Yukon MLA’s have unanimously passed a motion urging the Liberal government to do an in-depth review on Connective, the non-profit organization that operates the Whitehorse emergency shelter.
Last month, a three week inquest examined the deaths of four First Nations women who died while accessing services at the shelter, two of whom died under Connective’s watch. The inquest found there was a lack of training for frontline Connective staff and inconsistent policies and procedures.
Yukon NDP MLA Annie Blake, who tabled the motion Wednesday, said her party has received “a high number of concerns” about Connective’s programs and services. “My intent is not to make Connective to look like they’re doing a bad job,” she told APTN News. “My focus is that when there’s issues, serious issues happening that are having a direct impact on the quality of lives and on the lives of people who access these services, that should be enough to call for a review to happen.”
One of the recommendations from the inquest includes a government led review to ensure Connective is in compliance with other recommendations within six months. Blake said the hope is that the NDP’s motion will ensure a review is completed sooner than that.
She said the NDP has heard from many people who say they don’t feel safe at the shelter, instead choosing to sleep in tents, vehicles or couches. In addition to the shelter, Connective also operates Housing First, a low barrier housing service, and SHARP, a halfway house program on the grounds of the Whitehorse correctional centre.
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