2026 Yukon Regional Gathering
Learn about the 2026 Yukon Regional Gathering, register for the event, and access the agenda.
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About the gathering
The Yukon Regional Gathering is an annual meeting that provides First Nations Members and Crown-Indigenous Relations Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) staff the opportunity to connect and engage on community priorities through meaningful discussions, presentations and tailored learning opportunities. The 2026 Gathering is set to host delegates from 14 Yukon First Nations and 3 British Columbia (B.C.) First Nations at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre on March 24 and 25, 2026.
Gathering goals
- Informing Yukon and Northern B.C. First Nations of the programs, initiatives, supports and services offered by CIRNAC by various units and directorates
- Reflecting and sharing insight on annual successes as well as look for ways to improve relations and partnerships
- Receiving feedback from leadership on various topics that affect and inform CIRNAC's work
- Reaffirming CIRNAC's commitment to providing and advancing accessible supports for First Nations based on their priorities
First Nation partners
- Carcross/Tagish First Nation
- Champagne and Aishihik First Nations
- First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun
- Kluane First Nation
- Kwanlin Dün First Nation
- Liard First Nation
- Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation
- Ross River Dena Council
- Selkirk First Nation
- Ta'an Kwäch'än Council
- Teslin Tlingit Council
- Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in
- Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
- White River First Nation
- Taku River Tlingit First Nation
- Dease River First Nation
- Daylu Dena Council
- Council of Yukon First Nations
Agenda
Day 1: March 24, 2026
| 8:30 am to 9:00 am | Registration and Networking Breakfast (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Table Sessions (River Corridor/Lobby) |
|---|---|
| 9:00 am to 9:05 am | Opening Prayer (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: Elder Ann Smith, Kwanlin Dün First Nation |
| 9:05 am to 9:15 am | Event Opening and Housekeeping Items (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Master of Ceremonies: Luke Campbell |
| 9:15 am to 9:30 am | Welcome & Opening Remarks (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: Robin Bradasch, Regional General Director, Yukon Region |
| 9:30 am to 10:45 am | Opening Remarks (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: Deputy Minister, Valerie Gideon, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) |
| 10:45 am to 11:00 am | Health Break |
| 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | Panel Discussion: Emergency Management (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: (CIRNAC) Jennifer Wheatley, ISC Assistant Deputy Minister; Clayton Dyck, Emergency Management Coordinator and Yannick Larocque, Director of Capital Development and Infrastructure; (Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation) Chief Pauline Frost |
| 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | Networking Lunch (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Table Sessions (River Corridor/Lobby) |
| 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm | Presentation: Planning for an anticipated Review of the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act (YESAA) Development Assessment Process (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: Shane Kilpatrick, Regional Manager of Environmental Stewardship and Policy, CIRNAC Yukon Region |
| 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm | Presentation: CHRT 41 (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: (CIRNAC) Jamie Boyd, Program Manager, CIRNAC Yukon Region; (Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation) TBC |
| 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm | Presentation: Department of National Defense - Indigenous Reconciliation Program (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: Georgette Franklin, Senior Program Officer, IRP and Magda Denasiewicz, Manager, IRP |
| 2:30 pm to 2:45 pm | Health Break |
| 2:45 pm to 3:30 pm | Panel Discussion: CanNor - Opportunities and Successes in Yukon (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: (CanNor) Verd Noel, Economic Development Officer; Torrine Johnson, Regional Director, Yukon Region |
| 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm | Presentation: Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (Cando) (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: (Cando) Aiden Kindopp, Research Coordinator |
| 4:15 pm to 4:20 pm | Closing Remarks |
Day 2: March 25, 2026
| 8:15 am to 9:00 am | Networking Breakfast (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Table Sessions (River Corridor/Lobby) |
|---|---|
| 9:00 am to 9:10 am | Presentation: Jennifer Wheatley, Assistant Deputy Minister of Regional Delivery Sector (ISC) (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) |
| 9:10 am to 9:55 am | Presentation: Jordan's Principle – National and Regional Updates (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: (CYFN) Shadelle Chambers, Executive Director, Family Preservation Services, Council of Yukon First Nations; (ISC) Andrea Reynoldson, A/Director General, Service Delivery & Operations, Jordan's Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative, Indigenous Services Canada; Sarah Steeves, Acting Director, Jordan's Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative, Regional Delivery Sector-North, Indigenous Services Canada |
| 9:55 am to 10:10 am | Health Break |
| 10:10 am to 11:10 am | Presentation: Child and Family Services – Path to Regional Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: (ISC) Lisa Legault, Director General, Child and Family Services Reform, ISC Headquarters |
| 11:10 am to 12:00 pm | Uncovering Truths in the Archives: Yukon Residential Schools Missing Children Project (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: (Know History) Tom Van Dewark Director, Partnerships, Know History Inc.; Nicole Marion-Patola, PhD, Director of Litigation and Residential Schools Research, Know History Inc.; (RSMCP) Judy Gingell, Chair, Yukon Residential Schools Missing Children Project; Doris Bill, Vice-Chair, Yukon Residential Schools Missing Children Project |
| 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | Networking Lunch |
| 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm | Presentation: Major Projects Office (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: (MPO) Candace Anderson, Director of Indigenous Consultation and Engagement, Major Projects Office |
| 1:30 pm to 2:15 pm | Presentation: Build Canada Homes (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: Speaker: (BCH) Benoit Liodenot, Partnerships Manager, Build Canada Homes, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada |
| 2:15 pm to 2:30 pm | Health and Networking Break |
| 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm | Presentation: Modernizing Consultation and Accommodation - Consultation Guidelines (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: Bruno Steinke, Senior Director, Consultation and Accommodation Unit |
| 3:15 pm to 3:45 pm | Presentation: Northern Responsible Energy Approach to Community Heat and Electricity Program (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: (Northern REACHE) Kara, Kolkman, Environmental Analyst, CIRNAC Yukon Region |
| 3:45 pm to 4:30 pm | Presentation: Canada Infrastructure Bank (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speakers: (CIB) Stephen Scott, Managing Director, Investments |
| 4:30 pm to 4:35 pm | Closing Remarks |
| 4:35 pm to 4:40 pm | Closing Prayer (Łu Zil Män/Multipurpose Room) Speaker: Elder Betsy Jackson, Ta'an Kwäch'än Council |
Table sessions
The following offices will be on-site during the gathering to provide information and answer questions on various government programs and services.
- First Nations Financial Management Board (FNFMB)
- Residential Schools Missing Children Community Support Program (RSMCCSP)
- Know History
- Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB)
- Department of Fisheries and Ocean (DFO)
- Holistic Emergency Preparedness and Response
- First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)
- Parks Canada
- Council of Advancement of Native Development Officers (Cando)/Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
- Northern Responsible Energy Approach to Community Health and Electricity Program (Northern REACHE)
- Northern Vision Development LP
- Indigenous Reconciliation Program, Department of National Defence (DND)
- Health Canada / Canadian Forces Health Services
- WSP Engineering
- Stantec Engineering
- Yukon University (YukonU)
- Colliers
- Paradigm
- Engineers Yukon
Register for the Gathering
To register for the event, please contact us by email or phone:
Email: erica.bourdon@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca.
Phone: 867-667-3887
Forum location
Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre
Phone: (867) 456-5322
Email: info@kdcc.ca
1171 Front Street
Whitehorse Yukon
Canada Y1A 0G9
Contact us
- CIRNAC Yukon Region
- Governance Directorate
- Funding Services and Partnerships (FSP) Office
Yukon Regional Gathering is an event organized by the Governance Directorate. For more information about this event or the work we do, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us on the team.
Phone: 867-667-3888
Toll-free: 1-800-661-0451
- Tamara Fast, Governance Director
Email: tamara.fast@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca - Shawn O'Dell, Intergovernmental Affairs Manager
Email: Shawn.odell@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca - Erica Bourdon, Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Officer
Email: erica.bourdon@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca - Kyla Litke, Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Officer
Email: kyla.litke@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca - Cali Battersby, Senior Funding Services Officer
Email: cali.battersby@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca