The Yukon is "charting new grounds” with its First Nations land claim agreements, Premier Darrell Pasloski told Canada's North Summit conference delegates Wednesday morning.

It's a common assertion from the Yukon Party government.

But three First Nations chiefs soundly refuted the claim Wednesday afternoon, at least as it applies to land use planning – an obligation under those agreements.

"To say that Yukon is leading the way in land use planning, I feel, is misleading and presents a wrong image of the Yukon,” Eric Fairclough, chief of the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation, told conference delegates.

He was speaking at The Impact of Land Claims and Land Use Planning on Economic Development in the North session. It was part of the Conference Board of Canada's second Canada's North Summit conference held this week in Whitehorse.

Little Salmon-Carmacks signed its final agreement in 1997.

Sixteen years later, the First Nation has yet to begin land use planning, noted Fairclough, a former NDP and Liberal MLA until he was defeated in the October 2011 territorial election.

The First Nation's traditional territory is rich in minerals and natural gas. It's been impacted by a staking rush, and is facing the potential development of a world-class mine.

The Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board opened public consultation on the Casino Mine project Tuesday.

"But we don't have a land use plan in place,” the chief said in clear frustration with the Yukon government.

Industry would benefit from the certainty of a land use plan as well, Fairclough asserted.

"I really feel that there's no reason for the Yukon not to have several land use planning tables going on at once,” Fairclough said.

Chief James Allen of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation (CAFN) echoed Fairclough's concerns over land use planning in the territory.

"Land use planning will provide for responsible and sustainable development, protection of heritage, promotion of values of CAFN people and partnerships,” Allen said.

"Hopefully, after our talks at this conference, we'll bend the ear of YTG and tell them that we're ready for regional land use planning.”

CAFN was one of the first four First Nations to sign land claims in 1993.

Since that time, the community has worked to meet the requirements to enter into land use planning.

CAFN has defined its borders, signing trans-boundary agreements with neighbouring First Nations, one of the more difficult preparatory requirements, Allen said.

It's also prepared to make nominations to the land use planning committee.

By Allen's account, the only hold-up is the Yukon government.

To date, the Yukon has completed one land use plan – for the North Yukon.

Land use planning for the Peel watershed has been underway for the past eight years.

But the process has reached a stalemate, Ruth Massie, the Council of Yukon First Nations' grand chief, told the delegates.

That's because the Yukon government has not approved the planning commission's final recommended plan, she said, and has opted instead to pursue its own consultation on government-developed plan options.

Massie, a former chief of the Ta'an Kwach'an Council, also shared her First Nation's frustrations with stalled land use planning processes.

Ta'an was told five or six years ago that it would have to wait five to 10 years before they were able to begin the planning process, Massie said.

Six years later, it isn't even at step one, she continued.

"And why? Because one government out of the three parties is saying, ‘we can't or don't have the time to come to the table.'”

Cabinet communications staff did not respond to the Star's request to speak with the premier about the chiefs' concerns before today's press deadline.

The Canada's North Summit conference, which attracted several hundred people from across the country, adjourned today.

See more conference coverage in Friday's edition.