Doris Bill is the first person the News is aware of to officially put their name in the running for the Yukon Liberal Party leadership and, in effect, premiership, ahead of the next territorial elections.
Bill, who is a former journalist and was the chief of Kwanlin Dün First Nation for nine years, made the announcement at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History on the morning of May 12.
Some of Bill’s family members joined a few dozen supporters in the museum’s lobby as she made her announcement speech.
Premier and Liberal Leader Ranj Pillai announced May 7 that he will be stepping down after a new leader is named.
During her announcement speech, Bill noted the “uncertain times” Yukoners are facing from economic worries to shifts in political leadership and global challenges.
“The Liberal government has risen to the challenge with a strong economy, improved social investments, expanded education services, and has made considerable infrastructure investments, from telecommunications to land planning, from energy to tourism, and from affordable childcare to education,” she said.
She expressed thanks to the outgoing premier and his team of staff and public servants.
Bill has travelled the territory and heard concerns around crime and community safety, the need for affordable housing, the state of the health-care system, and environmental and substance use-related challenges.
“We need to take urgent, decisive action to make our community safer,” she said.
She committed to working with her team on issues surrounding the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter by getting a better understanding of the work that takes place inside the shelter and building on that.
“Lastly, but equally important, we must emphasize responsible mining legislation and environmental protections for the growth of our territory by embracing sustainable mining practices and enforcing environmental oversight,” she said.
“We can create jobs, boost our economy and responsibly manage our precious natural resources, such as water, for future generations.”
Following her announcement speech, Bill told reporters that a number of Yukoners had asked her to step forward over the year, so she thought about it and made the call.
Born in Whitehorse, Bill grew up in permanent foster care and attended residential schools.
“I think that having gone through a lot of that, really gives me perspective of being grounded,” she said.
As a former journalist, she’s used to keeping up to date with the issues. She said she’s approachable and she’s capable of doing the job.
If elected and sworn in, Bill confirmed she would be the first premier born in the Yukon as well as the first Indigenous person and the second woman to lead the territory.
“It's about time. We're in 2025. We've never had an Indigenous premier,” she said.
“There are those critics who say I'll focus only on Indigenous issues. I think my record speaks for itself. I have worked across party lines. I, even as chief, worked to build relationships.”
Bill emphasized her work related to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, on the residential school committee for missing children and on the health transformation advisory committee as the First Nation representative. Two years ago, she was appointed as chair of the Yukon Housing Corporation.
“The best thing that I've learned [as chief is] if you have a strong team around you and people that support you and people that you trust, I think you can move mountains,” she said.
Bill said she feels supported by the Yukon Liberal Party.
“With me stepping in the race, I think it's, you know, people are telling me that it's rejuvenating the party,” she said.
Bill doesn’t currently have a seat in the Yukon legislature.
The Liberals are set to elect a new leader on June 19.
Territorial elections need to be held on or by Nov. 3.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
