Secretariat:

Regrets:

Guest Presenters:

The following changes and additions were made to the agenda:

• include the approval of minutes from the February 5 & 6, 1999 meeting
• review of action items from the previous meeting
• add update from members on issues related to their nominating interests, June 12^th, 9:00 A.M.
• add Yukon Mineral Strategy to the list of Updates, June 12^th, 9:00-10:15 A.M.
• add the State of the Environment Report
• add regulations for complaints under the Environment Act
• add for discussion a meeting with the Health and Social Services Council
• dinner, June 11^th changed from 7:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M.

K. Watson approved the agenda as amended; J. Carroll seconded.

K. Watson moved the minutes of February 5 & 6, 1999 be approved with the addition of quotations encompassing words which require definitions (DAP review); D. Austin seconded. MOTION PASSED.

Robin Hamilton, Policy Analyst, Women's Directorate and Robin Mercer, Research Coordinator Assistant, Bureau of Statistics presented a statistical overview of the recently released publication by the Women's Directorate entitled: "Counting Us In".

Dr. Frank Timmermans, Yukon's Medical Officer for Health presented a briefing of the recently released Health Status Report. The linkage of health indicators and the economy was discussed in some detail. Dr. Timmermans reinforced the concept that the "health of the people depends on the health of the economy" and the "health of the economy depends on the health of the people".

Kathy Kushniruk, Councillor, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations addressed the Council on the recent developments within the Champagne and Aishihik area. The address included a look at the frustrations and setbacks still being encountered by Champagne and Aishihik First Nation and she reiterated Dr. Timmerman's message from the previous day that "if you don't have healthy people, you can't have a healthy economy".

As previously decided, Council reviewed the action items that were not reviewed last year. Council walked through each action item and provided comments to Renewable Resources staff.

Renewable Resources staff advised Council that Mattanda Resources was awarded the contract to complete the revisions. To date, Phase I has been completed. This Phase identified the goals and objectives, removed the repetitious items, identified the associated objectives and put it into a draft matrix format. Currently government departments are looking at this draft.

Concerns of the Council included:

• the reality of Phase 2 being concluded by June 30^th particularly considering that YCEE and NGOs have not been approached to date for input.
• the difficulty associated with the Council not meeting again until late September and the final product (Phase III) being due October 30^th.
• input from Council needs to be defined; Council needs to know what the expectations of reviewing the revisions are.

A draft Terms of Reference, which was prepared by the working group, was reviewed. Areas discussed included:

• developing performance indicators for the objectives as well as the goals
• developing objectives for the seventeen areas of the YES
• benchmarking where we are and where we want to be
• identifying what hasn't been done/what is missing
• consideration of the uniqueness of the communities
• considering the gap between rural and urban economies and determining whether the gap is increasing.
• including quantitative and not just qualitative criteria

Council would like to see Phase I ready for review at the fall meeting and completion of the review by November 30, 1999.

The business license indicators were discussed. Clarification is still needed on the information to be collected and how to finalize the information needs.

Council reviewed a draft of the 1998/1999 Annual Report and, notwithstanding the need for further details and general editing, approved 'in principle' the draft with the following additions:

• include the Development Assessment Process under the priorities explaining how Council felt this was part of their legislated mandate.
• Under the public education section include the talk Tony Hodge gave to the intergovernmental policy staff.
• Include the Circumpolar Conference that was held in Whitehorse last year and attended by some of the council.

Members updated the Council on recent developments and issues related to their nominating interests.

Council discussed the status of the Yukon Government Fund Limited (Immigrant Investors Fund), and particularly the letter written by the Chair to the Minister of Economic Development outlining the Council's concerns (as requested from the February meeting). It was agreed that the reply from the Minister would be forwarded to Council members upon receipt.

Council briefly discussed the limited merits of the credit; no further action required by the Council at this point.

The recently completed "Focus on the Future" Conferences were discussed in detail. The Chair explained the format used at each conference, noting that every community was different and, therefore, the format varied. Differences within the communities were noted as well as the commonalties encountered in each community. Audrey McLaughlin, Yukon Circumpolar Envoy and Liz McKee, writer/researcher joined the Council for this discussion.

Council discussed the approach to be taken for the Interim Report and what should be done to carry on/where the government should go with this.

The Chair advised Council that an updated government mandate has been requested from the Government Leader. In considering its legislated mandate, Council agreed to do the following during the remainder of 99/00:

1. 1998 Yukon Conservation Strategy Annual Review

Working Group will complete the necessary components by mid-July. Allocated dollars: $1,200.

2. Yukon Conservation Strategy Revisions

Any consultation will be done with the Council as a whole. If requested, Council will make time at its September meeting. Details/updates done through the Chair. Allocated dollars: portion of full Council meeting.

3. Yukon Economic Strategy Review

Working Group will meet the first week of July to finalize the terms of reference. Tender to be let by September for estimated completion date by November 30, 1999. Allocated dollars: $5,000 with $20,000 from Economic Development.

4. State of the Environment Report

Council will contract for assistance in its review of the 1999 SOER and drafting the letter for the Legislature. Logistics and timing need to be worked out. Allocated dollars: $2,500.

5. Research
• Community Profiles - agreed to finalize community profiles as planned for community conference. Allocated dollars: $3,000.
• Sustainable Initiatives Project - acknowledging the request from the Circumpolar Women's Conference, and the request from a number of communities during the "Focus on the Future" Conferences:

- 20-25 new "boards" will be developed for use at the Women's Conference along with the 28 already done.
- all will be compiled into a booklet noting common themes for public distribution and use.

Other projects will be discussed at the next meeting. Allocated dollars - $6,000.

6. Public Education/Speaker Series
• Work at developing this area and continuing with the series on globalization. Follow up on possibility of Dr. Fraser Mustard giving a talk in November 1999. Look at possibilities of working with others/nominating organizations. Allocated dollars - $6,000.
• Sponsor participation in the Circumpolar Women's Conference. Need to determine logistics on how best to be done. Allocated dollars - $2,000.

7. Community Conferences

Determine follow-up once the report is complete. The Working Group will meet at noon on June 21^st (Ec Dev Boardroom) to discuss the Whitehorse Conference.

ACTION: Secretariat will present a semi-final Workplan to the Council at the next meeting.

Development Assessment Process - Council was briefly updated on the status of DAP by the Chair and industry interest.

Yukon Conservation Strategy Complaint's Process - due to time constraints the YCS Working Group will study this and discuss with the Council at the fall meeting.

Health and Social Services Council - Chair advised that she had met with the Health and Social Services Council on June 3, 1999 to brief its members on the conferences held to date. A joint planning meeting will be arranged in the early fall.

Yukon Mineral Strategy - Council decided a review should be done but tabled this for the fall agenda.

The next meeting will be held in Whitehorse on September 17 & 18, 1999.

Meeting adjourned Saturday, June 12, 1999 at 4:25 P.M.

______________________________________

Daryn Leas, Acting Chair