According to Christopher Alcantara, a professor of political science at the University of Western Ontario, the nature of governance in the Yukon Territory may make disaster response and building resiliency more challenging than usual. Says Alcantara, \u201cThe governance structure in Yukon is rich, but it is also difficult sometimes to respond effectively and quickly to fast moving issues, like COVID, and flooding and fires.\u201d<\/p>\n
A recently released national report, titled Canada in a Changing Climate: National Issues, points to these challenges being particularly significant for the Yukon, with Catherine McKenna, minister of Infrastructure and Communities saying, \u201cClimate change is having profound impacts on communities of all sizes, with floods, forest fires, drought and thawing permafrost becoming more frequent, and these impacts are felt disproportionately.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the territory, response and preparation is limited by the potential conflicts between governments, with Alcantara observing \u201cYukon is a complicated place, because it\u2019s a territorial government, it has a federal presence, and a range of local and municipal governments with different powers and jurisdictions. And then you have the various types of Indigenous governments, including self-governing ones under the modern treaty, self-governing framework.\u201d<\/p>\n
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