Where is yukon territory located

In , legal provision was made for the reappointment of a commissioner as chief executive officer of the Yukon, along with the installation of several other appointed territorial officers. In , the council was increased to five elected members, and subsequent additions have expanded it to From to the federally appointed commissioner chaired an executive committee consisting first of appointed officials and representatives of the legislative assembly former council and in its later stages of the deputy commissioner and five elected members from the legislative assembly.

In , an executive council of five elected members functioning as a cabinet superseded the former executive committee. It now reports to the government leader instead of the commissioner. Party politics were introduced to the Yukon assembly for the first time in along with responsibility for managing elections. From to , the commissioner had the authority of the head of the government as well as the head of state.

In other words, the commissioner served as both premier and lieutenant-governor of Yukon. With the exception of a brief Liberal government between and , power has been traded between the conservative Yukon Party and the NDP.

The Yukon Party, however, has been dominant, forming the government from to Sandy Silver, previously the only Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly, was elected premier, while Yukon Party leader Darrell Pasloski lost his seat to a Liberal candidate and subsequently announced his resignation as party leader. There are two major political issues for the Yukon: Aboriginal land claims and provincial status.

The First Nations peoples of Yukon have never signed treaties with the federal government. Their Council for Yukon Indians now the Council of Yukon First Nations has pressed the case since the s for a land claims settlement that would include federal government financial assistance.

In , an Umbrella Final Agreement between the federal and territorial governments, and the Council established the terms for finalizing land claims settlements. The Umbrella Final Agreement also included self-government agreements which give First Nations groups more control over land use and greater authority in areas such as language, health care, social services and education. Each First Nations government has responsibilities related to: law making, land-use planning, fish and wildlife, forestry, water, non-renewable and heritage resources.

Provincial status was an issue during the Meech Lake and Charlottetown constitutional negotiations. When the territories were created, they did not have the same powers as provinces. In the s, the Yukon became responsible for education, social services, tax collection, most highways and community services. Unlike the provinces, however, the Yukon had no authority over natural resources, with the exception of wildlife; royalties derived from resource development were paid to Ottawa.

The process of devolution began in Resource management programs, including those in forestry, mines and land, have been devolved from the federal to the territorial government. In October the Devolution Transfer Agreement transferred responsibility over land and resources to the territory.

In , a new Yukon Act completed the devolution process with regards to land, water and resource management. Unlike the Northwest Territories councils from to , Yukon's appointed officials were all residents in the territory. In , one elected official represented residents of Yukon in Parliament and it was not until that the territory had representation one senator in the Senate.

These numbers remain the true today, i. Hospitals are located in Whitehorse, Mayo and Watson Lake. The remainder of the territory is served by smaller health centres and nursing stations staffed primarily by a team of public health nurses. In —12, there were 28 elementary and secondary schools serving the needs of 5, students from kindergarten to grade Administration is centralized in the Department of Education.

Each school has a locally elected school council, which has consultative power in the hiring and evaluation of the school's principal, and the development of rules and planning for its particular school. A school council also advises on matters such as bus schedules and local curriculum. Under the Education Act , provisions were made to ensure that each school has either a school council or school board.

A school board has added responsibilities regarding staffing, operations and maintenance. Yukon school curriculum is based on the British Columbia curriculum with modifications to reflect local purposes. Instruction is also offered in various communities in seven different Aboriginal languages, and Aboriginal input, on a variety of educational matters, is coordinated through a First Nations Education Commission.

Post-secondary education programs are delivered through Yukon College's main campus created in in Whitehorse , and its network of 13 community campuses in 12 communities. Students can obtain their first two years of university-level education through Yukon College or they can enroll in a variety of specialized diploma and trade programs. In —12, the college reported over 5, enrolled students. Students complete their first year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts at this accredited college and transfer to a partnering institution to complete their degree.

There are also degree programs offered in cooperation with other institutions, such as a Bachelor of Social Work or a Yukon Native Teacher Education Program, both with the University of Regina. Yukon cultural life reflects unique northern traditions, which includes the customs and beliefs of Aboriginal people, an active Francophone community as well as vestiges both physical and cultural from the Klondike Gold Rush. Aboriginal arts and crafts, feature prominently in Yukon cultural life.

The Yukon Heritage Resources Board manage and preserve important archaeological sites and take part in environmental assessments necessary for planning and development. Their mandate is to protect objects of historical importance as well as act as custodians to heritage sites throughout the territory. The Heritage Resources Board, created in , is comprised of 10 members. The Council of Yukon First Nations and the Yukon government each appoint five members to serve on the board for three-year terms.

There is a high concentration of artists and arts in Yukon with twice the national average of artists per capita. Yukon Arts Council provides administrative support for cultural organizations and sponsors a program bringing artists into the schools, as well as annual art exhibitions and concerts. The Territorial Library and Archives are located in Whitehorse. The territorial art gallery in the new Yukon Arts Centre, located at Yukon College, maintains a collection of work by Yukon and Canadian artists, and also sponsors regular local and touring exhibitions.

The Whitehorse Star is the daily newspaper based out of Whitehorse. The Klondike Sun is published bi-weekly in Dawson City. The Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre, located in the village of Teslin , showcases everyday life of the Tlingit people through art as well as cultural traditions.

The bowhead whaling industry , and later the fur trade industry, resulted in settlement at Herschel Island on the north coast, designated as the Yukon's first territorial park in The Yukon Historical and Museums Association offers guided walking tours of Whitehorse heritage buildings in the summer and sponsors a variety of research, publication and public lecture programs.

It is the umbrella heritage organization for Yukon community museums and historical societies. This complex has preserved the varying architectural styles, from pioneer boom-town, Victorian and Edwardian, prevalent during the period. Watson Lake's signposts, started by a homesick American GI in , help tell the story of the construction of the Alaska Highway. In Whitehorse, the MacBride Museum of Yukon History has a collection of more than 30, artifacts documenting the history of the place, people and natural surroundings.

In , the museum welcomed nearly 25, visitors. As observed on the map, the territory is covered by several snow-capped mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, lakes, rivers, coniferous forests, and Arctic tundra. Elias Mountains, etc. Most of the striking landforms of the territory are situated in its extreme southwestern corner in the Kluane National Park and Reserve. As marked on the map by an upright yellow triangle is Mount Logan, which rises to an elevation of 5,m and is the highest point on the Yukon territory as well as the entire Canada.

Much of the territory is drained by the Yukon River. Some other notable rivers include Peel, Liard, Stewart, Porcupine, etc. The lowest point of the territory is at the Beaufort Sea 0m. The Canadian Territory of Yukon is administratively divided into 8 municipalities. The largest single employer in the territory is the government. There are many job opportunities, particularly in mining, and the job market is relatively secure, due to the fact that the industry is run by the government.

Thanks to most of Yukon still being unspoiled wilderness, tourism plays an important part in the economy. German and Athabaskan languages can be heard in the smaller towns, adding to the vibrant diversity of the province. With a rich cultural heritage, fascinating gold rush history, legendary road trips, breathtaking scenery in every direction, trails to hike and rivers to paddle, all wrapped up with our warm Northern hospitality, this is a place your clients will love.

Oh, and did we mention the glorious midnight sun and magical northern lights which are such a bucket list item for so many travellers? Footer menu Subscribe to our Trade enews TravelYukon. Main navigation Trade.

About the Yukon Why Sell the Yukon?