NDP Leader Kate White is calling on the Yukon Party to clarify its position on trans rights.

She is doing so after federal Conservatives overwhelmingly endorsed a ban on gender-affirming care for trans kids at the party’s convention last weekend in Quebec City.

“Where the federal Conservative Party goes, their Yukon cousins are likely to follow,” White said Wednesday.

“For many folks, gender-affirming care, like hormone therapies, is life-saving. It is an essential part of our health care system.”

Yukoners, White added, “deserve to know exactly where Currie Dixon and the Yukon Party stand on this issue.

“Does Currie Dixon stand with trans and gender-diverse kids here in the Yukon? Or would he force them grow up in bodies that don’t match who they are?” White asked.

“Trans kids deserve to live in bodies that match who they are.”

Asked about White’s statements, Dixon stated later Wednesday, “I believe that the Yukon should be a safe and welcoming place for all people, regardless of their gender or sexuality.

“Despite progress towards inclusivity and equality, we recognize that many transgender and non-binary people continue to face discrimination.

“Each and every transgender person is deserving of respect, dignity and equality, and we’ll continue to fight to ensure those rights are respected and protected.

“The Yukon Party has no official relationship with any federal party,” Dixon added.