Legislature to sit next Tuesday, Premier Silver intends to nominate Jeremy Harper for Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, and Government issues special warrant

Tuesday, 4 May 2021 13:01

By Dylan MacNeil

Here is what is going on in Yukon Politics

This afternoon, Yukon Premier Sandy Silver announced that he has asked the Commissioner of Yukon to convene the first sitting of the 35th Yukon Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, May 11th, at 1 p.m.

The session will begin with a speech from the throne.

Silver said in a statement, “I am pleased to announce we will reconvene the Legislature swiftly and we look forward to tabling a revised budget. Our capable Cabinet has been sworn in and I have announced who I intend to nominate as Speaker; we are well on our way. I am excited to continue serving Yukoners.”

Silver said that he intends to nominate Jeremey Harper for Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly.

Harper was elected as the MLA in the riding of Mayo-Tatchun in last month’s territorial election.

“I am honoured Premier Silver would consider me for this position. Should I become the Speaker, I will do my part to ensure all members are heard and treated equally.” Said Harper in a statement.

The Speaker enforces the rules and conventions of the Legislative Assembly. It is their job to treat all MLAs equally and ensure that they get a fair opportunity to participate.

Harper is a member of Selkirk First Nation and has worked in recreation there for over 20 years. He has also served as a Wolf Councillor, an elected leader with the First Nation, and has been on the board of the Selkirk Development Corporation for several years.

The Government of Yukon has issued a second special warrant to ensure government programs and functions are able to continue while the 2021–22 Budget is debated during the Spring Legislative sitting.

The special warrant provides budgetary authorization for up to $161 million in government spending for the month of June. Out of the money, $116 million relates to operations and maintenance spending and $45 million is included in capital funding.

The second Special Warrant for the year has been issued as an order in council under the Financial Administration Act. The funding ensures that government departments continue to have spending authority for operational purposes if the current Special Warrant for the year expires before the budget passes in the Legislative Assembly. The first special warrant expires on May 31. It was issued on March 12.

Spending in the new warrant is approximately one twelfth of government spending for the fiscal year in addition to some major commitments, which require government payments at the start of the summer. The commitments include programs or initiatives such as $15 million in payments for construction of the Dempster Fibre line, $5 million in payments for housing-related initiatives, and $19 million for land and infrastructure development.

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