Latest news with #KateWhite
CBC
30-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Yukon gov't completed a third of health recommendations; critics say they should focus elsewhere
The Yukon government has completed 25 of 76 health-related recommendations from a 2020 report on improving the territory's health care, but critics say the government is failing to address the major issues. The Putting People First report, published in 2020, was the result of a territorial health care review conducted by an independent panel. That panel made recommendations to improve Yukon health care, including creating a distinct health authority, a Whitehorse walk-in clinic and land-based healing programming. On May 22, the territory said it had completed 25 with another 40 in progress. But Yukon Party health critic Brad Cathers says the territory should focus on items mostly excluded from the report like surgical infrastructure, the doctor shortage and continuing care. "We're seeing a lack of urgency on everything," Cathers said. Cathers said he wants to see more aggressive recruitment of physicians from outside the territory. He pointed to a waitlist for the long-term care facility in Whistle Bend with "no plan to address it." Yukon NDP Leader Kate White said she's also concerned about senior care and the lack of physicians specifically trained in geriatric care. She also pointed to the report's recommendation to reform social assistance. She said a review has happened, but there's no available information about next steps. 'Ambitious set of recommendations' Dr. Derek Bryant, president of the Yukon Medical Association, says the Yukon has made good progress but acknowledged there's still a lot of work ahead. "This was a really ambitious set of recommendations," he said. "We have to keep that in mind when we're looking at the progress." Opening the Whitehorse walk-in clinic, increasing the medical travel subsidy and launching a land-based healing program are among the recommendations already actioned. For Bryant, the number one outstanding recommendation is connecting every Yukoner with a primary care provider. "We can't think of a single more important priority," Bryant said. He said having proper access to care ultimately saves money and saves lives. He agrees there should be more progress on items not in the report, like surgical infrastructure needed to sterilize equipment and an electronic medical record system, so people can have continuity of care between physicians. Health authority in progress The territorial government is also in the process of creating a distinct health authority. Yukon is currently one of two jurisdictions in Canada without the authority, along with Nunavut. The territory passed the Health Authority Act, legislation that sets the framework for the new health authority, in 2024 and opened applications for the first board of directors May 20. The new organization will be called Shäw Kwä'ą and will replace the Yukon Hospital Corporation. Bryant said passing the legislation is a big step and said it's positive that it requires consultation with First Nations. White thinks the Shäw Kwä'ą board of directors is being appointed too soon, before there's an established timeline for creating the authority. She said hospital and government employees still have questions about how the chang will impact them. "We absolutely have to make sure that the people who are going to do the work are along for the ride, and that's not the case right now," White said.
CBC
05-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Yukon MLAs debate bill that medical association says could be 'transformative'
The Yukon Medical Association remains "cautiously optimistic" MLAs will pass a "transformative" bill for the healthcare system, one that now has the backing of two parties in the legislature. Bill 310 would give the Yukon Medical Association (YMA) representational rights, making it the sole bargaining agent for doctors on matters of compensation. The legislation would also establish dispute resolution and binding arbitration for doctors. The NDP private members' bill was debated during Committee of the Whole on Wednesday. During debate, leader Kate White mostly took questions about the bill from Liberal MLAs, lasting until the House adjourned for the day. As part of its confidence and supply agreement with the governing Liberals, the NDP is allowed one bill to reach a final vote per sitting. Dr. Derek Bryant, president of the YMA, wanted to see the bill pass that day. But he was encouraged to hear during debate that the Yukon Party will support the legislation. "I'm allowing myself to hope that this will pass, because I really do think that all parties will see that this achieves the goals that any government should be striving for, which is to coordinate the healthcare system and just create more transparency and accountability in the system," Bryant said. "I'm also a physician, so I always hope for the best and plan for the worst. And that's essentially my approach to this legislation right now. I'm hopeful and I am truly optimistic." Bryant said he and his colleagues are watching "really closely" as the bill makes progress through the legislative process. He said doctors have been calling for the government to grant representational rights and dispute resolution since at least 2021. He said the YMA was unable to negotiate them into its Memorandum of Understanding with the government in 2022. The YMA meets with the different party leaders to discuss challenges in the healthcare system and the solutions, Bryant said. When they met with the NDP and identified representational rights and dispute resolution as a priority, he said White suggested they could be obtained through legislation. Bryant said 90 association members wrote letters supporting the legislation, working out to about 85 per cent support. He said the legislation was first written by an NDP drafter who worked with YMA's legal counsel. The draft legislation was shared with both the Yukon Party and the Liberals. Bryant noted that Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee spent much of her personal time suggesting changes to improve it. During debate, McPhee said she directed staff at the Departments of Health and Social Services and Justice "to work intensely to make sure that the product that came before this Legislative Assembly was, in fact, a strong, implementable constitutional piece of law." NDP leader Kate White acknowledged that the initial bill was "recognized as being very rough" and that the party and YMA were open to changes. "It's important to note that the Minister of Health and Social Services has been heavily involved in every step and meeting since that point," she said. Most of the suggestions were adopted by the YMA and NDP before the bill was tabled, Bryant said. He said in some areas, the YMA opted to preserve language in the bill that they believed would secure representational rights and dispute resolution. The earliest that Bill 310 can be considered again is the next opposition Wednesday on April 16.
CBC
03-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Both landlords and tenants want greater autonomy from Yukon's new Residential Tenancies Act
The Yukon's new rules for rental properties aim to strike a "fair balance between tenants and landlords," but voices on both sides of the issue say they don't feel empowered by the changes. The new Residential Tenancies Act is expected to pass the Legislative Assembly this spring. It will replace the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, as a requirement of the Liberal government's 2023 confidence and supply agreement with the Yukon NDP. The new act will ban no-cause evictions and provides a list of reasons for ending a tenancy. It enshrines rent control; introduces pet deposits; and adds provisions for mobile home tenancy, roommate and sublet tenancy. The legislation is in the midst of its third reading at the Legislative Assembly. Yukon NDP Leader Kate White praised the bill during the clause-by-clause debate on Tuesday. She said the new provisions "have really respected people's dignity." "I feel confident, going forward, that this is 100 times better than the [outgoing] Residential Landlord and Tenant Act," White said. New legislation still doesn't protect renters, says former tenant A former tenant in the Whitehorse area says the new legislation has some improvements, but it continues to protect landlords over renters. The tenant was evicted two years ago and has been intermittently homeless since then. CBC News has agreed to withhold their name because the person fears reprisal from potential future landlords. The person told CBC they were evicted with only two weeks' notice and shaky evidence against them – and said challenging the situation with the residential tenancies office did not help. They said the process was lengthy, confusing and rife with administrative issues. "The landlord chose not to support me, the residential tenancies office chose not to support me, the justice system didn't support me. It's humbling and frightening," they said in an interview. The refurbished legislation doesn't substantially improve on these issues, they said. "It allows way too much power to the RTO [residential tenancies office], to the lower courts and to landlords to exert power over tenants," they said. "It is not an equitable act. It is not an easily accessible act for tenants." Both sides looking for safety and autonomy, landlord says Alessia Guthrie became a landlord in Whitehorse to make homeownership more affordable. When the rent caps were introduced, she was blocked from bringing her tenants up to market rate, and that presented major financial problems, she told CBC News. She still finds the rent cap – which is tied to the consumer price index – unfairly restrictive, and wishes it was relaxed in the new act. The Yukon set the 2025 rent cap – the maximum amount a landlord can increase a tenant's rent – at two per cent as of May 15. "The CPI [consumer price index], in my opinion, is not reflective of the costs that I'm experiencing," Guthrie said, noting increases to utility fees, property taxes and interest rates. "I have to take on these costs without being able to adjust my rent." Guthrie also wishes there was more flexibility around no-cause evictions. The prescribed list of eviction notices doesn't cover all of the reasons a tenancy might not work out, she said. In response to concerns that the act already gives too much power to landlords, Guthrie said she knows the issue is divisive, and she wants tenants to be treated fairly. She thinks most landlords are trying to provide stable and safe living conditions amid a challenging housing market and skyrocketing cost of living. "In general, tenants have the ability to leave and give me one month's notice, and I have to figure it out. I don't have the same reciprocal ability," Guthrie said. "I think we're all just doing our best." The proof is in the regulations The Yukon Status of Women Council has previously studied the impact of the tenancy legislation on housing instability, particularly affecting women and gender-diverse people. In a 2023 report, it called on the government to more explicitly support tenants with better monitoring and accountability frameworks. Among the recommendations, it noted that minimal rental standards are legislated for habitability and safety, but the residential tenancies office had no substantial way of holding landlords accountable to that. Jess Dorward, project manager with the council, says the report's requests still stand – but many of them will be answered by the regulations, not the legislation itself. The regulations will show how the new rules are monitored and implemented, she said. "That's where a lot of this aim to restore balance hangs," she said. Dorward also said the goal of striking a balance between landlords and tenants "misses the mark" on equity in the first place. "Tenants are in a more vulnerable position," Dorward said. "Landlords have housing, and with the support of the [legislation] they're in a position of deciding the cost of accessing that housing, and who gets to have it, right? We know it's not really a tenant's market."
CBC
26-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Yukon NDP says territorial government 'subsidizing' Catholic church by funding religious instruction
The Yukon NDP says public money has been going to religious instruction in the territory's Catholic schools, contrary to the terms of a 1962 agreement between the Yukon government and Catholic diocese. Catholic schools in the Yukon get government funding. While they have the right to provide religious teachings and lessons on Catholic values, section 7 of the agreement states the Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Whitehorse is responsible for instructing students in the Catholic faith. It says all necessary instructors, religious books, sacred objects and all other religious accessories are to be provided "at no cost to the Government of the Yukon Territory." NDP Leader Kate White told reporters on Tuesday that she received confirmation the day before that the government has been funding religious teaching, by providing 1.8 full-time equivalent staff positions for religious teachings at the schools. White pointed to an exchange during Monday's debate over the supplementary budget, where she asked the education minister to quantify the staff resources used for religious teachings. In response, Education Minister Jeanie McLean spoke about how with the 1962 agreement, "some processes have evolved over time" but the government remains committed to maintaining the "spirit and intent" of that agreement. A full-time equivalent refers to the amount of hours done by one full-time employee, and McLean said that Yukon's three Catholic schools had been provided with 1.8 full-time equivalents. She did not say if she considered the 1962 agreement to be breached. "Kate White has an interpretation of section 7 of the agreement," she said. "She's not a lawyer." Department to examine use of public dollars McLean said the Department of Education is examining how and when the application of that agreement changed. She said the way Catholic education is currently funded goes back to at least 2006. "The evolution of this agreement, I think, is important and I've asked my department to go back in time and unpack this in terms of how and when things changed or if they've always existed in this way," she said. Based on information provided by the minister, and assuming the salary of a teacher with five years' experience, White believes the government has been heavily "subsidizing" the Catholic church since 2006. "How far back does it go? I'm unsure. So I keep asking the question. But the point is it's millions of dollars, right? It's millions of dollars that Yukoners are subsidizing the Catholic Church. And I think that's unacceptable," she said. The vote on the government's supplementary budget will be treated as a matter of confidence. White did not say if her party would vote against it, which would topple the minority Liberal government. 'A common understanding' Earlier this month, White called for the defunding of Catholic education, saying the church has not respected the 1962 agreement, which also states that schools are to follow Department of Education policies, including those related to sexual orientation and gender identity. While White said she will campaign in the next election on that idea, she said it's about sparking a conversation about the topic. She left room for Yukoners to give her other directions if she were in a position to follow through. "So if Yukon tells me 'no, we're happy to fund Catholic education,' then I would take it from Yukoners. But if they're ready for a change, then I'm ready to make the change," she said. McLean has said her department has been working to resolve "governance challenges" with Catholic schools and making sure there is a "common understanding" of the 1962 agreement. She committed to continue working with the diocese to uphold the government's laws and school policies. "And if we get to a place where we're not able to agree on something, then we'll find a path together," she said. Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon pointed out Catholic education is established in the Education Act and is constitutionally protected. He has no plans to change that. "We have no plans to defund Catholic education," Dixon said. "I think that all Yukon schools should be enforcing the policies that are imposed on them by the Department of Education, including SOGI [its sexual orientation and gender identity policy]. And if that's not being done, that needs to be done."
CBC
15-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
All political parties have a part to play in condemning violence, says researcher
Social Sharing A researcher who studies political violence says it's important for politicians across parties to condemn violence when it happens, after a Yukon politician's vehicle was vandalized. NDP Leader Kate White says she woke Saturday morning to find three of her tires were slashed, and someone had also spray-painted threats on the hood and driver's side door. The vandalism was condemned by both other Yukon parties, including Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon and Premier Ranj Pillai. This is the third time a Yukon politician has dealt with vandalism in the past year. White said two of her tires were also slashed just before Christmas, but she wasn't sure then whether that incident was politically motivated. Liberal minister John Streicker had his home vandalized last spring. Chris Tenove is the assistant director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at University of British Columbia. In an interview, Tenove said he believes acts of targeted political violence are more common than they used to be, but he had some tips for what can be done to discourage this behaviour. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Q: I'm wondering how common are incidents like this in Canada right now? A: I would say we don't know for sure how common these are, but there are a few things that make us think that we are seeing more threats and harassment of elected politicians. One is that there keep being these anecdotes about it. And as one example, here in British Columbia during our election in the fall back in October, there was a NDP politician running ... [there was] a sign made of him that was hanging on a noose out in a field with the eyes exed out. So pretty disturbing image. And of course, we've seen online harassment as well as in person threats of federal cabinet ministers and certainly also of municipal politicians around Canada. So it does seem to be getting more common. In terms of, you know, hard data on these things, we don't really have anyone who's able to track that or has been tracking that in Canada. There is research in the United States out of the Brennan Centre and they've looked at state level officials and found that 43 per cent of them had faced some type of threats during their most recent term or election campaign. So a pretty high proportion. Q: Do you think that this is more common than it used to be? A: Yes, I do think it is. Politicians have often faced anger and sometimes hostility for decisions they've made. I think it is just because I've done a lot of interviews with politicians on this topic, their sense is that they're facing more hostility. And part of it is that it is both coming to them online and maybe being organized online. But it's also happening in in person situations, in city council meetings when politicians are walking to their vehicle and so forth. And I think part of it too, was the COVID pandemic, that really did have these kind of social and political tensions that exacerbated, at least for some, some of their hostility or resentment of politicians in the decisions they were making. And so I think that has played out. And, I know in the Yukon that there was also some, you know, events back during the pandemic that suggested that, that there were folks who were lashing out for government decisions at that time as well. Q: Does it make sense to say that a climate, or sort of decentralized movement of people who sort of have strong anti-government opinions, is that what's contributing to this? And does that have its roots in the lockdowns and in the pandemic years? A: I think there is a frustration with government and with a lot of institutions these days. And we see that playing out not just in Canada but in other countries as well. So I think there is a broader sort of institutional malaise. And yes, I do think that the pandemic did intensify some of this hostility that's playing out in these interactions with politicians. I'd like to say too, I think it's really important to keep in mind that this isn't the everyday experience of every politician, and that it is also really important to make sure that people feel like they can go into politics, play that role in a safe manner, participate, represent communities, and that there will be the appropriate support for them. Q: In your research and with the politicians that you've spoken to is this something that is happening more frequently to women in politics? A: The factor that is most associated with facing threats and hostility is prominence. So the prime minister, leaders of the federal opposition, premiers, regardless of gender or other identity aspects, tend to get the most hostility, threats and harassment. But I will say from our research we know that women are more likely to face gender harassment and more sexualized threats. It's also true that racialized individuals face types of harassment that focuses on their identity more often than non-racialized politicians and election candidates. We also know from research that women tend to report being somewhat more affected by the harassment they face. Somewhat more likely to not want to pursue either electoral office or the other research I've done, journalism, because of the ongoing harassment. So there are disproportionate impacts, it seems, from threats and harassment. Q: What should the leaders of the other parties here in the territory be doing to help address what occurred at Kate White's home this weekend? A: I'm glad you asked that, because other politicians, meaning politicians from parties other than the individual who was targeted, have a really important role to play in explaining that this is not acceptable behaviour and offering support for politicians across the spectrum. I was really heartened to hear that Currie Dixon, the official opposition leader, did come out and say that this is unacceptable. And it's important, in part because folks who are really motivated in a partisan way and maybe being hostile are more likely to listen to people of a party that they're sympathetic to, perhaps, than to another party whose members are being targeted. And so I think that's an important contribution that politicians across the spectrum need to make.
