The Government of Yukon is inviting input on proposed amendments to the Enduring Power of Attorney Act. An online survey is available on Engage Yukon to seek feedback on the modernization of this Act. The engagement period will run from March 4 to April 22, 2020.
An enduring power of attorney is a legal document in which a person gives one or more trusted people authority to manage their money and property if they become ill or suffer a disability at some point in the future. The “attorney” in this case does not mean the person is a lawyer.
Input is being sought on on topics such as
- creating a mechanism to voluntarily report improper use of enduring powers of attorney;
- outlining specific attorney duties, responsibilities and liabilities;
- increasing oversight of attorneys and accountability mechanisms for family members;
- including enduring power of attorney forms in the regulations for voluntary use; and
- allowing an enduring power of attorney to be made without requiring a certificate of legal advice.
The feedback received will help to determine whether and how these changes should be implemented.
We invite and encourage all Yukoners to give their comments during this engagement. Updating the Enduring Power of Attorney Act is crucial to reflect the needs of our modern society and to keep pace with changes to legislation in other Canadian jurisdictions.
Minister of Justice Tracy-Anne McPhee
The Enduring Power of Attorney Act has not been amended since it came into force in 1995.
At the conclusion of this public engagement we will share what we learned in a ‘What We Heard’ report in late May 2020. The report will incorporate feedback received during the public engagement
Stewart Burnett
Cabinet Communications
867-332-0480
stewart.burnett@gov.yk.ca
Fiona Azizaj
Communications, Justice
867-667-8148
fiona.azizaj@gov.yk.ca