The Yukon NDP communications team said RCMP has been notified since someone allegedly spray painted death threats in two spots on Yukon NDP Leader Kate White’s truck parked outside her home in the Whitehorse neighbourhood of Takhini.
Three of the truck’s tires were also slashed sometime between the evening of March 7 and the morning of March 8, according to Laurie Tritschler by phone on March 10.
It’s the second time White's tires have been slashed in recent months, per Tritschler. In December 2024, someone slashed her tires, but there was no message attached to the act.
Police were expected to issue a press release about vandalism in the Takhini subdivision, but police communications couldn’t confirm if the release about vandalism is related to the vandalism outside White’s home.
It was around 8:30 a.m. on International Women’s Day when White found the words scrawled across her vehicle and her tires deflated. She was heading out to the office for an online Association of Yukon Communities meeting.
That meeting was the first place she spoke publicly about what happened. The last time her tires were flattened, she didn’t go public, but she did feel supported by the community.
White told the News by phone on the evening of March 10 that this isn’t how Canadians have discussions around politics.
“This isn't how Yukoners behave. This is like a cowardly act that was done in the cover of darkness by someone who wanted to intimidate me and someone who doesn't want me to do my job,” White said.
“But if anything, I'm, you know, I'm more resolute and determined than ever to keep doing the work that I do.”
While MLAs often disagree, they still respect each other as humans, per White.
“This is politically motivated. This is about my job,” she said.
“The community is upset by this. The community doesn't think this is acceptable. The community is angry.”
White said she won’t be intimidated by the actions.
“They are a bully. I have never responded to bullies in the way that they have wanted, and it's not going to start now.”
Yukon RCMP communications confirmed by email on March 10 that police are investigating an “occurrence” in the Takhini neighbourhood that is believed to have happened late on the evening of March 7 and into the early morning on March 8.
According to police, on the morning of March 8, Whitehorse RCMP got a report about a vehicle that was purposefully damaged by unknown persons.
Police are seeking public assistance to identify the persons.
“Police are also asking anyone in the area who may have observed something to contact police,” RCMP communications said by email.
RCMP is requesting that residents and drivers in the area review any security or dash-camera footage for suspicious activity between the hours of 11:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. and to contact police should they locate some evidence on their footage.
Yukon politicians quickly responded to the attack on White.
In the legislature on the afternoon of March 10, Premier Ranj Pillai introduced a motion urging the House to denounce “threats, personal attacks, vandalism, and acts of violence towards elected officials.”
An email statement to the News from Pillai notes violence, vandalism and threats are “never the answer” to disagreements with friends, neighbours or elected representatives.
Pillai, alongside the Yukon Liberal Caucus, condemned the violence and offered support to White, her family and the Yukon NDP caucus.
“At our core, regardless of our political affiliation, we are all Yukoners striving to build a better future,” reads Pillai’s statement.
“I urge all Yukoners to work together to ensure our community remains safe, respectful, and inclusive for everyone, no matter their political views.”
Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon issued a statement condemning the “heinous acts of politically motivated threats” against White. He called the actions “unacceptable and despicable.”
“Bullying, harassment, threats, or vandalism have no place in our society or political discourse,” Dixon said in the statement.
“I hope the perpetrator or perpetrators of this disgusting and indefensible behaviour are caught and brought to justice.”
Dixon’s statement calls for expressing disagreement in the appropriate way in an election year: by casting a ballot.
“I am saddened that this happened to Kate, and this should never happen again to any elected representative in any order of government."
White serves as the MLA for Takhini-Kopper King. She has been MLA since October 2011. The NDP is currently keeping the Yukon Liberal Party in government through a confidence and supply agreement, or CASA.
Liberal Minister John Streicker’s home was allegedly targeted by vandalism last spring.
In May 2024, Streicker’s home was marked with COVID-19-related words like “masks”, “vax” and “CEMA”, an acronym for the law behind emergency measures the territorial government struck during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as profanity and the minister and his wife’s names spray painted on their property. At the time, the Official Opposition Yukon Party and the Yukon NDP Caucus issued a joint statement to “unequivocally denounce the actions” taken at the governing Yukon Liberal Party minister’s house.
Streicker told the News there's no place for this type of behaviour in politics.
While speaking in the legislative assembly on March 10, Streicker closed out the session by calling out the “brutally inappropriate attack, vandalism and threats levelled” against his NDP colleague.
“It's just so disheartening to see,” he said.
“It just doesn't feel like the Yukon way.”
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
