FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 15, 2024
Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Urges Yukon Government to Move Forward on the Dawson Regional Land Use Plan
Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (TH) is calling on Yukon Government (YG) to proceed with its submission on the Dawson Regional Land Use Plan without further delay. Our First Nation takes this action for the sake of our land and treaty rights as outlined in the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Final Agreement (TH Final Agreement) and to uphold the integrity of the land use planning process.
Over the past 5 years TH and YG have been working together on the completion of the Dawson Regional Land Use Plan. This is a significant objective under Chapter 11 of the TH Final Agreement and a pivotal achievement in our ability to exercise our right to participate in the management of public resources within TH Traditional Territory. TH has been waiting for fulfilment of our land use planning treaty rights for over 26 years since the signing of the Final Agreement in 1998.
Both TH and YG received a Recommended Plan (the Plan) from the Dawson Regional Planning Commission (the Commission) in July of 2022. Following public engagement, as per the process set out in Chapter 11 of the TH Final Agreement and further outlined in the 2018 Memorandum of Understanding between YG and TH, our two governments entered an intergovernmental consultation period to determine if we were to accept, reject, or modify the Plan. We strived for consensus during this period, however after a year and a half of dedicated efforts, TH made the decision to move forward with our submission alone, despite having aspired to jointly deliver our proposed modifications with YG by the end of April 2024.
It has now been four months since TH delivered its submission, and still the Commission has yet to receive YG’s proposed modifications on the Plan, nor has YG committed to any firm timeline for having their submission completed. In light of this delay, TH is concerned that YG is not prioritizing the Dawson Regional Land Use Planning process, nor the protection and fulfilment of TH treaty rights and promises.
We urge YG to finalize its submission on the Dawson Regional Land Use Plan without further delay, such that that this process can proceed, and the Commission can be empowered to continue their important work on planning for the future of our traditional territory.
To review our submission on proposed modifications to the Plan, please visit www.trondek.ca.
Contact
Elaine Corden
Director of Communications and Policy
Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in
PRESS RELEASE 2024-08-14 YG – Dawson Regional Land Use Plan FINAL
