Campaign trail notes: What Yukon's political parties had to say on April 8

The leaders of the three political parties running in Yukon's territorial election all made final appeals to voters on Thursday, reiterating promises they'd made along the campaign trail and urging Yukoners who haven't voted already to hit the polls on April 12.

NDP

Yukoners want change, Yukon NDP leader Kate White said that's why, after years of Yukon Party governance, they voted in the Liberals.

But, she said, they've just seen more of the same.

"The problems haven't changed, but people are getting more and more tired of fighting," White said.

White accused the Yukon Liberals of being big on talk but low on action, and claimed the Yukon Party was championing cuts at a time where they would only hurt those who are most in need.

A Yukon NDP government, according to White, wouldstand up for affordable housing while also ensuring that quality health and mental health care is there for people who need it.

She also said she didn't think "regular people" should have to pay for COVID-19 recovery efforts via cuts to services or increased fees.Instead, White said she would do the "fair" thing and "ask the people who make the most to pay a little more," as well as charge fly-in-fly-out workers for their share of the services they use in the territory.

Liberals

Yukon Liberals leader Sandy Silver touted hisparty's "proactive and comprehensive response" to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He highlighted the financial relief programs the territorial government has introduced for businesses and individuals hit hard by the pandemic, and also pointed to the work it did to ensure Yukon was prioritized for vaccines. Those efforts, he said, have kept Yukoners supported and safe while also making the territory a national leader in vaccination roll-outs.

"That's the leadership that the Yukon needs, and that is what our Yukon Liberal team brings to the table," he said.

While it was important to keep Yukon's economy strong,Silver said keeping Yukoners safe is the top priority something he said his government has been able to do by sticking to the science.

Silver accused the Yukon Party of advocating for, or promising, the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions against the advice of the chief medical officer of health.

A re-elected Liberal government, Silver said, would continue to responsibly lead the territory through the pandemic.

Yukon Party

The Yukon Party is the party of action, leader Currie Dixon said one that can lead the territory out of the pandemic and into a prosperous future.

He unveiled what he said was the "final piece" of a "bold action plan" the Yukon Party would immediately implement, should it be voted in as the next government a promise to deliver on 23 platform commitments during its first 100 days in office.

Those commitments include providing a "clear path" to a safe reopening of the territory, working with Yukon First Nations to hold a Yukon Forum, freezing power rates for two years and reversing camping fee increases.

"A Yukon Party government knows that if we provide Yukoners with action for a change, we can help make life better for all Yukoners," Dixon said.

Dixonclaimed the Yukon Liberals took more time than any other government in the territory's history to "get to work" after the 2016 election, and that "delays and inaction became a trend."

"We believe that better is possible," he said.