Members Present:

Observer:

Guest:

Secretariat:

1. INTRODUCTIONS

The chair welcomed new member Elaine Shorty from the Council of Yukon First Nations. Council is waiting for the official appointment from the Yukon government. Ms. Shorty will partake in the meeting as an observer.

The Association of Yukon Communities seat is still outstanding. Council received an email from Jim Slater, Executive Director of AYC stating that the Board decided that it would focus its efforts on the Taking Action on the Economy Committee and would consider the value of continuing to recruit appointees to the YCEE.

Council noted that AYC's participation is important to YCEE. It would be ideal to solicit AYC for a rural member from Watson Lake.

Ralph Nordling moved and Malcolm Taggart seconded the motion for the chair and secretariat to attend the AYC's December meeting. The motion carried.

ACTION: Secretariat and Chair to draft letter to the Association of Yukon Communities requesting YCEE be included as an item on their December agenda.

2. MEETING AGENDA

Amendments to the agenda included discussion on the dissemination of council information and Inuvik-YCS correspondence.

Ralph Nordling moved and Malcolm Taggart seconded the motion to approve the agenda as amended. The motion carried.

3. MINUTES OF AUGUST 23-24 MEETING

Randy Taylor moved and Bill Mann seconded the motion to approve the August 23-24, 2002 minutes. The motion carried.

4. CORRESPONDENCE/INFORMATION ITEMS

1. Election Results
   Council reviewed the results of the November 4th territorial election. The Yukon Party's platform on the economy and the environment was reviewed and discussed.
   ACTION: Secretariat and Chair to draft letter to new Premier requesting a meeting and providing an overview of YCEE's initiatives.
2. Sustainable Progress Indictors Project
   Council requested a copy of the final version of the Sustainable Progress Indicators report. Received a response from Premier Duncan stating that the report is in final draft and is awaiting review by cabinet.
3. Accountability Plan Letters
   Draft letters providing comments and recommendations on the accountability plans were circulated to council members for their feedback. Letters will be re-worded and forwarded to the respective Minister's of each department upon the appointment of the new cabinet. Council will encourage the new government to produce annual plans with clear priorities and measurable outcomes.
   ACTION: YCEE will provide comments and recommendations to the respective Minister's of each department on the previous governments accountability plans.
4. Immigrant Investor's Fund (Yukon Gold Fund)
   Earlier this year, Council questioned why only one project (Connect Yukon) has been funded given the fund's investment intention of investing in at least two Eligible Business Ventures.
   October 4, 2002 response from Minister Eftoda indicates that funds have been received from 60 immigrants but 63 immigrants are required to complete the investment to the Connect Yukon Project. Consideration will be given to the next business investment upon receipt of more immigrant investment funds.
   ACTION: The status of the Immigrant Investor's Fund will remain as a follow up item for council in 2003.
5. Royalty/Permanent Fund
   A letter was sent on October 22, 2002 to Premier Duncan urging YTG to set up the permanent fund with the initial $10m but also pass legislation requiring the Yukon government to direct royalties from the extraction of non-renewable resources - at least up to $3m annually - into the fund.
   ACTION: Council member Malcolm Taggart will re-draft a letter to the new Premier outlining ideas, suggestions and the benefits of a Royalty/ Permanent Fund. Draft letter will be circulated to council for input.
6. Quality of Life Indicators
   YCEE requested a presentation from the City of Whitehorse on its Quality of Life Indicators Project. The champion of the project has recently retired. The City plans to proceed with Quality of Life Indicators and will update council on new developments in the future.
   ACTION: The Secretariat and Chair will contact the City of Whitehorse in June 2003 to provide council with an update on the Quality of Life Indicators Project.
7. Yukon Conservation Strategy
   Council requested the latest draft of the Yukon Conservation Strategy. Response received from the Minister of Environment stating that a revised copy of the Yukon Conservation Strategy is not available.
   ACTION: Secretariat and Chair to draft letter to new Minister requesting a meeting and providing an overview of YCEE's initiatives.
8. Dissemination of YCEE Information to Council
   Suggestion was made to post council information on YCEE's website. Information would be password protected. All information will be posted/distributed to council members 3 weeks in advance of the meetings.
   ACTION: Information will be distributed and posted on the YCEE website 3 weeks prior to meetings. Secretariat will inform council of the password and when website information is posted.
9. Inuvik - Socio-Economic Issues
   The Yukon Conservation Society forwarded information to council on the socio-economic impacts of the oil and gas industry in Inuvik. The issue surrounded an Inuvik group calling for a vote on allowing strippers in the community.
   Council discussed the wider issues of attitudes towards women and social impacts as they relate to boom and bust economies.

5. APPROACH OF THE 2002 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT

Staff from the Department of Environment presented council with an approach of the 2002 SOE report. Council reviewed the 1999 SOE report chapter-by-chapter and provided suggestions and feedback to department staff. Council also discussed YCEE's report on the 1999 SOE.

YCEE provided comments and recommendations on the format of the report:

• Report should focus on specifics such as the top 10 environmental concerns.
• The report should drive effective legislation and policy.
• Council would like to see the report used as a tool for the public and government to monitor the state of environment.
• The public isn't aware of the report. A news release and more advertising is required.
• The definition of "environment" is too inclusive and the intent is too broad. Other reports do not deal with socio-economic aspects but focus on the environment.
• A balanced perspective of the economy and the environment would be better reflected in a Sustainable Development Strategy.
• Report should be a summary but contain relevant data.

Council provided specific feedback on how to incorporate traditional knowledge into the SOE:

• Traditional Knowledge should be integrated and utilized as part of the data for the 2002 SOE report.
• The traditional knowledge has already been collected from the elders and may be available from archives. If information is not available through archives, first nation offices might have the information. If traditional knowledge needs to be collected, go to the communities and hire local people to collect the information. Resources can be used within the first nations land claims department's to suggest appropriate people.
• Suggest breaking down each report by language groups.
• Choose elder's in the 50-60 year old range.

6. FOCUS ON THE FUTURE FOLLOW UP

Contractor Jennifer Ellis presented the results from the 1999 Focus on the Future case studies follow up. The individual case studies were reviewed and discussed. The themes emerging from the follow up report were also reviewed and discussed.

Council discussed extending the terms of reference to include a follow up on all of the case studies to provide a complete overview. Randy Taylor moved and Malcolm Taggart seconded the motion to complete 100% of the Focus on the Future Case Studies as a follow up to the 1999 report. Motion carried.

ACTION: Secretariat to extend the terms of reference for the Focus on the Future contract to include follow up on the remaining 17 case studies.

ACTION: Secretariat to contact local business service centers and promote the 1999 Focus on the Future report as resource material for future entrepreneurs.

7. NATIONAL ROUND TABLE ON THE ECONOMY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

The secretariat provided council with an overview and update on the NTREE Environment and Sustainable Development Indicators (ESDI's). Council was also provided with an overview of the speakers from the June 2002 National NRTEE conference.

Council would like to host a forum on the Economy and the Environment specifically focusing on sustainable development. The speaker would provide council, government and the public with a forum to discuss sustainable development issues as they relate to the Yukon.

ACTION: Secretariat and Chair will focus on locating a knowledgeable speaker on sustainable development issues for the next YCEE meeting.

8. COUNCIL MEMBER CONSTITUENCY ISSUES/PRIORITIZATION

Yukon Chamber of Commerce: Chamber is focused on prioritizing their work plan. Resolutions were recently passed at the AGM that included lobbying for funding for a bridge in Dawson; the need to understand economic implications and the schedule of the Kyoto Accord, and to lobby government to adopt a "buy Yukon" approach. On-going issues include; YPAS, DAP, land claims, mining and forestry. Ralph Nordling (member at large): In the Dawson City area, encourage new government to support KIAC - the Dawson City Arts Centre.

Yukon Chamber of Mines: Long term issues such, as land claims and devolution are the Yukon Chamber of Mines concerns.

Yukon Federation of Labour: The venture capital fund has been passed but not implemented. The federation will be pushing the new government to move ahead on this issue.

Yukon Aboriginal Woman Association: YAWS is focusing on homelessness and diabetes in first nations. Association is waiting for Urban Women's Training funding from government.

Yukon Conservation Society: YCS is focusing on many issues; oil and gas, forestry and the economic ramifications to not adopting the Kyoto Accord.

9. NEXT MEETING

The next YCEE meeting will be:

• Tentatively February 7/8 in Whitehorse
• Back up date is February 14/15

The chair will meet with the new premier and seek direction of the new government and discuss the role that council can play. Ideas for the next agenda will be circulated to council for consideration.

______________________________________

James Grattan, Chair