Adeline Webber readily acknowledges she is already quite familiar with the roles and responsibilities that befall the commissioner of the Yukon.

She has served, after all, for the last five years as the Yukon administrator for then-commissioner Angélique Bernard, whose last day on the job was Wednesday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that day that Webber would be the new commissioner.

She became acting commissioner Thursday, and no date has been scheduled for the official swearing-in ceremony, though it’s likely to be in a week or so.

Webber, who received a phone call last week about her pending appointment, is confident she knows the job.

“I have a pretty good idea,” she told the Star Thursday. She cited several examples of her official duties as the administrator, acting on the commissioner’s behalf when Bernard was unavailable.

“I have signed many documents when the commissioner was not available,” Webber said.

“I have gone into the House (legislature) and put things into law, and things like that.

“I have sworn in the premier and his cabinet earlier this year. It’s an interesting job, so I kind of know it; yeah.”

Webber said she’s still thinking about what her priorities will be over the next five years.

But she does say it will be really important to connect with the communities and all of the citizens, wherever they are in the community, she says.

“I think it is important for me to do that and become familiar with the people of the Yukon, and talk to them, take their ideas.”

Webber emphasized she is available to visit the communities for anything they wish.

“I am still thinking about what my priorities will be,” she said. “Getting to know people, that is really important to me.”

Some of her work in the past has been political, she acknowledges.

“In this job, there is no need to be involved in any of the politics,” she says.

Webber says it’s important to have representatives involved in politics advocating on behalf of the people.

The commissioner’s role, she says, is more specific – it’s about connecting with people.

Webber says the mental health in all of the communities is fragile, and she needs to think about how she can support them.

“That is one of the things I am thinking about.”

Webber says there needs to be recognition of the many people who serve in different roles at the community level and work very hard.

They are, she says, the back bone of the community, and need to be recognized.

Connecting with families when it comes to families and mental health is important, she says.

“All of that goes hand-in-hand.”

Webber says it’s important to make sure elders and young people get connected in positive ways.

Seniors in the communities, she says, are sometimes not approached for different things, but they have so much to offer.

They have many skills and many talents that are not being taken advantage of.

It’s important to connect them with the really young people, the children who may or may not have grandparents in their lives, Webber says.

She insists it’s really important to connect families.

“I am looking forward to that,” she says. “It is important to connect with elders in the community and make elders feel welcome.”

The Yukon, she says, is her home, and she is proud of the people who live in the territory.

Webber says the territory is leading Canada in many aspects, and she is very proud of that.

“I am looking forward to taking on this responsibility and I look forward to meeting Yukoners from every walk of life, just to let them know I am very approachable,” the next commissioner says.

She is willing and able to meet with people to talk about whatever issues come to mind.

But first things first.

Webber was scheduled to attend today’s native graduation.

She remembers the first native graduation in the late 1970s organized by Mary Easterson.

There were about six grads, she recalls. Today, there are approximately 128 grads.

“I am really happy that this is my first event I’ll be attending as (acting) commissioner,” she says.

Webber is also scheduled to hand out the Governor General’s awards for academic achievement at Yukon University’s graduation ceremony today.

The territory has had a commissioner going back to the 1800s.

Since 1979 the territory has had seven commissioners. They are Ione Christensen, Doug Bell, Ken McKinnon. Judy Gingell, Jack Cable, Geraldine Van Bibber, Doug Phillips and Bernard.