Yukon.

AuthorKolody, Linda
PositionLegislative Reports

Spring Sitting

The Second Session of the 34th Legislative Assembly commenced at 3:00 pm on April 20 and adjourned on June 13, after 30 sitting days.

Assent

During the course of the 2017 Spring Sitting, six government bills were assented to by Yukon Commissioner Doug Phillips:

* Bill No. 2, National Aboriginal Day Act

* Bill No. 3, Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2017

* Bill No. 4, Act to Amend the Supreme Court Act (2017)

* Bill No. 5, Act to Amend the Human Rights Act and the Vital Statistics Act (2017)

* Bill No. 200, Second Appropriation Act, 2016-17

* Bill No. 201, First Appropriation Act, 2017-18

Budget

On April 27, Premier and Minister of Finance Sandy Silver moved first reading of Bill No. 201, First Appropriation Act, 2017-18. The same day, as is customary, Premier Silver moved second reading of the bill and delivered his (first ever) budget address. The Assembly's approval was being sought to appropriate $1,439 billion, the largest amount in the territory's history.

Financial Advisory Panel

An April 27 government news release noted that an independent Yukon Financial Advisory Panel "comprised of five territorial and Canadian business, management and academic leaders" had been struck to look at financial options for the territory. It further indicated that from June to September the panel would speak to Yukoners, First Nations governments, municipal governments and others, that the panel would present its findings and proposed recommendations by the end of 2017, and that the government would deliver a response to the panel's report.

National Aboriginal Day Act

The first bill passed by the House in the 34th Legislative Assembly was Bill No. 2, National Aboriginal Day Act, which established June 21 as a general holiday in Yukon. In his lead-off speech on April 25 at second reading, Minister of Community Services John Streicker thanked former NDP MLA Kevin Barr, Mr. Streicker's predecessor in the riding of Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes, for his contributions (in December 2015, the former MLA had moved a non-binding motion--that was adopted, as amended --urging the establishment of National Aboriginal Day as a statutory holiday). On May 8, 2017, Bill No. 2 was reported from Committee of the Whole, given third reading, and assented to.

Amendments to the Human Rights Act and the Vital Statistics Act

On the final day of the Sitting, Bill No. 5, Act to Amend the Human Rights Act and the Vital Statistics Act (2017), standing in the name of...

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