After two days of discussions around joint priorities between the federal government and the Yukon’s territorial and First Nations governments, Premier Sandy Silver is calling this year’s Yukon Days in Ottawa a success.

The annual two-day meeting among the three levels of government took place Monday and Tuesday.

It included talks on land use planning, First Nations housing, the substance use health emergency, support for Indigenous languages, Yukon River salmon stock and the federal Non-Insured Health Benefits program. 

“We know that it moves the pendulum forward,” Silver said in an interview Wednesday, not going into detail about any of the subjects discussed.

Instead, he said the talks built off discussions at the final Yukon Forum of 2022 last month. That’s the quarterly meeting of leaders from Yukon’s territorial and First Nations governments and the Council of Yukon First Nations.

And he praised federal ministers for their receptiveness to the Yukon’s First Nations priorities.

“You have a willing federal government that understands their their obligations to reconciliation,” Silver said.

The federal government’s 10 guiding principles for its relationship with Indigenous peoples, Silver added, include recognizing First Nations self-governance.

He said Kwanlin Dün First Nation Chief Doris Bill echoed those thoughts on the importance of acknowledging self-governance in these talks.

“Bringing our governments together for face-to-face conversations is fundamental to reconciliation and addressing the rights enshrined in our agreements,” Bill said in a news release Wednesday.

“Finding the path forward on systemic issues that are impacting Yukoners, such as the vitality of Yukon River salmon, lack of affordable housing and the substance use health emergency, requires meaningful engagement and supportive partnerships.” 

Silver did go into a little detail on a few conversation topics. 

He said there were talks about protecting salmon. Chinook salmon are an important part of the culture of many Yukon First Nations, but 2022 saw the lowest run ever recorded for the species.

As for housing, Silver said there were talks defining the allocation of federal funds for the Yukon from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP).

The Yukon has most of its ICIP projects completed in the territory’s five-year capital plan, and is looking for details on how that funding can be replaced to create more housing infrastructure, some of which will be used for First Nations communities.

Silver said his government now has to return to the Yukon and continue the discussions from Yukon Days back home. He said the conversations with federal ministers at Yukon Days will likely lead to more concrete plans when the spring budget comes out and funds are allocated for the projects discussed. 

Silver said his own government will now work to include projects and initiatives discussed this week in next year’s territorial budget.

He said the territory’s surplus this year – $55 million, according to a review of audited financial statements in the legislature last week – and the willingness shown by Ottawa this week puts the joint priorities discussed in a promising position going forward.

But Yukon Days, Silver said, are more encouraging for the philosophical side of these conversations.

He cited fostering equal discussions between governments seen as equal parties, making First Nations concerns a federal priority and ensuring those concerns are heard directly.

“It’s more than just budgetary preparations,” he said. “These are complicated conversations with a diversity of topics.

“I had the privilege of being in a room with Cheyenne Bradley from Kwanlin Dün First Nation explaining – not only policy, but on a philosophical basis – what salmon means to, to the Kwanlin Dün and to Yukoners.

“And urging the federal government to look at salmon, of course from a biological perspective, of course from a scientific perspective, but it’s much more than that to the people of the Yukon.” 

Silver represented the Yukon government alongside cabinet ministers Jeanie McLean and Ranj Pillai.

The rest of the delegation included representatives from various Yukon First Nations communities – Bill; Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation Chief Nicole Tom; Tr’ondek Hwech’in Hähké Roberta Joseph; Champagne and Aishikhik First Nations Dän nätthe äda Barb Joe; Ta’an Kwäch’än Council Chief Amanda Leas; Teslin Tlingit Council Deputy Chief Alex Oakley, and several First Nations councillors, youth and elders.

“We are glad to have this opportunity to advance topics that matter to Yukon First Nations and all Yukoners,” Joe said in the news release

“Our Yukon voices are stronger together. And, as we approach the 50th anniversary of Yukon First Nations’ presentation of Together Today for our Children Tomorrow in Ottawa, we are pleased that our government-to-government-to-government relationships are much stronger today.”

Silver said looking back on what were his last Yukon Days as premier, one of his biggest takeaways has been the increased involvement of youth and elders from First Nations communities in these federal discussions.

Silver, who will step down after a replacement is chosen at the Jan. 28 Liberal leadership convention, said he admires First Nations chiefs for pushing that involvement.

“That shows to me strength in leadership,” he said.

“The multitude of voices from youth to elders: that really stood out for me.”

Silver said he was “proud to see young people speaking so passionately about our Yukon to the federal ministers.”