YUKON COUNCIL ON THE ECONOMY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Minutes of April 6-7, 2001
Whitehorse, Yukon
Members Present:
| Roger Alfred | Council of Yukon First Nations (Sat. only) |
| Ernie Bourassa | Association of Yukon Communities (Fri. only) |
| Natalie Edelson | Yukon Status of Women's Council |
| James Grattan | Yukon Chamber of Commerce |
| Bill Mann | Yukon Chamber of Mines |
| Ralph Nordling | Member at Large |
Regrets:
| Richard Buchan | Chair |
| Louise Bouvier | Yukon Aboriginal Women's Association |
| Daryn Leas | Council of Yukon First Nations |
| Andy Williams | Yukon Conservation Society |
Secretariat:
| Doug Caldwell | Secretariat, Executive Council Office |
| Karen Clyde | Secretariat, Renewable Resources (Sat. only) |
| Karen Sparrow | Secretariat, Economic Development |
Presenters:
| Robert Clark | Tourism Officer, Industry Services Branch, Tourism |
| Terry Hayden | Director, Technology and Communications, Government Services |
| Meg Horn | Senior Planner, Economic and Energy Policy, Economic Development |
| Denny Kobayashi | Manager, Projects and Partnerships, Tourism |
| Dale Kozmen | Director, Policy and Planning, Yukon Housing Corporation |
| John Spicer | Director, Industry Services Branch, Tourism |
1. MEETING AGENDA
The agenda was approved as written.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
J. Grattan moved that the minutes of the February 8 - 10, 2001 meeting be approved as written and B. Mann seconded.
3. AIR TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT
The Department of Tourism staff presented the Council with an overview of air transportation development. The suggestion was made that YCEE would be an appropriate body to review and comment on the recommendations to the Air Access Committee at a later date.
4. TOURISM SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
The Department of Tourism staff reviewed for the Council tourism research statistics and new developments in the tourism sector.
5. HOUSING IN THE YUKON
Yukon Housing Corporation staff presented the Council with a synopsis of housing in the Yukon, including energy costs associated with housing and information on the home repair program.
6. E-COMMERCE
Staff from the Department of Economic Development and Government Services provided the Council with an update on the progress of e-commerce in the Yukon, including the recent introduction of legislation, connectivity, Connect Yukon and the next steps.
7. ECONOMIC STRATEGY
Council members discussed the proposal to have an updated economic strategy. Economic Development staff discussed the many specific sector strategies developed by the government.
Economic Development staff suggested that it would be more productive to complete the Sustainable Progress Indicators project and produce a State of the Economy Report, as proposed, before starting an extensive and high level discussion on a broad economic strategy.
Council members urged the government to complete the Sustainable Progress Indicators report as soon as possible.
8. UPDATE ON THE NRTEE CONFERENCE IN OTTAWA
Renewable Resources staff provided an update on the National Conference on Sustainable Development Indicators hosted by the National Roundtable on the Economy and the Environment which was held in Ottawa in late May.
The Council was briefed on:
It was noted that the Yukon, with their work on including social factors in their sustainable development indicators was more advanced in this area than they were at the national level.
ACTION: A summary of the notes from the conference will be provided to Council members.
9. JOINT MEETING WITH HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
Council discussed options for a joint meeting with the Health and Social Services Council to talk about the economic and social impacts associated with a pipeline project. Council advised that they would consider changing their next meeting to June 1st & 2nd to facilitate a joint meeting. Council expressed an interest in having a First Nation's key-note speaker who could present on their experiences with a mega-project.
ACTION: Secretariat will pursue the possibility of coordinating the next meeting with the Health and Social Services Council and will conduct research, with assistance from J. Grattan, into providing a key-note speaker.
10. REVIEW OF RFP FOR YCEE HISTORIC REVIEW
Secretariat updated the Council on the progress of the archival compilation and reviewed the Request for Proposal's process. Council confirmed a budget of $4,000 for the historic review.
11. REVIEW OF RFP FOR REVIEW OF THE YUKON CONSERVATION STRATEGY (YCS)
With regard to the Council's mandate to review the Yukon Conservation Strategy annually the Council discussed:
ACTION: K. Clyde to draft a letter from Renewable Resources to the Chair proposing an approach to address the outstanding reviews in coordination with the work of the Economic Development/Renewable Resources Interdepartmental Working Group looking at implementing the Sustainable Progress Indicators Report prepared by the Pembina Institute.
12. NEXT MEETING
Secretariat will advise the Council as soon as possible whether the next meeting will be held in Whitehorse on June 1st and 2nd in conjunction with the Health and Social Services Council or if a regular YCEE meeting on June 8th and 9th in Watson Lake as previously scheduled will be undertaken.
Minutes reviewed at September 28, 29, 2001 meeting but not adopted due to lack of quorum at April 6-7, 2001 meeting.
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Richard Buchan, Chair