Yukon MLAs vote to redraw electoral map, with 2 new Whitehorse ridings

Yukon's Legislative Assembly is set to grow by two members, after the next territorial election.

MLAs voted on Tuesday in favour of a series of proposed changes to the territory's electoral boundaries. Those changes, recommended by an independent commission, would see the number of ridings in Whitehorse increase by two, and would also see changes to the makeup of other districts.

Premier Ranj Pillai, introducing the bill on Monday, said the changes would "ensure that the electoral district boundaries are fair and effectively represent the Yukon's population as the territory grows."

The Yukon Electoral District Boundaries Commission's final report, outlining its proposed changes to the electoral map, was tabled last month.

The commission recommended that the total number of electoral districts in the territory rise from 19 to 21. Thirteen of them would be in Whitehorse, and eight in rural communities.

The commission proposed:

• Two new electoral districts for Whitehorse: Whistle Bend North and Whistle Bend South.
• Dissolving the current Pelly-Nisutlin district, and creating a new district made up of Watson Lake, Ross River and Faro.
• Dividing Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes into two new districts: Southern Lakes which includes Carcross, Tagish and Teslin, and Marsh Lake-Mount Lorne-Golden Horn (which would remove Golden Horn from the Copperbelt South district).
•  Some minor changes to the boundaries of some Whitehorse ridings.

MLAs from all three parties voted in favour of the proposed changes on Tuesday, except for two: Pelly-Nisutlin MLA Stacey Hassard, and Watson Lake MLA Patti McLeod.

McLeod said the change for Watson Lake, Ross River, and Faro "will diminish representation for all of those communities."

Hassard said many of his constituents "and Yukoners from far and wide have expressed displeasure" in the changes.

Hassard said he's concerned about the urban-rural split in the Legislative Assembly, saying that having 13 districts in Whitehorse, with only eight outside the capital, is "too much."

"To continue down this road will be very disastrous. At some point, the Yukon could be in a situation where a political party could win a majority government while not holding even one rural seat. That, Mr. Speaker, is not a Yukon that I care to see," Hassard said.

In a letter to the premier last week, Faro Mayor Jack Bowers also spoke out against the changes, saying he felt that residents in his community, as well as Ross River and Watson Lake, were being "done a disservice."

Bowers argues that the relatively remote Campbell Highway, which connects the three rural communities, is a "challenge" to travel, any time of year.  

"I've personally driven it many times and not encountered another vehicle in over 400 kilometres. This may well be a factor in a potential MLA deciding against seeking the seat," Bowers wrote.

NDP Leader Kate White, however, supported the changes. She pointed out that, under the territory's new fixed election dates, another electoral boundaries commission would likely be established after the November 2029 territorial election.

"This isn't forever; this a two-election change," White said. "And if it doesn't work, then the next commission I believe will be able to address that."