Premier Ranj Pillai and Yukon government cabinet members met with Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) Grand Chief Peter Johnston on Feb. 16 for the quarterly Yukon Forum. The one-day meeting was the first Yukon Forum of 2024 and the 28th since the forum was revitalized in 2017.
According to a Yukon government press release, the meeting saw assembled leaders discuss the declining number of Chinook salmon returning to the territory and amendments to the Wildlife Act and Canada-Yukon Nature Agreement.
Forum participants also spoke about efforts to address the territory-wide substance-use health emergency and the Yukon Residential School and Missing Children Project.
“It has been seven years since we collectively revived the Yukon Forum, and it continues to be a crucial platform for governments to present ideas, address concerns and engage in productive discussions. This collaborative space allows us to explore innovative approaches and solutions aimed at improving the quality of life for all who call the Yukon home,” Pillai said in a press release.
Johnston is quoted in the same release as stating, “In our seventh year of collaboration at the Yukon Forum, Yukon First Nations are pleased to witness productive discussions and collaboration on key issues impacting our communities. This enduring commitment, fuels positive advancements in crucial discussions.”
Apart from the words of support for the collaborative inter-government process, forum participants agreed to several concrete actions, according to a Yukon government spokesperson. These include developing an intergovernmental strategy to address falling salmon stocks, establishing a technical working group as part of the process for amending the Wildlife Act and jointly implementing the Canada-Yukon Nature Agreement.
The Yukon Forum is a gathering of decision makers from the territorial government, First Nations governments and CYFN, aimed at bolstering cooperation on areas of mutual concern. It is held four times annually.
Contact Matthew Bossons at matthew.bossons@yukon-news.com