First Nations leaders disappointed Yukon's Health Authority Act is not yet law

Vuntut Gwitchin Chief Pauline Frost expressed disappointment that she did not get to see the proposed Yukon Health Authority Act become law this week.

The legislation, which would create a new, arm's-length organization to carry out front-line health care in territory, was tabled last month and has yet to be passed in the legislature.

Frost — a strong supporter of the proposed act — believes it should have been voted on this week, but that it was instead delayed by partisan politics.  

"I think the intention was to try to get some consensus moving this forward because it is so valuable to Yukoners. We are trying to reform something that has not been working for decades for Yukoners, and in particular Yukon First Nations," she said.

On Wednesday, the government signed a memorandum of understanding about the act, with unions that represent health-care workers. The next day, the government sent the most updated version of the proposed act to the opposition parties and asked for their consent to skip the standard one-day waiting period before voting on third reading.

Frost, Ta'an Kwäch'än Chief Amanda Leas and Stephen Mills, co-chair of the Health Transformation Advisory Committee, were all in the gallery of the legislature in anticipation of a possible vote on Thursday.

However, the opposition Yukon Party didn't consent to a vote that day.

Frost and Mills are heading to meetings in Ottawa next week. Frost says issues addressed in the proposed Health Authority Act, like the toxic drug crisis, will be topics of discussion in those meetings.

"Yukoners need to be made aware that this [Health Authority Act] is in their best interest," said Frost. "It's about equity and transparency, removing racial barriers from a critical department of the government. So I think it's important to get this passed.

"Next week we'll have another opportunity, but we won't be here as we're all out of the territory."

'It's a well-drafted piece of legislation'

Mills says the Health Authority Act was crafted through collaboration, and the fact that it didn't become law on Thursday left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"We were at the table, we saw the drafts and all parties were well aware that it's a well-drafted piece of legislation," he said.

He said some organizations raised concerns about parts of the proposed legislation, but those issues were worked through.

"Those amendments have been in the hands of all the parties for at least a week and half," he said.

Mills says he reached out to Yukon Party leader Currie Dixon, to tell him about the personal importance of seeing the legislation passed.

"I was there when the Yukon land claims legislation was passed in Parliament in the early '90s. I was there as a negotiator when the YESSA [Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act] legislation was passed in Parliament," he said.

"This was my chance to be here on one of the most important pieces of legislation for all Yukoners, to improve health outcomes, and decrease the deaths of First Nations people because of some of the silos in the system."

Mills feels that the Yukon Party chose to play politics on Thursday.

Party Leader Currie Dixon, however, says was simply a matter of procedure.

"The rules of the assembly are clear. When a bill is tabled that has been reprinted, it needs to sit on the floor for one clear day. The minister tabled the bill today. This afternoon we'll review the bill to ensure it meets the standard of the legislature," he said, on Thursday.

"And if it is indeed consistent with the amendments that were made in committee of the whole, and if they call it on Monday for debate, then we'll debate it then — that's the normal rules of the legislature."

Dixon says the Yukon Party still has concerns about the proposed act, but will express those when it goes to third reading.