In the upcoming 2025 Yukon election, all three major political parties are under scrutiny for their respective records, which is unusual as typically only the ruling party faces such attacks. Despite the Liberal Party being the only one that has held power since the last election, both the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Yukon Party have been the targets of criticism.
The NDP, led by Kate White, has been particularly vocal in targeting the Yukon Party’s history in government, even though they have not been in power since 2016. Notably, the Yukon Party’s lineup for this election includes four former cabinet ministers, including their leader, Currie Dixon. The NDP has been critical of the Yukon Party’s fundraising practices and their connections to the federal Conservative Party.
Former NDP leader Liz Hanson highlighted the Yukon Party’s controversial management of the Peel watershed issue as an example of their unpopular decisions while in power. She emphasized that criticisms of the Yukon Party’s governance are justified, not merely part of a negative campaign strategy.
On the other hand, the Yukon Party has been focusing its attacks on what they refer to as the “Liberal-NDP” government, despite the NDP never being part of the actual government. The NDP had supported the minority Liberals through confidence and supply agreements but had differing policy views. Additionally, the Yukon Party and the NDP occasionally aligned against the Liberals on certain issues.
Former Progressive Conservative MLA and Conservative senator Dan Lang criticized both the current government and the NDP for what he perceives as failures in addressing healthcare, crime, and drug use issues. He believes that all parties should take responsibility for the challenges facing the territory.
While the Liberals have been in power for nearly a decade, they have managed to avoid much of the criticism in this election campaign, despite some scrutiny over their track record and candidate shortages. Former Liberal leader Arthur Mitchell defended his party’s contributions to the healthcare system and expressed confidence in their performance in the upcoming vote.
Mitchell dismissed the notion that the Liberals are in trouble, asserting that some candidates will perform well in the election. He emphasized the importance of waiting for the election day results rather than relying on polls.