Yukon.

• Author: Kolody, Linda
• Position: Legislative Reports

2021 Fall Sitting

On October 7, the 2021 Fall Sitting of the First Session of the 35th Yukon Legislative Assembly began. It is anticipated that the Sitting will consist of 31 sitting days, with the final sitting day being December 2.

Government Bills introduced

Pursuant to Standing Order 74, the following government bills were introduced by the fifth sitting day (the deadline for the introduction of government legislation to be dealt with during a given Sitting):

* Bill No. 3, Act to Amend the Assessment and Taxation Act and the Municipal Act (2021)--Richard Mostyn

* Bill No. 4, Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act (2021) -- Nils Clarke

* Bill No. 5, Act to Amend the Territorial Lands (Yukon) Act (2021)--John Streicker

* Bill No. 6, Act to Amend the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act (2021)--Tracy-Anne McPhee

* Bill No. 7, Act to Amend the Family Property and Support Act (2021)--Ms. McPhee

* Bill No. 8, Workers' Safety and Compensation Act--Mr. Mostyn

* Bill No. 9, Act to Amend the Cannabis Control and Regulation Act (2021)--Ranj Pillai

* Bill No. 10, Act to Amend the Territorial Court Judiciary Pension Plan Act (2021)--Ms. McPhee

* Bill No. 202, Second Appropriation Act 2022-22--Sandy Silver

As of the time of writing, no new private members' bills have been introduced.

Opposition Private Members' Motions

On October 13, the first of the Sitting's biweekly "opposition day" Wednesdays, two motions were considered.

The first motion debated during Opposition Private Members' Business that day was Motion No. 112, moved by Annie Blake (Vuntut Gwitchin), a member of the Third Party caucus. The motion, which urged the Yukon government to provide full coverage for Trikafta, the cystic fibrosis drug treatment, carried unanimously (18 ayes, nil nay).

The second motion considered on October 13 was Motion No. 113, standing in the name of Currie Dixon, the Leader of the Official Opposition. Mr. Dixon's motion sought to restrict the use of the "guillotine clause" (i.e. Standing Order 76) by limiting the application of that standing order to appropriation bills, as opposed to government bills in general. At the end of the sitting day, debate was adjourned on a government amendment seeking to refer the matter to the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges for the committee's consideration.

Public Accounts Committee--First Report

As noted in Yukon's previous legislative report, on June 7, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG)...