RE:Premiers Speech no source cited WRNNo Source cited.
Premier’s Speech:
“…While we may have our disagreements, our beliefs are rooted in wanting what is best for our people and
the territory.
Yukoners are upset and angry about what is happening at Eagle gold mine. We find ourselves dealing
with the consequences of decisions made in the past.
But we know that the only path forward is together.
Collaboratively unravelling the complex legacies of the past.
Working to shape our shared future into one that is more equitable for everyone.
Mining
Today, I want to focus on the future of mining in the territory. I will do so by starting in the past.
Since the Klondike Gold Rush in the 1890s, mining has been a vital industry fuelling our territory’s
economic development and Yukon First Nations peoples have played a pivotal role in the territory’s
mining sector.
Gold mining continued after the gold rush, albeit at a smaller scale, with new technologies like hydraulic
mining and dredging being introduced to allow for more efficient gold extraction.
Other minerals such as lead, silver, zinc and copper were also discovered and mined throughout the
20th century, leading to the development of new mining towns and new infrastructure across the
territory.
The latter part of the 20th century and now into the 21st century, large-scale mining operations were
established, making mining a crucial part of the Yukon’s economy.
Over the past 120-plus years, advances in technology and infrastructure have facilitated the exploration
and extraction of mineral resources, leading us to a place where mining is a cornerstone of our
territory’s economy.
We have come a long way since the Klondike Gold Rush.
The impacts of mining and exploration have been seen as positive and impactful on one hand, but
harmful and challenging on the other.
In recent years, large-scale mining operations have become the backbone of our territorial economy.
This sector carried us through the economic challenges of the pandemic with positive growth.
Historically we have embarked on this work through partnerships with Yukon First Nations and the
Federal government.
We made regulatory advancements through the establishment of the Water Board and the Yukon
Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act.
This work stemmed from the Umbrella Final Agreements and was co-developed with First Nations at the
table.
We are committed to continuing this work through the development of new successor legislation.
8
We are committed to ensuring that mining in the Yukon benefits everyone, while preserving the natural
beauty and cultural heritage of our land and upholding the rights and traditional ways of life of Yukon
First Nations citizens.
Since 2020, mining has accounted for roughly 14 per cent of the territory’s GDP, or approximately $350
million each year.
Twenty one percent of the private sector in the Yukon is connected to mining.
With mining as the dominant industry in rural Yukon, the mining sector helps to sustain local stores and
services, including grocery stores, hotel accommodations, and air services, and the mining sector
provides employment to a significant percentage of Yukoners outside of Whitehorse.
Mining companies also contribute to nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations, funding community
events.
Yukon First Nations benefit from the economic impacts of mining as well.
According to the 2019 Yukon Business Survey, businesses that are partially or wholly owned by Yukon
First Nations earned 18 per cent of their revenues from the mining sector.
Many First Nations development corporations have significant business interests in the mining sector
and its associated supply chains.
I want to highlight the extent to which our territory’s economic sustainability is tied to the minerals
resource sector.
In a time of economic uncertainty across the country and around the world, mining allows Yukoners to
feed their families, gas up their vehicles, and pay their bills.
Through taxation, mining helps to pay for our schools and our hospitals and supports businesses that
help keep our tourism and hospitality sectors operating.
However, I do not say this to suggest that mining does not have a cost associated with it as well.
The mining sector has had its fair share of bad actors, unfair practices, and the inherent desire – driven
by the greed of corporate executives and shareholders – to cut corners, shirk responsibilities, and break
the law.
I will not stand before you and paint a rosy picture of mining – we must do better, and we will do better.
I will not do so when we see corporations cut their losses and run at the suggestion of financial loss.
Not when our people are facing the loss of the safe use of their lands. Not when we are left with a giant
mess to clean up.
Industry cannot operate today – if it is at tomorrow’s expense. None of us, no matter how great the
short-term benefits may be, are willing to compromise the safety of future generations.
The future of the Yukon is not for sale.
9
As caretakers, it is our responsibility to ensure our children, our children’s children live in a future where
it continues to be safe to drink the water and harvest animals from the Land.
Mining brings some Outsiders to the territory who do not respect our people, our environment, or our
way of life.
We have seen this play out firsthand here in the territory, far too many times.
We saw it at Clinton Creek and in Faro.
We saw it at the Wolverine Mine, and more recently with Minto Metals.
We saw it at Mount Nansen.
We saw it at Wellgreen and Venus Mine.
And now we see it at the Eagle Mine, with corporate executives refusing to speak to the media and
shareholders cutting and running the moment that profits are in question.
Nearly every major mine closure, in fact, has left us holding the bag.
We all can, and we all must, do better, by working together.
Clinton Creek was an example of a worst-case-scenario: a closed mine, a bankrupt company, millions in
unpaid bills, and catastrophic environmental ruin that even today the public must avoid.
It proved what everyone in this room already knows: while we have stringent safety and environmental
regulations, more can be done to protect public health and the environment in the context of mining
and exploration activities.
Faro was once the world’s largest open pit lead-zinc mine and is now one of the most complex
abandoned mine remediation projects in Canada, with significant contamination that is still being
addressed today.
The Mount Nansen Mine’s challenging closure highlights the complexities and responsibilities associated
with mining operations, particularly in remote and ecologically sensitive areas.
And we all know how the Government of Yukon learned hard lessons following the closure of Wolverine
Mine.
I say this all not to beat up on mining. As I said, mining has its economic benefits. I do raise these failures
to let you all know that the Yukon government recognizes that there needs to be a better way.
Umbrella Final Agreement
The government I am proud to lead is one that grounds all we do within the framework of the Umbrella
Final Agreement.
We recognize a governance model where together; the Government of Yukon and Yukon First Nations
co-manage natural resources.
We do this through land use planning. This is an area where we can – and must – do better, together.
10
We recognize the importance of revenue sharing, where Yukon First Nations are entitled to a share of
the royalties and jobs created from mining activities on Crown land within their traditional territories.
Together, as we walk along the path of economic reconciliation, we must do more to force mining
companies to bring opportunities for training, employment, and business development opportunities in
the mining sector with Yukon First Nations.
Our communities should be better off when a mine closes, not worse.
We recognize the need for coordination and consultation with Yukon First Nations governments whose
traditional territories are affected.
I want to be very clear by what I mean when I say “consultation”.
I mean good faith, meaningful engagement that respects the rights and interests of Yukon First Nations
and – to the best of everyone’s ability – takes measures to incorporate the concerns and interests of
Yukon First Nations.
This doesn’t always mean that we will agree on everything. But it does mean that we come to the table
in the spirit of fairness and collaboration, trying to achieve the best possible outcome.
I commit to you today that the Yukon government will continue to act in good faith – in the letter and
the spirit of the law, knowing that we also need to progress on having new successor legislation in place.
We must ensure that environment and economy can continue to go hand-in-hand.
Environmental and regulatory landscape
Our current environmental and regulatory landscape across the Yukon is one that is informed by the
Umbrella Final Agreement.
We have decades of history and precedence determining how we decide to permit a mine.
I agree with many of the Chiefs and leaders I have spoken to over the past few weeks that these
processes need to continue to be examined and improved.
Following an independent review of the Victoria Gold incident, we will be working to update our
minerals legislation to prevent future events like this from ever happening again.
The processes borne of the Umbrella Final Agreement have improved decision making, but the
regulatory framework still mirrors legislation inherited from the Government of Canada.
Hence the need for new minerals legislation.
It’s through Chapter 14 of the Umbrella Final Agreement that we have the Yukon Water Board, a body
independent from the Yukon government, that issues water licenses.
Chapter 12 of the Umbrella Final Agreement brings us the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic
Assessment Act – or YESAA – which establishes the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic
Assessment Board – YESAB. YESAB’s key role is to protect the environment and the social, economic,
and cultural wellbeing of Yukon First Nations and residents.
11
Chapter 11 of the Umbrella Final Agreement brings us regional land use plans. Like I said, we have much
more work to do in this area.
Victoria Gold
The heap leach failure at Victoria Gold’s Eagle gold mine, on the traditional territory of the First Nation
of Nacho Nyak Dun, has us all extremely concerned.
We have held several briefings with our technical experts to media.
I want to let you know today that we are working to schedule a technical briefing for Yukon First Nations
leadership, because I know so many of you have important questions that need to be answered.
As I speak about Eagle Gold Mine, I want to be very clear here that I am not attempting to speak for the
First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun. I only want to emphasize what the Yukon government is doing in this
space.
We agree with the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun that this is a serious issue. An independent review
needs to take place immediately.
We have reached out to determine terms of reference for an expert review panel, to begin immediately
as soon as an agreement between Yukon government and the First Nation is made.
I have appointed a new interim Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines, and Resources to allow Deputy
Minister Lauren Haney to focus all of her energy and efforts on the Eagle mine emergency response.
I am pleased that there is collaborative work occurring at the mine site between groups of technical
experts.
Daily water sampling is underway and water samples are being collected at surface water and
groundwater sites downstream of the mine.
We have hired CoreGeo, a Yukon-based company, to lead on-site water sample collection efforts and
implement the Yukon government’s water monitoring plan.
We are sampling across the Haggart Creek watershed at over 50 locations and are prepared to adapt
monitoring and conduct additional monitoring and tests to better understand the situation if it changes.
Yukon government technical teams are working with representatives from the First Nation of Nacho
Nyak Dun to monitor water quality and fish health.
Fish from the mine site have been sent to Environment and Climate Change Canada for tissue analysis.
We have also sent fish to an independent laboratory to analyze for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury
levels.
And with the opening of hunting season this week, we are working towards a plan to monitor harvested
animals. We will share test results and continually reassess the safety of consuming harvested wildlife in
this area.
As he said last week, the Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health does not consider activities such as
harvesting wildlife or gathering plants in the area to be a health risk at this time.
12
Our technical experts have advised that, out of an abundance of caution, people should not eat the fish
in the area immediately surrounding the mine.
Ongoing monitoring will be essential to determine if there are longer-term risks to human health.
And of course, should the risk level change, we will update public advice immediately.
We have provided direction to the company and – in their absence of action on some of these directions
– are stepping in to some of the work ourselves.
Officials with the Yukon government are working on site, alongside and with the First Nation of Nacho
Nyak Dun’s experts to protect people and the environment.
As we discussed yesterday at the Chief’s Table on Mining, we continue to emphasize to Victoria Gold
that they need to be in closer contact with the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun.
The company is not complying with some parts of some of the orders we have issued.
We continue to push the company to follow our directives, and we are now at the point where we are
stepping in to force them to do the right thing.
Conclusion
We live within history.
We worked together to achieve the Umbrella Final Agreement.
But we remember Clinton Creek.
Faro.
Wolverine.
Minto.
Mount Nansen.
And now Eagle Gold.
We remember the ways of life that were lost to colonialism.
We remember the people who lost their lives to mining.
We remember the fish and the animals who lost their habitats.
And we think of the future generations.
Our path is defined by the Umbrella Final Agreement, where Yukon First Nations and the Government of
Yukon came together to pave the way forward.
Together.
History has brought us together on this land we call the Yukon
13
Thanks to a governance regime transformed by the Umbrella Final Agreement and self-governing First
Nations, the Yukon is unique in Canada.
The people who have inhabited this land since time immemorial continue to influence and shape the
territory for all who live here.
We have no choice but to work together.
Together, we can achieve great things for our people.
History has brought us to this moment in time.
And I hope that we can continue to work”
best
No source, copied only. Accuracy to be verified by reader.