Welcome to the Yukon Party website. On this website you will learn more about us including who we are, what we do, what we stand for and what we hope to accomplish for Yukoners and our very special Territory. You will find biographies of the eleven Yukon Party MLA’s, their Ministerial portfolios and other responsibilities, as well as the names of the members of the Yukon Party Executive and contact numbers.
The site also includes the beginning of the History of the Yukon Party and the 2011 Yukon Party Election Platform, “Moving Forward Together”.
The Yukon Party has been in office since 2002, winning three successive majority governments – something no political party has accomplished since the inception of party politics in 1978. Rebuilding the Yukon’s private sector economy was job one for the two previous Yukon Party governments elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. They did a superb job in promoting economic growth and put Yukon on the pathway to prosperity.
The current Yukon Party government plans to continue that journey. Today Yukon enjoys one of the most prosperous economies in all of Canada. Between 2006 and 2011, Yukon experienced a 11.7% population growth rate, the highest rate of growth in the country.
Mineral exploration expenditures for 2011 are estimated to be over $300 million, almost twice the previous record of $157 million set in 2010. With three operating mines, the current mineral production forecast is $420 million. Annual tourism visitation for 2011 is expected to be around 320,000 following strong growth in international border crossings in 2010. Yukon continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada with the unemployment rate for 2011 expected to be under 6.0% for the year. Based on strong year-to-date numbers for building permits the 2011 forecast has been revised upward to $180 million, which would represent a record value for Yukon. Given the growth in retail sales, it is estimated that the 2011 total will be over $660 million. Suffice it so say with all these records being set, Yukon is the best place in Canada to live, work and raise a family.
A growing, prosperous economy creates challenges. For example, the increased level of economic activity and subsequent growth in population has resulted in an increased demand for housing and affordable lots. These increases have also caused a heightened demand for more education and training facilities and programs, as well as placed greater pressures on our health and social services safety net. The substantial increase in resource development activities is placing additional pressures on our land and resource management systems and environmental protection processes. The greatest challenges facing the development of the territory’s future economic prospects are related to infrastructure, including the provision of affordable, clean energy and improvements in our transportation and communication infrastructure. The current Yukon Party government welcomes these challenges.
The 2011 Yukon Party Election Platform, “Moving Forward Together”, outlines how our government is going to meet the challenges prosperity is bringing to the territory.
I urge you to review our platform as it not only spells out our commitments to Yukoners but also shows how we are going to go about managing prosperity. On October 11th, 2011, Yukoners voted to have the territory continue to grow and prosper under the stewardship of a re-elected Yukon Party government. We fully intend to honour the trust that Yukoners have placed in us by doing what we said we were going to do.
Sincerely,
Darrell Pasloski
Leader
Yukon Party