The Yukon Liberal Party is celebrating the six-month anniversary of Premier Ranj Pillai’s swearing in as the 10th Premier of the Yukon.

“Following in the footsteps of strong Yukon Liberal premiers like Sandy Silver and Senator Pat Duncan, Premier Pillai has focused his time in office on bridging the gap between the public and private sector to find creative solutions to increase access to housing across the territory, championing the economic and social recovery from COVID-19, and moving forward on reconciliation,” the caucus said in a statement Friday.

“I entered politics because I wanted to shape the community where my wife and I would raise our family,” said Pillai. “I’m proud of the work that our government is doing to transform our health care and education systems so they better serve Yukoners, to increase access to housing so that everyone has a place to call home, and to support a sustainable economic future that benefits everyone,” the premier added.

He was the only person to run for the Liberal leadership after Silver announced in September 2022 he would be leaving the role. Silver is now the minister of Finance and the minister responsible for the Public Service Commission.

Since assuming the premier’s role, Pillai has met with leadership from all of Yukon’s First Nations and municipalities, visiting most in their home communities.

He has attended numerous meetings with provincial and territorial counterparts, federal ministers in the Yukon and in Ottawa, and diplomats representing countries of economic importance to the Yukon and Canada.

“The health and wellness of Yukon’s people and environment is key to our territory’s success,” he said.

“Our government’s plans are spelled out in the Putting People First report and in Our Clean Future. Since becoming premier, I have met with countless Yukoners to better understand the challenges they face, the successes they have achieved, and how government can work to better serve them as they raise families, start and grow their businesses, and live healthy, meaningful lives,” added Pillai.

The territory is marking important milestones, including its 125th year since joining Confederation, the 50th Anniversary of Together Today for our Children Tomorrow, and a number of anniversaries of First Nations land claim agreements, he noted.

“Our government will continue to listen to Yukoners, and keep working hard to put in place the changes that they want to see as we chart our territory’s path forward together,” said Pillai.