Statement from Premier Pillai and Minister McPhee on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Premier Ranj Pillai and Minister of Justice Tracy-Anne McPhee have issued the following statement:

“In observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21, we remember the tragic events in Sharpeville, South Africa, in 1960, when 69 individuals were murdered during an anti-apartheid protest.

“Despite significant strides, racialized communities, Indigenous Peoples and religious minorities still grapple with the daily challenges of racism and discrimination. Our government is committed to addressing inequities and fostering diversity and inclusion. As an employer, we are committed to providing culturally safe, diverse and inclusive workplaces for all employees. Embracing diversity and inclusion is a key action identified in the People Plan – the Government of Yukon’s corporate human resources strategy.

“We are also continuing to strengthen the representation and inclusion of Yukon First Nations employees in the Yukon public service by actively working with First Nations governments to implement the Government of Yukon’s representative public service plan – Breaking Trail Together. A key action under the plan is a project to preference all Government of Yukon job competitions to qualified Canadian Indigenous applicants, with a priority given to qualified Yukon First Nation applicants. The project began in 2020 as a pilot and has been extended to 2029, the full length of Breaking Trail Together.

“In addition, we are supporting regular, government-wide training in the areas of anti-racism, unconscious bias, cultural safety, intercultural competency and residential school awareness. We know how important it is for our public service to reflect the communities we serve and extending this initiative will enhance our efforts to reach this important goal.

“We urge all Yukoners to take this occasion to reflect on and reassess prejudices, privilege and perspectives. Together, let us celebrate our shared humanity, embrace our differences and contribute to building a more robust and inclusive territory that everyone can proudly call home.”