Final Report of the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly now available

Oct 29, 2024

WHITEHORSE, YT—The Final Report of the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform (YCAER) was tabled in the Yukon Legislative Assembly yesterday and is now available for download from www.yukoncitizensassembly.ca. 

The report expands further on the deliberations and decision to recommend changing how Yukon citizens vote to elect their MLAs to a Ranked Vote system. 

The work of the citizens’ assembly—the first ever held in the Yukon—is now complete. As per the terms of reference set by the Yukon Legislative Assembly, the citizens’ assembly is now dissolved. 

Last month, the Yukon Liberal Caucus announced the intention to hold a plebiscite vote, alongside the 2025 territorial general election, on whether to adopt the YCA recommendation. 

“The 38 members of the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform brought their best to this process, learned and engaged respectfully with each other and the subject matter during their time together. I thank them sincerely for their commitment to this process, and to their fellow Yukoners, as they deliberated carefully and made their recommendations,” said Citizens’ Assembly Chair, Dr. Sara McPhee-Knowles. 

“They have shown how productive it can be to engage citizens in policy decisions. I hope they may serve as an example for future assemblies across the territory, and Canada as a whole,” added McPhee-Knowles. 

Following interviews with Citizens’ Assembly members and staff, the Federation of Innovation in Democracy is preparing an independent evaluation of the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly process. The case study is anticipated to be published in November.