Yukon Land Claims

The Yukon Land Claims refer to the process of negotiating and settling aboriginal land claims agreements in Yukon, Canada between First Nations and the federal government. Based on historic occupancy and use, the First Nations claimed basic rights to all the lands.

Unlike other parts of Canada, Yukon First Nations did not conclude any treaties until the 1990s. Chief Jim Boss of the Ta'an Kwach'an had requested compensation from the Canadian government for lost lands and hunting grounds as a result of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1902. Boss' letter was ignored by the federal government. It was not until the 1970s that the issue was raised again.

The current process started in 1973 with the publication of Together Today For our Children Tomorrow by Chief Elijah Smith. Negotiations took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating in an agreement which was ultimately rejected.

Negotiations resumed in the late 1980s and culminated to the "Umbrella Final Agreement" (UFA) in 1990. The UFA is used as the framework or template for individual agreements with each of the fourteen Yukon First Nations recognized by the federal government. It was signed in 1993 and the first four First Nations ratified their land claims agreements in 1995. To date (January, 2016), eleven of the fourteen First Nations have signed and ratified an agreement. Presently, White River First Nation, Liard First Nation and Ross River Dena Council are not negotiating. They remain Indian Bands under the federal Indian Act.

Unlike most other Canadian land claims agreements that apply only to Status Indians, the Yukon First Nations insisted that the agreements involve everyone they considered part of their nation, whether they were recognized as Status Indians or not under federal government rules. In 1973, the Yukon Indian Brotherhood and the Yukon Association of Non-Status Indians formed the Council for Yukon Indians (CYI) to negotiate a land claims agreement. The two organizations and the Council formally merged in 1980 under the name of Council for Yukon Indians. In 1995, CYI was renamed to the Council of Yukon First Nations.

Before Yukon First Nations regained their self governance, the federal government regulated how they could use their land. Before the agreement, Yukon First Nations claimed the land and resources in Yukon as all under their ownership. This was based on traditional occupancy and use of that land. But, all affairs in Yukon were controlled by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). INAC had the responsibility to establish programs related to law, land reserves, health, social services, and housing. Yukon First Nation bands implemented these programs, but had no authority to modify them.

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