Whitehorse Daily Star

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VITAL KNOWLEDGE WEBSITED – Liz Hanson and Tim Keopke, both former federal land claim negotiators, are seen at the July 18 launch of the First Principles Project website. The launch was held at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre.

40@-40 Society launches First Principles Project site

Over a bitterly cold weekend in January, 2020,

By Whitehorse Star on August 10, 2022

Over a bitterly cold weekend in January, 2020, veteran negotiators and other longtime representatives of Yukon First Nations, Canada and the Yukon met to address a shared concern.

They recognized that Yukoners have come together to acknowledge the negotiation and implementation of the Umbrella Final Agreement and Yukon First Nation Final Agreements as a co-operative feat which changed the nature of the land Yukoners call home.

However, the actual spirit and intent of the those long, complex legal documents are not well understood by Yukoners.

The land claims veterans called themselves “the 40@-40”.

With the assistance of senior journalists who had covered treaty negotiations, over that frigid weekend, they created a nine-page document, the draft First Principles Paper, outlining the UFA’s key principles, with the aim of promoting wide public discussion.

After a two -year delay caused by COVID-19, what is now the 40@-40 Society launched the First Principles Project (FPP) website www.thefirstprinciplesproject.ca on July 18 and re-issued the First Principles Project draft for public comment and discussion.

The website will collect and make available academic and popular literature relating to the negotiation of the Yukon’s land claim and self-government agreements, and will facilitate public discussion of issues arising from the land claims process.

A “Speakers Bureau” which interested groups can call upon is also being developed. The official launch of the website took place at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre (Longhouse).

It was followed by a discussion on Yukon economic development and Chapter 22 of the UFA.

Comments (12)

Up 2 Down 7

Patti Eyre on Aug 16, 2022 at 4:19 pm

@Juni: you have such a kind heart and you offer warm words of welcome. I'm non-FN and don't feel the way you do. don't speak for me

Up 11 Down 2

Joint Submissions on Aug 16, 2022 at 10:15 am

“You people” are deluded if you think your government has your best interests in mind in the governance of “the people”. Seriously f$&@ing deluded!

As it was then, it is the same now… A theft of the commons from one group to give to another. There is certainly a lot of good solid evidence on the decline of fluid intelligence in the “commons” and we see the results in this “unfettered”
dosing of Liberalism - Mainlined into the body politic - Sweet dreams of manifest delusion…

Up 10 Down 1

Just Sayin' on Aug 16, 2022 at 8:42 am

Umm, why are people who worked in the systems that wanted to colonize the Indigenous allowed to continue forth on projects like this. Where is the accountability?

Up 23 Down 4

Local man on Aug 13, 2022 at 7:35 pm

NDP stooges and wandering opportunistic grifters are one and the same.

Liz, do share your grand insights that you gained while working for the former Indian Affairs, aka the group responsible for residential schools from 1969 onwards. Also I doubt that she ever said “no” during the land claims saga.

For a small, financial basket case territory, the liberal/NDP have enabled a diverse cast of miscreants and people who can’t support themselves without endless sustenance from the government teat. Just because we are a small jurisdiction doesn’t mean corruption doesn’t exist. It appears to be widespread and largely, yet conveniently ignored.

Up 29 Down 1

Groucho d'North on Aug 13, 2022 at 8:37 am

Yukoner71 raises a very good issue- Public land and Traditional territories definitions are blurring, and while first nations are creating new land plans for their traditional territories, the public at large is not being invited to participate in potential changes to public lands or Crown land as it once was called.
It appears as if the terms of the settled land claims are being redefined in secret. So what's the real deal Mr. Silver?

Up 28 Down 6

Anie on Aug 12, 2022 at 3:37 pm

Did these 2 people not earn enough first time round ? Aren't they both way way beyond the usual retirement age? Did they not have the good sense to find some hobbies to occupy their senior years? Step aside folks, your moment in the sun is long gone and nobody wants your opinions any longer. The UFA is well written, and has undergone decades of court challenges. We don't need these people explaining the spirit and intent - we can all read thank you very much. And in the end, it's what us written in black and white that should matter. If you did your jobs properly, no explanations should be required. Boondoggle comes to mind.

Up 40 Down 5

Juniper Jackson on Aug 11, 2022 at 10:44 pm

40 40 is designed to sell the Umbrella Final Agreement to the nonFN public at large, given the backsplash that has come about as non-FN see everything they have worked for, or dreamed of being given over to First Nation Priviledge.

"They recognized that Yukoners have come together to acknowledge the negotiation and implementation of the Umbrella Final Agreement and Yukon First Nation Final Agreements as a co-operative feat which changed the nature of the land Yukoners call home.
However, the actual spirit and intent of the those long, complex legal documents are not well understood by Yukoners."

Liz Hanson and Tim Keopke will be paid handsomely for this...FN are not stupid..they are milking the current "political correctness" for every cent they can get out of it. I think.. personally, that it's not going to be pretty when the cow is dead.

Up 10 Down 1

Nathan Living on Aug 11, 2022 at 5:46 pm

Maybe a Facebook site with the odd public meeting is sufficient to discuss the kind claims process for those interested?

Up 36 Down 8

Yukoner ‘71 on Aug 11, 2022 at 6:55 am

I understand perfectly that people used to be able to apply for public land in the Yukon to build a place to live, I know this as my grandfather got title to 14 lakeside acres back in the day just by paying the registration fee. In the 70’s that opportunity was withdrawn, supposedly until the Indian land claims were settled and there was certainty as to what land was going to be settlement land. Well guess what land claims is long done and there’s no more public land for people. Case in point the people who wanted to build cabins in the wilderness outside Dawson City which apparently now is an absolute no no. Try walking into the land registry and saying you want 14 acres of public land today and see where it gets you. Now it’s traditional territory this and traditional territory that coupled with layers and layers of never ending bureaucracy. Those of us who’ve been here a while see and understand perfectly well what has happened and we see through the spin put on it. The government and the land claims process took our opportunity for land away and it never gave it back. Oh you can buy a tiny government building lot for a hundred thousand or more dollars alright, when and where they tell you you’re going to live.

Up 42 Down 7

My Opinion on Aug 11, 2022 at 12:26 am

YTG 30% bid advantage for the non Settlers.

Gift of ownership of Yukon Energy Battery.

Gift of Northwestel Fibre Network too First Nations that we paid for through our taxes.
Power deal with Atlin Band that sees us paying triple the Hydro rate and building the infra structure.

Alkan Air leasing their own planes from the 1st nations as a show of reconciliation.

Wind farm on Heckle Hill 2 Million of the 20 some million being paid by First Nation the rest by you the Settler. But they will own it and charge what they like.
And this my friends was all in the last few months. Wake the F… up. Libs have to go.

Up 31 Down 6

My Opinion on Aug 11, 2022 at 12:16 am

Public Comment???? For what? We as the so called “”Settlers” have never been informed or involved in the process over the last 50 years, so why now? The horse left the barn long ago. I for one as a “Settler” 2nd Nation Person will not be entering into any leases where I build on their land. The house would have to be on wheels.

Up 28 Down 5

John on Aug 10, 2022 at 10:21 pm

Dollars to donuts they got government money !!

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