Kent coy as clock ticks on Peel staking ban

The moratorium on new mineral, oil and gas claims in the Peel watershed expires on Dec. 31.

Even though that's less than a month away, the Yukon government refuses to say whether it plans to extend it or not.

When first put in place in 2010, the government promised it would remain until a land use plan for the watershed was completed. That plan is nowhere in sight.

Here's what the Yukon Party government had to say in response to questions from NDP environment critic Kate White in the Yukon legislature Dec. 2:

NDP Kate White: Last week, the minister of EMR (Energy, Mines & Resources) said that the government was engaging in the final round of consultations with the four affected First Nation governments before finalizing a land use plan for the Peel watershed. The minister of environment said that he was looking forward to concluding them as soon as possible so that the government can move on and ultimately implement a land use plan for the Peel watershed region.
We’ve been told that there has been at least one meeting of the principals that involved the minister of environment, the minister of energy, mines and resources and the premier, and that the hope was to continue working with their senior liaison committee on a government-to-government basis to conclude consultations as soon as possible. Has the Yukon government scheduled another meeting with First Nation governments or have consultations concluded?

Environment Minister Currie Dixon: We are in receipt of input from First Nations through the government-to-government consultations that the member opposite has referenced. We continue to review and give due and thorough consideration to the input we’ve received from the four affected First Nations in north Yukon that are part of the planning process. We intend to remain engaged with Yukon First Nations as we move forward and give consideration to the input they’ve provided us.
The member opposite is quite correct that we would like to see this process wrap up as soon as possible and bring forward a land use plan that we feel balances the needs of the environment in the north Yukon, as well as the needs of our economy today and into the future.

Kate White: In four weeks the staking moratorium for the Peel watershed will come to an end. We’re entering the holiday season. Government offices will be closed and this just adds to the time crunch. For three weeks in a row, the minister has said it was premature to speak about extending the Peel moratorium under the Quartz Mining Act and the Placer Mining Act. The minister said he was looking forward to concluding consultations with the four affected First Nations on the Peel plan as soon as possible.
Will this government present their final plan for the Peel by the end of this month and, if not, will the minister commit to extending the temporary withdrawal of mineral staking in the Peel watershed past December 31?

Energy, Mines & Resources Minister Scott Kent: As my colleague, the minister of environment, said, we are engaged in consultations with First Nations and we’re reviewing input from First Nations. We’re looking to come up with a fair and balanced land use plan for the Peel watershed that not only respects environmental impacts and traditional uses for that area, but also the economic opportunities that are also part of what we’re trying to accomplish.
My answer with respect to the staking ban remains the same. We’re not prepared at this time to speculate on what is going to happen. The staking ban is in effect until the end of this month. We’re working diligently and hard with our First Nation partners to come up with that mutually acceptable and balanced plan that respects all sectors of the economy and offers opportunities for multiple land users who want to use the Peel watershed.