Vaping rules, revamped liquor act on agenda as Yukon MLAs begin fall sitting

The Yukon government is promising to introduce new rules for vaping, and a revamped liquor act, as the fall sitting of the Yukon Legislature gets underway on Thursday.

The Liberal government's agenda for the 30-day fall sitting will see five bills tabled, including amendments to the corrections act, a bill to establish Yukon University, and a supplementary budget.

The government will also launch the sitting with a speech from the throne — the third since the 2016 election, and to Yukon Party MLA Scott Kent, a bit of a time-waster.

"That will be the only business on the first day," Kent said. 

"You know, it could be as much as 10 per cent of the fall sitting taken up with the throne speech and the victory lap and the patting on the back that we expect from the government members."

Kent says the government didn't finish what it started during the last sitting. He cites commitments made around the procurement process, energy and midwifery.

"We would have expected them to fulfil the commitments of that second throne speech before launching into another reset here," he said.

NDP Leader Kate White said she's isn't sure what to expect from the Liberals this time around.

"You know, it's been kind of lacklustre up to this point," she said. "It will be interesting to see what their priorities actually are."

White — who begins her first sitting as NDP Leader — says her party will introduce motions that focus on issues such as poverty, affordability, and environmental sustainability.

"We think climate change is something that requires more than, you know, kind of good feelings."

Kent says Yukon Party MLAs plan to focus on issues related to health care and education. He says they'll also have questions about the carbon tax, and "the electoral reform mess that the premier has created for himself."