Dear Yukoners,
I am proud to say that our Liberal caucus is committed to making Yukoners’ lives better, and much has been accomplished in our first year. Our priorities as a Liberal government — our commitment to a people-centred approach to wellness; healthy, sustainable and vibrant communities; strong government-to-government relationships; and diverse, growing economies in an environmentally sustainable manner — are all very important to me as a representative for the Vuntut Gwitchin riding, and as the Minister of Environment, Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation.
I would like to thank my Liberal caucus colleagues for their commitment to ensure that we have a strategic approach to investing and building a sustainable Yukon economy and communities. How can that happen? That can only happen through reconciliation, through our commitment of balancing and growing our environment and our relationship with Yukon First Nation people.
I have been hard at work and I am proud to share with you today highlights from the departments in my ministerial portfolios. We look forward to 2018, and we will continue to work in the service of all Yukoners. Mahsi’ cho.
2017 Highlights
- Creation of a midwifery advisory committee tasked with examining policy and regulatory options to govern the midwifery profession in Yukon.
- $150,000 in funding to the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation to expand their Da Ku Cultural Centre to include a daycare facility.
- Commitment to hold 4 Yukon Forums annually.
- Launched a nine-week pilot project featuring a mental health app to evaluate how hand-held devices can help introduce self-help skills and mental health information to youth in our territory.
- Over 870 individual naloxone kits have been distributed to date, to address the opioid crisis.
- Improved mental wellness services through the recruitment of eight new mental wellness and substance use counsellors, two mental health nurses, and one new mental wellness and substance use therapist.
- $500,000 to support the key priorities identified in the FASD inter-agency advisory committee.
- Opening of the Salvation Army Centre of Hope, providing an increase of 25 emergency shelter beds and 20 transitional living units.
- Recruitment of an orthopaedic surgeon and a pediatrician to improve Yukoners’ access to health care.
- New agreement signed with the Yukon Medical Association valued at $6.9 million for five years.
- Expansion of the grade 6 immunization program to introduce free HPV immunization to all Yukon youth and at risk people.
- $300,000 awarded to six organizations to support the prevention of violence against indigenous women and girls.
- Participation in the Safe at Home plan, a community-led action plan to end and prevent homelessness in Yukon.
- Continued support for the protection of ANWR and the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou.
