the creation of the proposed school board represents "true reconciliation" because it lets Yukon First Nations finally share authority over education with the Yukon government, which currently oversees all the territory's schools except for two francophone schools in Whitehorse.
"This was one way we could move through this and start to work with government side by side to say, 'this is what it should look like,'" Bennett said.A review of the Yukon's education system in 2019 by Canada's auditor general found that it was not meeting the needs of Indigenous students — despite commitments from the territory's education department to do so.
In tiny Beaver Creek, a community of 100 people approximately 400 kilometres northwest of Whitehorse, the result was unanimous in favour of the new board. Ross River, with just under 400 people, had only one voter against. But, Bennett said voters were asked to consider the proposed board in more conceptual terms — as opposed to a detailed education plan.