Effective immediately for a period of six months, Premier Ranj Pillai has appointed Dennis Berry, President of the Yukon Liquor Corporation as an interim Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources. Dennis Berry will continue to hold his responsibilities for the Yukon Liquor Corporation.
As the head of the Eagle Mine emergency response, Deputy Minister Lauren Haney will continue to be responsible for the following branches: Mineral Resources, Yukon Geological Survey, Assessment and Abandoned Mines and Compliance, Monitoring and Inspection.
This additional leadership is intended to serve the ongoing support of the Eagle Mine emergency response and ensure normal department operations will continue uninterrupted. By dividing the Energy, Mines and Resources portfolio, Lauren Haney and a delegated response team will be able to lead the emergency response in a meaningful way.
Providing additional support to Energy, Mines and Resources will allow Deputy Minister Lauren Haney to focus solely on the Government of Yukon’s response to the Eagle Mine emergency. I have worked closely with Dennis Berry and have full confidence in his ability to take on this new position. I thank them both for stepping into these important roles.
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Deputy Ministers, including presidents of government corporations, are the most senior public servants in the Government of Yukon. They are responsible for the departments or corporations’ budget, day-to-day operations and program development.
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Deputy Ministers serve at the pleasure of the Premier.
Biographies
Dennis Berry
Dennis Berry has been with the Government of Yukon since 2005 and is currently the President of the Yukon Liquor Corporation. Berry previously served as the President and CEO of the Yukon Development Corporation and held various assistant deputy minister portfolios with the departments of Environment and Community Services. These roles have combined Dennis’s focus on working with communities and governments and his desire to make a difference in the life of Yukoners. He has a Master of Science in Rural Planning and Development from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from the University of Waterloo.
Lauren Haney
Lauren Haney is originally from the Yukon and has nearly 20 years' experience in northern natural resource development. Much of her career has focused on impact assessment and licensing of quartz mining projects. She brings a diverse perspective to resource development, having held positions in industry and the Government of Yukon and as Chair of the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board. She holds a bachelor's degree in environmental science and a master's degree in environmental management and policy. She was appointed Deputy Minister for the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources in June 2023.
Jordan Owens
Cabinet Communications
867-332-0615
jordan.owens@yukon.ca
Kelan Deigh
Communications, Public Service Commission
867-471-2983
kelan.deigh@yukon.ca