Yukon First Nations are calling for the suspension of Stacey Hassard and Wade Istchenko for all or part of session 35 of the Legislative Assembly

Wednesday, 5 May 2021 15:42

By Dylan MacNeil

Stacey Hassard (Left) and Wade Istchenko (Right). (Photos from www.yukonpartycaucus.ca)

This comes after offensive text messages sent by the MLAs surfaced last weekend.

Yukon First Nations, the Council of Yukon First Nations and Assembly of First Nations Yukon Region want to see stricter actions taken against Yukon Party MLAs that engaged in inappropriate texts that were made public earlier this week.

They want to see the suspension of Pelly Nisutlin MLA Stacey Hassard and Kluane MLA Wade Istchenko for all or part of session 35 of the Legislative Assembly without pay and allocated to Yukon-based organizations that work to combat systemic oppression. As well, they want to see all members of the Yukon Party commit to anti-bullying training, and Dixon support the standard of acceptable behaviour that is expected of Yukon government employees outlined in the Respectful Workplace Policy and supported training is made to apply elected officials.

A press release reads, “Yukon First Nations have expressed deep concern over the misogynistic nature of the comments in the publicly disclosed texts that serve to demean both men and women in leadership. Yukon First Nations are condemning the behaviour of veteran Yukon Party MLA’s Stacey Hassard and Wade Istchenko and assert that the measures proposed by Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon don’t go far enough to reprimand the MLAs involved in such deplorable, abhorrent and unacceptable behaviour.”

Dixon has said that both MLAs will be removed from standing committees and critic roles in the shadow cabinet but Yukon First Nations say that is not enough.

Party leader Currie Dixon, as well as Istchenko and Hassard issued written apologies on the matter earlier this week.

CHONFM reached out to the Yukon Party for comments, the party provided us with a statement that partially reads “We received the statement from the Council of Yukon First Nations through the media and Yukon Party leader Currie Dixon has reached out to the Grand Chief to discuss it.”

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