Yukon.

• Author: Kolody, Linda
• Position: Legislative Reports

2020 Spring Sitting

The 2020 Spring Sitting of the Third Session of the 34th Legislative Assembly began on March 5. Although it was anticipated that the 2020 Spring Sitting would comprise 30 sitting days, in light of the evolving coronavirus pandemic situation, on March 19 the House considered and carried a special adjournment motion. The special adjournment Order, adopted notwithstanding a rule stipulating that a Sitting must be a minimum of 20 days, provided for the House on its rising that day to stand adjourned until October 1, 2020.

Pursuant to an Order of the House adopted last November, the Assembly had been scheduled to stand adjourned during what would otherwise have been a sitting week (March 16-19, 2020) due to the Arctic Winter Games (to have been held in Yukon this year). However, following the cancellation of the Arctic Winter Games on March 7 due to coronavirus concerns, on March 10, the House rescinded that Order.

Bills

Eight government bills were introduced during the 2020 Spring Sitting (no private members' bills were introduced):

* Bill No. 8, Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2020;

* Bill No. 9, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Protection Act;

* Bill No. 10, Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act (2020);

* Bill No. 11, Act to Amend the Land Titles Act, 2015;

* Bill No. 12, Act to Amend the Wills Act (2020);

* Bill No. 201,Third Appropriation Act 2019-2020

* Bill No. 202, Interim Supply Appropriation Act 2020-21; and

* Bill No. 203, First Appropriation Act 2020-21 (the bill, providing for a record budget of over $1.6 billion, was introduced by Yukon's Premier and Finance Minister, Sandy Silver)

Four bills--the budget measures implementation bill (as amended) and the three appropriation bills were assented to by Yukon Commissioner Angelique Bernard during the 2020 Spring Sitting.

Within the context of the pandemic, consideration of the main appropriation bill in Committee of the Whole took place over four sitting days. On March 19, Bill No 203, First Appropriation Act 2020-21 was reported by the Committee without amendment, passed third reading (10 yea, 7 nay) in the House, and was granted assent before the Legislative Assembly adjourned at 9:29 p.m. (the normal adjournment time is 5:30 p.m.) until October 1, 2020.

While Bills No. 9, 10, 11 and 12 were not further...