Yukon Commissioner Ione Christensen’s intention to resign was announced today in the legislature by Government Leader Chris Pearson.

Pearson, speaking with a voice near breaking, said he passed on the news with extreme regret.

Pearson said he had looked forward to working with Christensen under the new terms of reference for the commissioner announced today by Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jake Epp.

His announcement preceded a press conference called by Christensen for this afternoon to immediately follow today’s sitting of the legislature.

EPP CHANGES ROLE OF COMMISSIONER

The role of the Yukon’s commissioner has been changed by Ottawa so that the commissioner’s involvement in matters under territorial jurisdiction is now little more than a formality.

Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jake Epp today released the contents of the letter of instructions delivered to Commissioner Ione Christensen Monday.

These new “terms of reference” spell out a series of change both in the commissioner’s role and the trappings of the rest of the territorial government.

In a telephone press conference linking Ottawa to Whitehorse this morning, Epp described the commissioner’s new role as “one of being a mediator in the constitutional development of Yukon.”

He acknowledged he has limited the commissioner’s governmental powers as much as is possible without amending the Yukon Act but said this new "mediator role” was extremely important to the Yukon at this time.

Briefly, the new terms of reference mean:

The commissioner must accept the advice of the territory’s elected government on all matters under territorial jurisdiction.

The commissioner will no longer sit as a member of the Executive Committee, which will now be known as either the Executive Council or the Cabinet.

The commissioner’s office will move from its current home in the territorial government building’s Executive Committee suite of offices to federal premises.

The post of deputy Commissioner will cease to exist.

The present Government Leader may elect to call himself “Premier” and members of the Executive Council or Cabinet may now call themselves “Ministers.”

As well, the term “Legislative Assembly” is now recognized by the federal government as describing the Territorial Council.

Many of the changes merely formalize political developments which have taken place since the current Yukon government took office following the November election.

For instance, the elected members of ExCom have routinely been meeting to discuss policy without the commissioner being present, taking to her their decision, for final approval.

Also, terms such as legislative assembly and minister have been in common use despite their lack of official sanction.

In fact, they still do not have any legal significance - that requires an amendment to the Yukon Act - and Epp warned the territorial government not to use them in legislation or legal documents until they have been set in law.

NO SPECIFIC TIME

When asked today when changes in the Act might take place, Epp said that would depend on the other business facing Parliament this session.

Christensen recently has said she would resign from the commissioner’s post if she felt its importance and purpose had been stripped away by constitutional development in the territory.

In his letter to her and at this morning’s press conference, Epp insisted that even though the role of the commissioner was being reduced at the territorial government level, it was taking on a new and crucial - though different - form.

“Where the role of the commissioner is extremely important is that Yukon is going through a historical period, a period where there is a development and evolution from being subject to the decisions of Ottawa to where the people of Yukon are going to make their own decisions.

“If one looks at it in a historical view, whenever those transitions have taken place, there have been people who have been negotiators, who have been mediators, who almost became the catalyst of that change and I see the commissioner’s role to be that.”

BUFFER ROLE

Asked at the press conference if a major portion of the commissioner’s remaining role in the Yukon was to act as a buffer between the territorial government and Indian organization which have traditionally feuded, Epp agreed.

He also pledged there would be consultation between Yukon natives, the territory and the federal government as constitutional reforms are worked out for the territory.

Epp said he hoped specific talks between the three parties on responsible government could be held before the end of this year and said he expected political development would also continue to come up in ongoing land claims negotiations.

With reference to Deputy Commissioner Doug Bell, whose position has suddenly ceased to exist, Epp said Bell would be offered another post with the federal government and praised the work he has done to date.

Epp pointed out the new role of the commissioner as mediator in constitutional development would mean she would need people around her in touch with all aspects of the Yukon.