NorthRussell Blackjack said the lack of co-operation and consent has upended negotiations, which he said are supposed to be in confidence. The territory, he said, is keeping with what’s routine: unilateral decision-making.Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation is the latest community to publicly call out the territoryJulien Greene · CBC News · Posted: Sep 23, 2025 6:14 PM EDT | Last Updated: September 23The view of the Yukon River from Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation. The First Nation is calling out the Yukon government for releasing its draft mining framework to CBC News. (Pauline Holdsworth/CBC)Another Yukon First Nation is denouncing the Yukon government’s release of the draft mining framework — that could underpin future mining legislation — to CBC News.Russell Blackjack said the lack of co-operation and consent has upended negotiations, which he said are supposed to be in confidence. The territory, he said, is keeping with what’s routine: unilateral decision-making.”The setback is the breach of trust. You know, the two entities have agreed to trustworthy negotiations,” Blackjack said.CBC News recently obtained the draft framework after filing an access to information request. The draft document is not the new legislation itself, but outlines the terms of the eventual bill.Blackjack said the release flies in the face of the First Nation’s jurisdiction and self-determination, noting the community has been working to ensure stringent environmental protections become law.”To the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, this is a serious matter, with breach of our final agreement, eh?” he said. “Little Salmon Carmacks, you know, has [sic] witnessed, first hand, the impact of mining on our lands and waters, so with them releasing information like this while we’re in the middle of working — drafting a framework — it sorta defeats our purpose.”Blackjack is referring to the legacy of the now abandoned Mount Nansen mine.Premier Mike Pemberton declined requests for comment via the director of cabinet communications.Last Friday, leaders with the First Nation and territorial government held a meeting, which were, according to text messages sent by cabinet communications director Laura Seeley, mostly positive, “even when some tougher issues came up.”Seeley said there’s not much more to share beyond what Mines Minister John Streicker told the CBC about a week prior regarding similar concerns from the White River First Nation. Streicker had apologized then, while in Burwash Landing, for the release of the draft framework — an issue he said was the result of several “missteps.”The two First Nations are different communities in different regions — Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation has negotiated and established a modern treaty while the White River First Nation has not.ABOUT THE AUTHORJulien Greene is a reporter with CBC Yukon. A proud member of Six Nations of the Grand River, he writes about First Nations’ rights, the land and water. Among other newsrooms, Julien has worked at APTN, The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star and The Narwhal. He earned his Bachelor of Journalism degree at Carleton University. He lives in Whitehorse, Yukon. He can be reached at julien.greene@cbc.ca
Yukon First Nation joins chorus against territory for disclosing draft mining framework
