Question re:  Tombstone Territorial Park management

Mr. Silver:    Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I attended a public meeting about the Tombstone Territorial Park Management Plan. It requires a review three years after the plan’s approval and that is what is happening this spring.

One of the issues that was raised at the meeting was search and rescue in the park. The park management committee drafted its recommendations that Yukon develop regulations necessary to fully implement the park’s management plan. This will help manage the park and ensure public safety.

The current policy of the government is “hiker beware.” The Department of Environment’s website warns visitors, and I quote: “Yukon Parks staff do not have the capacity or responsibility for initiating search and rescue.”

Inevitably, the Klondike Search and Rescue Association and the RCMP are involved in any rescue. As the numbers of visitors continue to increase, so will the number of people who will encounter problems. How does the government plan to address this concern?

Mr. Silver: I have a question for the government about Holland America’s plans for the upcoming tourism season and beyond.

It is my understanding that the company plans to scale back or altogether cut bus tours that go through the Kluane region beginning next summer. This change of plans will have a dramatic effect on the economy of the Kluane region, particularly the communities of Haines Junction and also of Beaver Creek.

Is the government aware of these potential changes? And what information has the government received from Holland America directly about their plans for tours on the north Alaska Highway?

Mr. Silver:    Mr. Speaker, in a recent article in the local newspaper, the Premier was asked about the potential of opening the Victoria Gold mine near Mayo.

The original plan for the mine was to tie into the existing power grid. However, the Premier told the paper that there is now a second option on the table: having the mine generate its own power by burning diesel or possibly a diesel-natural gas mix, and I quote: “Those two options are still on the table and being discussed by the company and officials as well”. The article goes on to say that, according to the Victoria Gold president, the company has no plans to generate its own power, “No, it’s still our intention to tie into the grid. We’re actually not permitted to have our own power system, so we’re working very closely with Yukon Energy Corporation to tie into the grid and have them provide power.”

The company and the Premier seem to be in contradiction with each other here, and I just want to know: Does the Premier stand by his comments, or does he want to correct the public record?

Whitehorse: Recent comments by Premier Pasloski demonstrate he is out of touch when it comes to the development of the Eagle mine near Mayo, says Klondike MLA Sandy Silver.  In a recent newspaper article the Premier said the mine was considering generating its own power supply and using a mixture of diesel and natural gas.  In the same article the President of Victoria Gold contradicted the Premier and said the project would receive its power by hooking onto the Yukon’s energy gird and wasn’t even permitted to have its own power system.

Mr. Silver:    In the Yukon Party’s 2011 budget, $2.6 million was set aside to begin work on the proposed Abbeyfield housing project for seniors in Whitehorse. Abbeyfield Houses Society of Canada is a non-profit housing organization for seniors. Back in 2011, an official in the Yukon Housing Corporation described Abbeyfield as one of the most promising solutions for people who still want to live on their own, but would benefit from some form of community living. Since that impressive announcement two years ago, this project seems to have ground to a bit of a halt. Is the government still working on this project, or has it abandoned it?