The fourth and final Yukon Forum of 2019 took place Friday at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre.

Premier Sandy Silver and his cabinet members met with Peter Johnston, the Council of Yukon First Nations’ grand chief, and Yukon First Nations chiefs.

The leaders discussed traditional knowledge, an education data sharing agreement and a Yukon strategy for the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) report.

There was also a debrief and discussion about Yukon Days meetings in Ottawa earlier this month.

The leaders also took a tour of the new youth transitional housing program on Wann Road in Porter Creek, which launched on Dec. 6.

Silver told media at the forum’s agenda focused on presentations and updates, and was a “little more soft” than some forums have been in the past.

“A lot of philosophical conversations today, and a lot of planning for the future,” Silver said.

The leaders discussed traditional knowledge and the importance of respect without ownership.

Silver said his government plans for a future in which traditional knowledge is as important to decision-making as scientific knowledge.

Johnston noted, however, that traditional knowledge is never something the government owns. Being respectful of this requires a fine balance when creating policy that considers traditional knowledge.

The leaders also discussed the Yukon strategy on the MMIWG Report.

“We’re in an interesting place right now,” Silver said. “The Yukon has been at the forefront of this conversation.”

Johnston said the big difference between the Yukon and other places in Canada is self-governance. He said he is optimistic for successful government-to-government dialogue in the creation of an action plan around the report.

There were discussions of “decolonizing” the conversation around the MMIWG and opening it up to all Yukoners.

“The lion’s share of the work has been done … now it’s a matter of understanding we can’t do this alone,” Silver said.

Silver said he is anticipating a draft of the Yukon strategy on the MMIWG Report in the near future.

The forum also discussed a “monumental initiative” toward an education data-sharing agreement.

“We are moving into that reality,” Johnston said. “We are definitely moving ahead in regard of how we deal with First Nation education in the territory.”

Johnston added that shared data will be a very important aspect of moving forward, and the governments are working to co-ordinate efforts on it.

Both leaders agreed that the Yukon Days meetings in Ottawa earlier this month were successful.

Johnston said it was clearly communicated to federal ministers that the Yukon needs more police resources and important anecdotal information was shared about the impact of community safety officers in the territory.

Silver conceded that the new government in Ottawa made Yukon Days chaotic, and discussions were had between the leaders on how to improve meetings in the future.

Looking forward to 2020, Johnston said the plan is to push Silver’s government to set the bar high and continue constructive dialogue.

Silver added that a “new normal” has been established through the 12 successful forums conducted so far.

Now, there is room to reimagine what Yukon Forums will look like going forward, the leaders said.

Johnston said the meetings have evolved from operating on a set agenda to a more organic dialogue, and the leaders are continually open to changing the way the meetings operate.

“We are always willing to consider change, because we want to make sure these are as effective as possible,” Silver