Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski defends amendments to Bill S-6
‘I can’t comment on whether or not it got from the officials level up to the elected officials level’
In an interview with Sandi Coleman on the Yukon morning show A New Day, Premier Darrell Pasloski says there was full disclosure to First Nations of his government's proposed amendments to Bill S-6, even though First Nations have said that’s not true.
Pasloski says documentation will show that his government disclosed all suggested amendments in 2012 and 2014 with First Nations at the time they were submitted to the federal government.
“I can’t comment on whether or not it got from the officials level up to the elected officials level or not, but I can share that we did share that information with them in the spirit of full disclosure.”
On mobile? Listen to Darrell Pasloski on A New Day here
Pasloski says his government only proposed two out of the four amendments, but “in the end, it doesn’t make much difference because it was a federal government process.”
He maintains that his government’s goal is to have similar rules as in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories in order to create "certainty" for the mining industry and economic opportunity for Yukoners.
Meetings with municipalities
Pasloski was also asked to explain why he’s been meeting with municipalities to discuss Bill S-6, after Coleman played a comment from Dave Weir, a councillor in Haines Junction who writes a personal blog about municipal issues in the village.
Weir said he was concerned, after a phone meeting with Pasloski, that the conversation would be construed as a consultation, when in fact, he didn’t feel anybody had been consulted.
“I heard Pasloski’s opinions, I asked a few questions, I don’t believe anybody on council expressed any opinions.”
Pasloski said municipalities are also affected by Bill S-6 and need to know what the amendments are.
Pasloski was also asked to respond to Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt’s statement that, according to the Umbrella Final Agreement from 1993, Yukon First Nations are not governments.
“I haven’t heard what the comments are so I won’t comment on that,” Pasloski said, “but the Yukon Government has in the past and will continue to recognize first Nations as governments.”