The Na-Cho Nyak Dun, Champagne Aishihik, Teslin Tlingit Council and Vuntut Gwitchin First Nations Yukon

celebrated 20 years of self-government March 19 in Whitehorse.

“We Yukon First Nations should be immensely proud our people have survived hundreds of years of social disruption and forces of oppression that were trying to ultimately assimilate and eradicate us. And yet here we are. We have endured,” said Kristina Kane, chief of the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.  Carl Sidney, chief of the Teslin Tlingit Council, said many promises of self-government are yet to be fulfilled.

“It is our dream and our hope that within another 20 years we can have what we negotiated 20 years ago. Which is a government recognized by the other governments in Canada, and that our youth will be recognized and given all the opportunities that were envisioned when we started negotiating 30 years ago,” he said.