FOR RELEASE     #05-014
January 21, 2005

WHITEHORSE - Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) Grand Chief Ed Schultz, self-governing First Nations chiefs and Premier Dennis Fentie agreed to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Cooperation in Governance in the Yukon today.

The structure and conduct of the Yukon Forum provides a mechanism to establish cooperation in governance in the Yukon.  The MOU formalizes the government to government relationship between Yukon First Nations and the Yukon government to the benefit of all Yukoners. The Yukon Forum will help to achieve more effective services and program delivery by both orders of government.

"We are now embarking on a process conceived some 30 years ago, a process upon which the Yukon moves into the future on terms, conditions and decisions made for the benefit of all Yukoners, enabling us to speak with a single voice," Schultz said. "This is a great day for all of our children, today and tomorrow."

"The Yukon Forum is a powerful symbol of the commitment by Yukon First Nations and the Yukon government to work together collaboratively," Fentie said. "Today, we have implemented the Yukon Forum as our process for this ongoing government-to-government working relationship to the benefit of all Yukoners."

Agreement was reached to establish working groups to advance specific issues and to develop legislation to implement the MOU and to provide formal legal standing for the Yukon Forum.

The Council of Yukon First Nations hosted the meeting of chiefs and officials of the self-governing First Nations and Premier Fentie, ministers and senior officials of the Yukon government at the Westmark Whitehorse Hotel.

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