In advance of Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre’s rally in Whitehorse, the territorial Yukon Party has clarified its connection to the federal political party.
“The Yukon Party is focused solely on Yukoners and has no formal relationship with any federal party,” according to Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon in an email statement on Sept. 13.
The clarification comes in response to the Yukon Liberal Party’s Sept. 12 release calling out things Poilievre has said and done in the past. The release suggests the Yukon Party is preparing to welcome Poilievre and that Poilievre’s values aren’t “Yukon values.” It asks if the Yukon Party will be “brave enough to stand up” to Poilievre when he visits the territory.
The Yukon Liberal Party executive did not respond to follow-up questions by publication.
“It’s clear that the territorial Liberals are out of ideas and out of touch with Yukoners. Attacks like this one are simply further evidence that the Liberals know they are down in the polls and are desperately flailing,” Dixon said.
“Yukoners want their political leaders focused on the issues that are most important to them, such as the rapidly growing cost of living and housing. The Liberals have the worst record in the country when it comes to cost of living and they continue to fail to provide adequate or affordable housing to Yukoners. The Yukon Party will stay focused on the issues that matter most.”
When pressed on whether the Yukon Party endorses or supports Poilievre and his party’s policies, Yukon Party press secretary Tim Kucharuk reiterated the territorial party is not formally tied to the federal party.
“Regarding specific issues important to Yukoners, we have a long public record that’s available on our website via news releases, on our social media, in news articles and in Hansard of the Yukon Legislative Assembly,” reads the email.
Yukon Party MLA Yvonne Clarke promoted Poilievre’s previously planned rally — which was postponed due to wildfires — on social media.
Kucharuk said the Yukon Party has a long-standing practise in which MLAs make their own decisions about attending or participating in federal political events as individuals — as opposed to as official representatives of the caucus — because there are no formal relations with any federal political parties.
“The Yukon Party does not manage that attendance,” he said.
The Yukon NDP has called on the Yukon Party to clarify its position on trans rights after the federal Conservatives passed relevant policy proposals including “prohibiting life altering medicinal or surgical interventions on minors under 18 to treat gender confusion or dysphoria” at the party’s national convention in Quebec City last weekend.
A Sept. 13 release quotes Yukon NDP Leader Kate White suggesting that where the federal Conservative party goes, its “Yukon cousins” are likely to follow. The release argues that “trans kids deserve to live in bodies that match who they are.”
In an email statement that does not specifically address the federal party’s newly proposed policies, Dixon said the Yukon should be a “welcoming place for all people, regardless of their gender or sexuality.”
“Despite progress towards inclusivity and equality, we recognize that many transgender and non-binary people continue to face discrimination,” reads Dixon’s statement.
“Each and every transgender person is deserving of respect, dignity and equality, and we’ll continue to fight to ensure those rights are respected and protected.”
Per the federal party’s website, the Whitehorse event is set to take place at the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre on the evening of Sept. 15. It is being branded as a “bring it home” and an “axe the tax” rally as part of a tour. Poilievre is scheduled to appear in Terrace, British Columbia, before making his way up North.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
