Yukon MLAs debate bill that medical association says could be 'transformative'

The Yukon Medical Association remains "cautiously optimistic" MLAs will pass a "transformative" bill for the healthcare system, one that now has the backing of two parties in the legislature.

Bill 310 would give the Yukon Medical Association (YMA) representational rights, making it the sole bargaining agent for doctors on matters of compensation. The legislation would also establish dispute resolution and binding arbitration for doctors.

The NDP private members' bill was debated during Committee of the Whole on Wednesday. During debate, leader Kate White mostly took questions about the bill from Liberal MLAs, lasting until the House adjourned for the day.

As part of its confidence and supply agreement with the governing Liberals, the NDP is allowed one bill to reach a final vote per sitting.

Dr. Derek Bryant, president of the YMA, wanted to see the bill pass that day. But he was encouraged to hear during debate that the Yukon Party will support the legislation. 

"I'm allowing myself to hope that this will pass, because I really do think that all parties will see that this achieves the goals that any government should be striving for, which is to coordinate the healthcare system and just create more transparency and accountability in the system," Bryant said.

"I'm also a physician, so I always hope for the best and plan for the worst. And that's essentially my approach to this legislation right now. I'm hopeful and I am truly optimistic."

Bryant said he and his colleagues are watching "really closely" as the bill makes progress through the legislative process.

He said doctors have been calling for the government to grant representational rights and dispute resolution since at least 2021. He said the YMA was unable to negotiate them into its Memorandum of Understanding with the government in 2022.

The YMA meets with the different party leaders to discuss challenges in the healthcare system and the solutions, Bryant said. When they met with the NDP and identified representational rights and dispute resolution as a priority, he said White suggested they could be obtained through legislation.

Bryant said 90 association members wrote letters supporting the legislation, working out to about 85 per cent support. He said the legislation was first written by an NDP drafter who worked with YMA's legal counsel.

The draft legislation was shared with both the Yukon Party and the Liberals. Bryant noted that Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee spent much of her personal time suggesting changes to improve it.

During debate, McPhee said she directed staff at the Departments of Health and Social Services and Justice "to work intensely to make sure that the product that came before this Legislative Assembly was, in fact, a strong, implementable constitutional piece of law."

NDP leader Kate White acknowledged that the initial bill was "recognized as being very rough" and that the party and YMA were open to changes.

"It's important to note that the Minister of Health and Social Services has been heavily involved in every step and meeting since that point," she said.

Most of the suggestions were adopted by the YMA and NDP before the bill was tabled, Bryant said.

He said in some areas, the YMA opted to preserve language in the bill that they believed would secure representational rights and dispute resolution.

The earliest that Bill 310 can be considered again is the next opposition Wednesday on April 16.