This Friday, MLAs will hold a special sitting in Dawson City to commemorate 100 years of representative government in the territory.
The sitting will be held in the old administrative building, where the council of the Yukon territory once met. It starts at 1 p.m.
On June 28, 1909, Yukoners voted for their first wholly elected council, a body that had a similar function to today’s legislative assembly.
Until then, some councillors were appointed by the federal government. The election of councillors was gradually phased in.
But even with an elected council, real power resided with the territory’s commissioner, who was appointed by Ottawa. The council only had advisory powers.
It wasn’t until 1979 that the minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Jack Epp, agreed to devolve power from the commissioner to the legislature, which had been formed one year earlier.
Friday’s special sitting is expected to cost $40,000. (John Thompson)