Fall sitting of Yukon legislature concludes with passing of supplementary budget

The Yukon Legislative Assembly’s fall sitting ended on Thursday after the territorial government introduced and passed a supplementary budget. 

The short eight-day sitting marked the first time the Yukon Party led the assembly as the new government — with the NDP as the Official Opposition. 

Despite the short length of the sitting, members of the assembly voted in favour of authorizing additional money outside the regular budget, to tide the government over until fiscal year-end.

“As a result of the sitting, we have spending authority for the government to continue to operate,” Premier Currie Dixon told CBC News.

“If we didn't pass the budget that we did ... we would see some government departments shutting down.” 

The supplementary budget includes an increase of $150 million in operations and maintenance spending 一 money for the day-to-day functioning of departments and programs. The government also increased its capital spending by $1 million, with some investments in infrastructure projects such as a new fire hall in Whitehorse. 

The government also introduced a $1.6-million relief program to offset electricity rate increases. Yukon Energy’s rates are expected to go up 10 per cent on Jan. 1. The government will offer a discount to residential ratepayers to offset that increase.

Other investments are being made into the Education department and the health-care system. Health care came up several times during question period, with Brad Cathers, the new health minister, describing the system as “broken” and in need of a complete makeover, though without making any specific commitment. 

While Dixon previously mentioned this sitting was inevitable due to a poor financial situation, it also came soon after last month's election — leaving little time for rookie ministers to get to know their portfolios. 

Most ministers were unable to provide answers during question period, often saying they hadn't been briefed yet and they would respond later, or blaming the previous Liberal government for current issues.

"I was hoping to have some patience from both other opposition MLAs, the media and the public around the ability of ministers to respond in a comprehensive way to questions of detail,” Dixon said. 

While the opposition didn’t push back on that during debates, Official Opposition Leader Kate White told CBC News the sitting was not reassuring. 

“The reality is a good deal of them [ministers] have been in that chamber for a really long time and they should know the issues,” White said.

“We brought up issues that they should be very familiar with. And the excuse has been like, ‘we're just a couple weeks into these portfolios’ — and I don't think that cuts it.”