - a practice he decried while in Opposition himself.[5] Weeks later, Silver authorized an even larger Special Warrant - this time worth up to $427 million, with $334 million related to operation and maintenance funds and $93 million to capital plans up to June 30, 2017.[6] This new Special Warrant, the largest in Yukon history by more than double, drew severe criticism from the Opposition, who labeled Silver's actions as hypocritical.[7]

Executive Council

The new Executive Council of the Yukon (Cabinet) was sworn in on December 3, 2016. Premier Silver appointed six ministers; a Cabinet that was smaller than his predecessors. The Cabinet was the second gender-balanced Cabinet in Yukon history, following in the footsteps of the previous Liberal Premier Pat Duncan.

The current Executive Council is made up of members of the Yukon Liberal Party (current as of January 2017).

Commissioner
The Honourable Doug Phillips 2010—
Portfolio Minister
Premier of Yukon
      & Minister responsible for the Executive Council Office
      & Minister of Finance		 Sandy Silver 2016—
Deputy Premier
      & Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources
      & Minister of Economic Development
      & Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation
      & Minister responsible for the Yukon Energy Corporation		 Ranj Pillai 2016—
Government House Leader
      & Minister of Justice
      & Minister of Education		 Tracy-Anne McPhee 2016—
Minister of Community Services
      & Minister responsible for the French Language Services Directorate
      & Minister responsible for the Yukon Liquor Corporation
      & Minister responsible for the Yukon Lottery Corporation		 John Streicker 2016—
Minister of Health & Social Services
      & Minister of the Environment
      & Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation		 Pauline Frost 2016—
Minister of Highways & Public Works
      & Minister of the Public Service Commission		 Richard Mostyn 2016—
Minister of Tourism and Culture
      & Minister responsible for the Women's Directorate
      & Minister responsible for Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board		 Jeanie Dendys 2016—

Leadership changes

Darrell Pasloski was defeated in his riding of Mountainview on election night and was unable to return to the Yukon Legislative Assembly to lead the Yukon Party. After losing government status and falling to six seats, the Yukon Party appointed Stacey Hassard as interim leader. He is also interim Leader of the Official Opposition until the Yukon Party chooses a permanent replacement in the spring of 2017.[8]

Seating plan
Cathers McLeod Istchenko
Kent HASSARD Van Bibber Hanson WHITE
Clarke
McPhee SILVER Pillai Dendys Frost
Gallina Adel Mostyn Streicker Hutton

Members
Name Party Riding
  Ted Adel Liberal Copperbelt North
  Nils Clarke Liberal Riverdale North
  Jeanie Dendys Liberal Mountainview
  Pauline Frost Liberal Vuntut Gwitchin
  Paolo Gallina Liberal Porter Creek Centre
  Don Hutton Liberal Mayo-Tatchun
  Tracy McPhee Liberal Riverdale South
  Richard Mostyn Liberal Whitehorse West
  Ranj Pillai Liberal Porter Creek South
  Sandy Silver Liberal Klondike
  John Streicker Liberal Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes
  Brad Cathers Yukon Party Lake Laberge
  Stacey Hassard Yukon Party Pelly-Nisutlin
  Wade Istchenko Yukon Party Kluane
  Scott Kent Yukon Party Copperbelt South
  Patti McLeod Yukon Party Watson Lake
  Geraldine Van Bibber Yukon Party Porter Creek North
     Elizabeth Hanson New Democratic Party Whitehorse Centre
     Kate White New Democratic Party Takhini-Kopper King
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References
  1. Nils Clarke. Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  2. Premier has asked the Commissioner to convene the Yukon Legislative Assembly. Government of Yukon. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  3. Hassard criticizes Silver for one-day legislative sitting. Government of Yukon. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  4. Late sitting shows Grits’ aversion to questions: YP. Whitehorse Star (Sidney Cohen). Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  5. Late sitting shows Grits’ aversion to questions: YP. Whitehorse Star (Sidney Cohen). Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  6. Government of Yukon issues special warrant to meet financial commitments. Yukon Government. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  7. Silver announces super-sized special warrant. Yukon News (Ashley Joannou). Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  8. Stacey Hassard named Yukon Party's interim leader. Yukon News (Maura Forrest), November 18, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
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