Two Yukon school boards and one school council will hold general elections in November

The establishment of a First Nation School Board is a historic time for Yukon and a major step in advancing reconciliation. Over the past two decades, Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon has shown us the impact passionate and dedicated school board trustees can have on students’ education. I encourage everyone to learn about the details of these elections and to get out and vote in November.

The Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon is looking forward to these elections with the First Nation School Board. This new school board is a long-awaited initiative supported by our school community. It will ensure the conservation of their knowledge, culture, language and visions of the world. The Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon wishes them much success for generations to come. Through this democratic process, we hope to welcome new trustees from different communities across the Yukon as it will help Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon to reach its mandate to represent its students and families throughout the territory. We encourage all interested candidates to submit their nomination to join our board.

This election is a major milestone in achieving the vision laid out by our Elders and ancestors: for Yukon First Nations to share the authority of education with the government for the schooling of all students. Our five trustees will be selected through an open, accessible, and democratic election process to lead a new era in education in the territory: one that is grounded in Reconciliation.

There is a new and transformed electoral landscape for the 2022 school board elections.   In 2019 there was one board, one voting location, and two schools operated by the Commission scolaire francophone Yukon.  There were 84 electors.  Since then, the Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon footprint has expanded with a new school in Riverdale. 

This year, eight schools formed part of the newly established First Nation school board.  There are now a total of 11 schools under two boards located in communities across the territory with 655 students currently enrolled at First Nation School Board schools, as of September 29, 2022. There are over 8,000 electors in communities all across the territory; those with minority language rights, those whose ancestral languages is a First Nation language, and those parents of students attending those schools.  All needing access to the vote.  It has demanded a historic shift in election administration to offer more locations to vote, more ways to vote, and more opportunity to vote. 

Elections Yukon will introduce new levels of elector outreach, convenience, and access in supporting the right to vote and the right to be a candidate for school board elections. We are proud to support, in our small way, the evolution of education in the Yukon.