Governance

The History of Modern Treaties in the Yukon

Watch an animated timeline of Modern Treaties in the Yukon featuring negotiators and those who are implementing the Agreements today. This video was made through a partnership with The Gordon Foundation, Mapping the Way and the Government of Yukon.

The Gordon Foundation Videos

The Gordon Foundation has a collection of Treaty Talk videos featuring Yukon negotiators and those who are implementing the Agreements, as well as a video on the history of Yukon's modern treaties. The Understanding Our Treaties website is an initiative of The Gordon Foundation to provide experiential learning about treaties and to support the Treaty Simulation model.

The History of Modern treaties in the Yukon

The first steps towards Yukon land claims took place in the early 1900s. In 1902, Chief Jim Boss (Kashxóot), the hereditary chief of the Ta’an Kwäch’än wrote letters to the Government of Canada seeking recognition and protection for his people and their lands.

The formal modern land claims process started in 1973 when a delegation of Yukon First Nations Chiefs presented Together Today for our Children Tomorrow: A Statement of Grievances and an Approach to Settlement by the Yukon Indian People to then Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
After many years of negotiation and the hard work of many visionary leaders, the historic Umbrella Final Agreement (UFA) was signed in 1993. It provided the template to negotiate individual land claim agreements (called “Final Agreements”) with each Yukon First Nation.

Since 1993, eleven Yukon First Nations have settled their land claims and are self-governing. The federal Indian Act no longer applies to them. These First Nations can make laws and decisions on their Settlement Land and for their citizens, similar to those of a Canadian province or territory.

  • Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (1993)
  • First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (1993)
  • Teslin Tlingit Council (1993)
  • Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (1993)
  • Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation (1997)
  • Selkirk First Nation (1997)
  • Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (1998)
  • Ta’an Kwäch’än Council (2002)
  • Kluane First Nation (2003)
  • Kwanlin Dün First Nation (2005)
  • Carcross/Tagish First Nation (2005)
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Related Resource

Settling these agreements involved decades of hard work, innovation and commitment by leaders and visionaries and are mapping the way to a better future for all Yukoners.

Treaty Talk | Kris Statnyk
Treaty Talk | Kris Statnyk
Kris encourages young people to learn about their agreements and then use that knowledge to get involved directly and indirectly with implementation of those modern treaties. He also shares the importance of maintaining connection to the land.
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Treaty Talk | Sheena Johns
Treaty Talk | Sheena Johns
Listen in as Sheena explains some practical impacts of modern treaties on youth and how implementation can be interesting and exciting!
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Treaty Talk | Geri-Lee Buyck
Treaty Talk | Geri-Lee Buyck
Get the scoop on Treaty Simulations from Geri-Lee and find out why she thinks youth need to participate in treaty work.
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