Statement from Yukon Liberal Party Leader and MLA for Vuntut Gwitchin Debra-Leigh Reti on the Yukon Party Government's Budget 2026-27

Interim Leader Debra-Leigh Reti read the following speech in the Yukon Legislative Assembly in response to the Yukon Party government’s Budget 2026-27:

I rise today to speak to Bill No. 201, the First Appropriation Act 2026–27.

To be clear from the very start, I will be voting no at Second Reading. This is not a political statement; it is about who is served by these decisions and how they affect the people of the Yukon.

Public service is a privilege and a responsibility. It is about making choices that reflect the real needs of communities — not political ambitions or campaign slogans. It is about being clear, honest, and accountable to Yukoners today and for years to come.

We began this session three weeks later than usual, in part to accommodate the Arctic Winter Games. That was a positive event — bringing together communities from across the North, showcasing Yukon to the world, and celebrating the energy, skill, and dedication of athletes and volunteers. That matters, and I am grateful for that.

But timing matters in budgets too. Every week of delay means Yukoners wait for clarity on programs that affect their homes, families, businesses, and communities. Families, small businesses, and community organizations need to know how government plans to support them, and delays make planning more difficult.

When the Premier delivered his speech, much of it focused on criticizing the previous government — a lot of looking back and finger-pointing — but we are still left with a simple question: What is the plan moving forward?

That is what this budget should answer.

Budget decisions begin with the economy because they affect every Yukoner. During the recent election, the Yukon Party promised to “…unleash the private sector…” and grow the economy, yet this budget tells a different story.

GDP growth barely reaches two percent in only one of four forecast years — and those forecasts were prepared before recent spikes in gas and diesel prices, which have increased by roughly 50 cents per litre in some communities. Fuel touches everything: groceries, shipping, construction materials along the Alaska Highway, placer mining operations, government contracts, road maintenance, and heating in public buildings.

Budgets are not just numbers on a page. These decisions ripple through households, communities, and industries. They affect real people, real families, and real businesses.

The Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce has pointed out that this budget does not provide a strong framework to grow Indigenous and private sector economies. Housing, land release, and affordability remain major concerns. Indigenous businesses are partners in our economy, yet they are treated as an afterthought.

This is not how we build resilient, thriving communities. Economic planning in a small territory is deeply personal — it determines who can plan for the future and who gets left behind.

There is no clearer example of community impact than health care. The health authority was created together — Yukon First Nations, public servants, health professionals, and community members — to improve care for everyone. Yet this government frames it as being only for First Nations, creating division where collaboration should exist.

That is not just a difference in wording; it is a difference in approach. It risks undermining trust, progress, and the foundation of the health system.

True systemic change starts with front-line care, especially for the most vulnerable Yukoners. Decisions about health care are decisions about lives. $17.5 million has already been invested, and the impact is real. Honouring that work means building on progress, not dismantling it. If we are serious about care, we must work with all partners. Lives depend on it.

Budget choices reflect priorities and values. This budget adds seven new Cabinet positions while reducing school equipment budgets and cancelling the health authority. These are decisions about priorities, and they raise a fundamental question: Who is being served?

Electricity rates are rising despite promises to protect Yukoners. Extended producer responsibility programs promised to be paused continue.

The recently announced education review also raises questions. The four-person committee has strong ties to the existing system, and results will not be available for at least a year. That delays real change for teachers and students in every community.

Whitehorse Elementary has been pushed back, likely delaying construction for four years. In Old Crow, boarded-up windows remain unrepaired. These are decisions that directly affect children and their learning environment.

The recent Auditor General report on children in care highlights persistent gaps in support, safety, and resources for some of the Yukon’s most vulnerable children. This should prompt urgent action, and I am eager to see how these findings are meaningfully reflected in this budget.

There are positive steps. Funding for the teacherage in Old Crow, continued support for the Burwash school, and resources for the First Nation School Board show that focused investments make a real difference. That focus, however, is absent in many other areas of this budget.

I am particularly concerned about proposed changes to contingency spending. This budget allows $100 million to be spent without debate, questions, or public scrutiny. Contingency funds are meant for emergencies, but Yukoners deserve transparency. Every dollar should be visible, accountable, and subject to oversight.

I also want to address Arctic security — an issue increasingly present in the news and one that demands careful planning here at home. The Premier has said Canada must take Arctic security seriously, yet this budget reflects little of that priority.

Planning for Arctic security means investing in infrastructure, communications, emergency response, and strategic readiness — not just discussing it in a press release. We cannot afford to be unprepared in the Yukon.

We also need clarity on how Yukon is preparing for rapid change in the North — including major projects, supply chain shifts, and geopolitical pressures — while ensuring local benefits flow back to the people who live here.

I recognize both the opportunity and, as a Yukon First Nation woman, the risks that come with rapid development in our communities.

I also want to speak to the environment — our relationship with the land, water, and wildlife that define this territory. In the Premier’s Budget Address, the environment was mentioned once, and only in the context of mining.

Yukoners care deeply about the environment. Our landscapes and wildlife — from caribou and moose to salmon and fragile river ecosystems — require real stewardship. That means investment, oversight, and collaboration with Indigenous knowledge-holders, not treating the environment as an afterthought.

On a personal note, I spent several weeks this winter recovering from knee surgery, supported by incredible health care providers, friends, and family. During that time, I attended the Arctic Winter Games and saw firsthand the power of volunteers and community.

These investments in sports, culture, and tourism are not extras. They create jobs, strengthen communities, and leave lasting legacies. Yet uncertainty elsewhere in this budget — including convention centre funding — puts these sectors at risk.

Housing and land development budgets have decreased despite campaign promises. Borrowing limits are set to rise after years of opposition to increases. This reflects a broader pattern: one message during campaigns, another in government.

Principled leadership means planning beyond election cycles, focusing on long-term resilience, and ensuring decisions are transparent and accountable.

None of this work happens without public servants. Their work turns plans into real results for communities. I want to take a moment to say mahsi’ cho to all the public servants who contributed to this budget.

Public servants deliver essential services every day, yet in this budget they are criticized while seven new Cabinet positions were added — nearly a 30 percent increase. At the same time, the number of female deputy ministers has been reduced.

This brings us back to a simple truth: actions speak louder than words.

This budget raises questions that go beyond partisan politics. Whose priorities are being served? Are decisions transparent and accountable? Are we working in true partnership with First Nations? Do these choices reflect the needs of communities today and into the future?

After a speech that looked back more than forward, Yukoners are still asking: What is the plan?

Yukoners deserve budgets that prioritize community impact, long-term planning, and transparency. That is why I will vote no at Second Reading.

I will continue to bring forward the perspectives of Old Crow and communities across the territory in every review of this budget and future decisions.

Yukoners deserve leadership that listens, acts, and plans for the long term.