Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce launched a petition asking their government to consider outsourcing the Yukon’s Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board to B.C. The petition was based on a number of employers complaining that the Yukon premiums are too high. With little consideration of the matter, in the end neither government supported the petition, possibly because when balancing the significant differences between the provincial and territorial workers’ compensation acts and in considering that B.C. has a significantly larger population and administers the WCB differently, then the province would likely have to set separate rates for the Yukon and administer it differently in a way that may conceivably have the Yukon rates increase to their employers when taking in consideration of the service costs.
Mr. Speaker, the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce petition may have been rejected, but it’s unfair to compare the Workers’ Compensation Board there to B.C., but there is obviously some discontent among their members in the Yukon business community that their WCB for them is starting to look elsewhere for solutions in other jurisdictions. For some people in our Territory this may sound all too familiar when we talk about high costs of rates.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps there is a mutual solution that lies to the east of the Yukon with perhaps joining the NWT and Nunavut WSCC system. Perhaps someone needs to present a pan-territorial vision for the evolution of the WCB that blends similar rates, experiences, problems, solutions and environment into one system that we all could work together. As we all know, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut already work together under the same legislation and administration and thus we provide a clear and excellent example of a multi-jurisdictional approach that works. Now, if someone had the audacity to think outside of this opportunity and reach for this chance that could tie us together for a new type of venture that could move towards the future rather than finding ways to divide us, a solution may be found.
Mr. Speaker, people see that the three territories have similar businesses, similar people, similar problems. I don’t believe that we’re so dissimilar that an idea like this couldn’t work. Mr. Speaker, the opportunity really lies before us. Let’s not overlook this potential chance that we could be doing something great for our people as well as our businesses that employ these people. Mr. Speaker, undoubtedly, we could work together in a way that would protect individual autonomy, but yet work better for all Northerners territory to territory to territory.
Mr. Speaker, later today I’ll have questions for the Minister of WSCC about potentially launching a new venture and new vision for our three territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
