Aboriginal Yukon want to be more consulted on the security of the Arctic

Yukon representatives within the Assembly of First Nations (APN) believe that the Aboriginal people of the territory have been historically excluded from decisions concerning national defense and sovereignty in the Arctic. They argue that these questions must be addressed taking into account modern treaties.

Well [les Premières Nations] have not been entirely excluded from defense policies, it is fair to say that their authority and their rights have not been fully integrated in the current context of the defense of Canadathey indicate in a recent report.

The First Nations of Yukon are not simple spectators, but indeed active partners in the decisions concerning the security of their territory. They have the knowledge, skills and experience required to do this.

The document offers 12 suggestions, including improving communication with First Nations, allocation of financial resources to strengthen their autonomy in terms of security, and a strengthening of resources to combat the repercussions of climate change.

The ball incident

According to Kluane Adamek, leaving the yukon out of the breastAPNFaille in relations with the federal government was revealed a few years ago when a surveillance ball was killed above the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun and Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nations territory.

The report evokes a serious communication problem that went against First Nations sovereignty.

Essentially, it’s nothing for us without ussummarizes Kluane Adamek. We want to be real partners in order to build a strong, safe and sovereign north, in our own words.

The document stresses that First Nations should not only be informed of the dangers in the region, but also be consulted in decision -making.

Take into account climate change

According to indigenous leaders, climate change is the most immediate threat to the Far North.

They believe that security in the region includes food security, freedom to circulate in the territory, adaptation of climate infrastructure and respect for the rights of indigenous peoples.

Adamek argues that First Nations already have a role in emergency interventions, especially thanks to Canadian Rangers and the Yukon First Nations Forest Service. The federal government should therefore invest more in these efforts and take into account traditional knowledge in order to adapt to climate change.

The consequences of the Alaska road

The Corps of the United States Army has built the Alaska road during the Second World War, without the consent of the Yukon First Nations.

According to the report, the project led to the movement of communities, the desecration of sacred sites and the destruction of ancestral land.

While public discourse focuses on the speed and extent of construction, many Yukon First Nations remember the destruction, dispossession and deep loss linked to this moment.

L’APN asks that the federal government is responsible for the wrongs of the past, that it recognizes this road legacy and that it is developing commemorative projects.

The report offers rethink the security and sovereignty of the North based on truth, respect and shared responsibilityotherwise Partnership efforts will remain fragile.

According to Brendan Hanley, Federal MP for Yukon, the report opens the door to future discussions.

The sovereignty of the Arctic goes far beyond the simple defensehe says, adding: It consists in protecting our territory and all that follows, in particular economic development, the preservation of crucial areas for biodiversity, and the protection of our culture, our inheritance and our language.