# 34th Legislature of Yukon

The 34th Yukon Legislative Assembly commenced on November 8, 2016, after Yukon voters defeated the Yukon Party government under the leadership of Darrell Pasloski and returned a Liberal majority government under the leadership of Sandy Silver. The Yukon Party was reduced to Official Opposition status and the New Democrats were reduced to Third Party status.
It is the second Liberal government in Yukon history.

## First Session

The first session of the 34th Legislative Assembly was convened on January 12, 2017. The single-day session was called by the Premier in order to allow the legislature to elect a new Speaker (Nils Clarke) and establish committee membership from among the MLAs. In a rarity, there was no indication from the government as to what its legislative agenda would look like in its term, as the government signaled its preference to use a late spring sitting for its Speech from the Throne.
The short one-day session drew criticism from the Opposition, which claimed that the government had denied them the opportunity to hold the government to account through either debate or Question Periods.
The Premier later called a second sitting of the Legislative Assembly for April 20; five months since the government was sworn into office. According to the Whitehorse Star, since the beginning of party politics in the Yukon in 1978, no government had gone so long between an election and its first Question Period. The decision drew fire from the Opposition, who labeled it a "profound lack of respect for the legislature." Premier Silver also drew criticism for authorizing nearly $30 million in Special Warrant spending - money approved without legislative oversight - a practice he decried while in Opposition himself. Weeks later, Silver authorized an even larger Special Warrant - this time worth up to $427 million, with $334 million related to operation and maintenance funds and $93 million to capital plans up to June 30, 2017. This new Special Warrant, the largest in Yukon history by more than double, drew severe criticism from the Opposition, who labeled Silver's actions as hypocritical.

## Executive Council

The new Executive Council of the Yukon (Cabinet) was sworn in on December 3, 2016. Premier Silver appointed six ministers; a Cabinet that was smaller than his predecessors. The Cabinet was the second gender-balanced Cabinet in Yukon history, following in the footsteps of the previous Liberal Premier Pat Duncan.
The Executive Council was made up of members of the Yukon Liberal Party
Commissioner :
| The Honourable Angélique Bernard | The Honourable Angélique Bernard | 2018— |
| Portfolio | Minister | Minister |
| Premier of Yukon & Minister responsible for the Executive Council Office & Minister of Finance | Sandy Silver | 2016—2021 |
| Deputy Premier & Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources & Minister of Economic Development & Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation & Minister responsible for the Yukon Energy Corporation | Ranj Pillai | 2016—2021 |
| Government House Leader & Minister of Justice & Minister of Education | Tracy-Anne McPhee | 2016—2021 |
| Minister of Community Services & Minister responsible for the French Language Services Directorate & Minister responsible for the Yukon Liquor Corporation & Minister responsible for the Yukon Lottery Corporation | John Streicker | 2016—2021 |
| Minister of Health & Social Services & Minister of the Environment & Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation | Pauline Frost | 2016—2021 |
| Minister of Highways & Public Works & Minister of the Public Service Commission | Richard Mostyn | 2016—2021 |
| Minister of Tourism and Culture & Minister responsible for the Women's Directorate & Minister responsible for Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board | Jeanie Dendys | 2016—2021 |

## Leadership changes

Darrell Pasloski was defeated in his riding of Mountainview on election night and was unable to return to the Yukon Legislative Assembly to lead the Yukon Party. After losing government status and falling to six seats, the Yukon Party appointed Stacey Hassard as interim leader. He is also interim Leader of the Official Opposition until the Yukon Party chooses a permanent replacement in the spring of 2017.

## Seating plan

| | McLeod | Istchenko | Cathers | Van Bibber | | |
| | | Kent | HASSARD | | WHITE | Hanson |
| Clarke |
| | | McPhee | SILVER | Frost | Pillai | |
| | Adel | Gallina | Mostyn | Streicker | Dendys |

## Members

Italicized text indicates a member of cabinet. Bold text indicates a party leader. Both indicates the Premier of Yukon
| Name | Party | Riding |
| Ted Adel | Liberal | Copperbelt North |
| Brad Cathers | Yukon | Lake Laberge |
| Nils Clarke | Liberal | Riverdale North |
| Jeanie Dendys | Liberal | Mountainview |
| Pauline Frost | Liberal | Vuntut Gwitchin |
| Paolo Gallina | Liberal | Porter Creek Centre |
| Elizabeth Hanson | New Democratic | Whitehorse Centre |
| Stacey Hassard | Yukon | Pelly-Nisutlin |
| Don Hutton | Independent | Mayo-Tatchun |
| Wade Istchenko | Yukon | Kluane |
| Scott Kent | Yukon | Copperbelt South |
| Patti McLeod | Yukon | Watson Lake |
| Tracy-Anne McPhee | Liberal | Riverdale South |
| Richard Mostyn | Liberal | Whitehorse West |
| Ranj Pillai | Liberal | Porter Creek South |
| Sandy Silver | Liberal | Klondike |
| John Streicker | Liberal | Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes |
| Geraldine Van Bibber | Yukon | Porter Creek North |
| Kate White | New Democratic | Takhini-Kopper King |