I have said since the beginning of the pandemic that I believe the economic and social tolls of the lockdowns will ultimately outweigh the health toll of the virus itself, and that the true health toll will not be measured in the numbers of those who tragically succumbed to the virus, but by those who succumbed to other conditions left undiagnosed or untreated due to the cancellation of “non-essential” health care delivery.
To date, tragically, eight Yukoners have lost their lives to COVID-19. Yet how many Yukoners’ lives were lost to suicide or alcohol and drug overdoses during that same time period? Since the onset of the pandemic, which first descended on the territory in March 2020, the impacts of the pandemic restrictions and how they have negatively impacted Canadians’ lives – and livelihoods – has not initiated the public discourse or action it has deserved.
Prior to entering politics, I spent 20 years in the hospitality and entertainment industries working in bars and nightclubs and playing in bands. A great many of my dear friends and family have struggled with addictions, and I recognize how they can find themselves in situations where support and hope and the “way out” seems unattainable; situations , where they most need and deserve our help and compassion.
I strongly support educational and preventative measures to keep our youth from going down the path of substance abuse and addictions to begin with; programs which are flexible to recognize specific family and community needs. I also strongly support treatment programs to help people recover from their addictions. Prevention and treatment are my top priorities, and I commit to working with Yukon First Nations and municipal governments to identify community-specific causes and solutions.
I also recognize that educational and prevention initiatives may come too late for some, and/or others may not be provided the opportunity. I believe that harm-reduction initiatives are best delivered by community, faith-based, private sector or other non-governmental organizations, which prioritize actual programming over administration. Such organizations’ accountability to the bottom line helps ensure that public investment is responsibly and effectively disbursed, and I will work with Yukon First Nations and municipalities to find the right partners to deliver this urgently-needed programming.
I also know that there is a country-wide shortage of trained healthcare professionals, and that financial resources alone will not solve our problems; we need human resources too – people. Too often, our vulnerable citizens make the difficult decision to seek treatment and successfully complete it, only to relapse once back in their home communities due to lack of post-treatment support. This is why I would like to see Yukoners trained right here in the Yukon, potentially through Yukon University, to fill these roles in Yukon communities with true knowledge and compassion of and for the communities they serve.
A made-in-the-Yukon approach will help all members of our community live happier, healthier lives.