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Putting People and Planning First in Whitehorse
Written by Nicole Schafenacker and Joti Røsholt | July 30, 2026
Dàmäwtän (The Point), Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council traditional territory. Photo by Hannah Hofsink.
“I have come deeply appreciate the interconnectedness of this watershed especially how Murray, Coal and Mary lakes connect to Wolf creek, which flows through the Wolf Creek Territorial campground and into the Yukon River. Over the last few years those of us who use the trails have seen a significant impact due to increasing mineral exploration by Gladiator Metals.”
– Mary Lake Resident
We have the unique privilege, in Whitehorse, of being a “wilderness city.” Within 20 minutes or less you can find yourself on interconnected trails that take you into the heart of thriving ecosystems: boreal chickadees adding to their nest with mosses, hillsides of crocuses marking spring melt, a pileated woodpecker drumming for ants, muskrats and beavers shaping waterways, signs of where black bears, mule deer, moose and even caribou have passed by. Many of these trails follow ancestral routes that connect all the way from Lake Laberge to Marsh Lake and beyond. We owe much to the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwach’an Council Citizens who have cared for and stewarded this place for generations.
For many residents, access to nature is the reason we live here. Just three years ago, the City of Whitehorse’s Official Community Plan (OCP) was adopted to ensure the priorities of residents and local First Nations are reflected in city planning. Careful planning is key to balance the needs of people, the health of the land, and the health of the economy. To this end, the City was developing a Mineral Exploration and Development Framework, to ensure “exploration and development progress in a manner consistent with local planning objectives and community values.”
However, Gladiator Metals proposed an amendment to the OCP to bypass this framework and the public process the City had been working on over the last few years. The proposal seeks to reclassify three greenspace and environmentally sensitive areas (along Mary Lake, near Copper Ridge, and near Mount Sima) as areas for Future Planning, and then permit mining exploration in all Future Planning areas. City staff put aside working on the framework to focus on this proposal, despite there being no legal need to do so immediately.
As the city grows, decisions on how to balance the needs of housing, transportation, and development will grow with it. Future planning areas are typically flagged for residences, schools, community facilities, and transportation infrastructure. This change would complicate meeting the current and future day-to-day needs of Whitehorse residents.
During the City Council meeting in July, residents filled City Hall and spoke up. Why is the City prioritizing industry interests over community needs and processes? One Wolf Creek resident spoke about how the framework was designed to mitigate the impacts to water, wildlife, and people, and how residents have all engaged in this rigorous process. They emphasized the need for planning, respecting process and fairness. Likewise, a Mary Lake resident spoke about how the OCP matters; residents and stakeholders were extensively consulted, and the result is a careful, municipal land use guide and plan. They went onto say that a mining claim is NOT a land-use plan. By considering this amendment, the City of Whitehorse is allowing Gladiator Metals to bypass the process and change the OCP for their own self-interest. This sets a dangerous precedent for mining companies, whose goal is for exploration to become a mine, bringing more impacts that can quickly escalate around Whitehorse.
Current exploration areas for Gladiator Metals, where they have a Class 3 Exploration Permit. Graphic by Malkolm Boothroyd.
Further, the mining company’s proposal introduces a broad definition for “Disturbed” areas, which includes everything from areas with FireSmarting, past mining activity, fire breaks, and more, to similarly facilitate mining exploration. “Just because an area has been disturbed does not automatically equate to it then having mineral tenure,” noted one resident. Another Mary Lake resident added that the proposed areas are not a wasteland, that people and wildlife rely on these places, specifically noting caribou. Nearby, Chasàn Chùa Territorial Park protects areas that were damaged by a landfill and drilled for mining exploration, where there are beavers, families of moose, trails, and more. Many disturbed areas are healing and being cared for, and shouldn’t have their value thrown out for mining interests.
This trend of industrial activities transforming Yukon’s wild spaces before planning reverberates throughout the Yukon. On the traditional territory of the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun First Nation, permanent changes to the Stewart watershed region are piling up before the people impacted have the opportunity to create a long-term plan for the future. Measures like regional land planning and management plans for protected areas are something all Yukoners can participate in, but for them to be meaningful and practical we need our governments to stand up for these democratic processes.
What these planning processes have in common is a vision for the future that comes from the people who live there. In the Yukon, we have an opportunity that many cities and communities have lost: to meet the needs of the community, local economy, and the environment. But this takes planning. A company often will not be there for full life cycle of a project, but communities will be. Allowing industry to begin work before planning is completed erodes the ability of plans to safeguard the lands, water, and wildlife that have been stewarded since time immemorial.
“This is not a not-in-my-backyard issue. This is an issue that affects all citizens of Whitehorse.”
– Pine Ridge Resident
The good news is that it’s not too late. The City is accepting written submissions until a public hearing takes place on the matter at City Hall (Monday August 24th, 5:30 pm). Email publicinput@whitehorse.ca with your thoughts and priorities. Residents can also speak at the public hearing.
Tips from Whitehorse residents on writing to Council:
- Your full name, the neighbourhood you live in, and the number of years you’ve lived in Whitehorse.
- Why you care about this issue. What you’ve seen, experienced or are concerned about.
- A clear request: that Mayor and Council reject proposed Bylaw 2026-25
- Your personal voice matters. Use the key facts to craft your email or speaking points in a way that’s uniquely yours.
We also recommend reporting observations and complaints to the City of Whitehorse about impacts such as noise and disturbance, disruptions to wildlife and/or trails, or concerns about groundwater and wells.
For all the dog-loving Yukoners you can participate in the first ever Dog-A-Thon Triathlon in Mary Lake on August 22nd to showcase what makes one of these threatened greenspaces so important to residents.
As we face pressures from wildfires, climate change, and geopolitical tensions, it’s more important than ever that we come together as Yukoners and contribute to the planning processes across the territory. Through regional land use plans, management plans for protected areas, or community plans, we democratically create a long-term vision for the health of this land for the generations to come.
Cleanup at Dàmäwtän (The Point), Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council traditional territory. Photo by Hannah Hofsink.
Sources and resources:
- June 29 City Council package with proposal starting at page 8
- Video of July 7th Council Meeting about the proposal
- City of Whitehorse Webpage Mineral Exploration and Development Framework
- Whitehorse 2040 Official Community Plan
- Yukon News article Whitehorse council hears renewed proposal to open city lands to mineral exploration
More CPAWS Resources
New Minerals Legislation
We have a once in a generation opportunity. New mining legislation will rewrite the outdated Placer and Quartz Mining Acts, bringing mining in the Yukon into the 21st century and reforming the entire cycle of a mine.
Mining in Whitehorse
Mining is intertwined with Whitehorse’s past, but should it be part of its future? At City Council’s March 11th public hearing on mining in Whitehorse, the large majority of people who spoke said “No.”
Seeing with our own eyes
In November 2022, Gladiator Metals, a mineral exploration company, acquired the Whitehorse Copper Project, a series of 314 claims spread throughout 5,380 hectares within the Whitehorse Mining District.
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Contacts for reporting a nuisance:
City of Whitehorse the Bylaw Services trouble line (867) 667-2111
- Energy Mines and Resources (Government of Yukon): (867) 633-7952, mining@yukon.ca
- Compliance, Monitoring, and Inspections (Government of Yukon): (867) 667-3137, cmi-inquiries@yukon.ca
- Gladiator Metals Community Outreach: community@gladiatormetals.com
- Gladiator Metals Community Contact: Leneath Yanson, (604) 653-9464, lyanson@gladiatormetals.com.
Getting a complaint logged with any, or all of these branches is an important step regardless of what they recommend.
Tips for reporting noise disruptions:
Including the following information will strengthen your complaint:
- Record the date and time of the noise including duration if possible,
- Write a brief description of the noise and the disruption it is causing such as annoyance or impacting sleep,
- Approximate the direction the noise is coming from,
- Be sure to record whether the noise is heard from outside the house, inside the house with windows open, inside the house with windows closed, or all three of those options.
A Parallel in the Stewart Watershed
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun signed their Final Agreement in 1993 and three decades later the Yukon government has just entered into a regional land use planning process with the Nation. Meanwhile, the region and watershed is undergoing significant transformation by industrial development. “There’s going to be nothing left for them” said Councillor Helaina Moses, referring to the generations to come, during the Nation’s presentation that ran parallel to the Yukon Geoscience Forum & Tradeshow last year. In the history of mining in the Yukon there are only a handful of mines that have been successfully closed. The impacts of mines that end in disaster have had profound cultural, environmental, and social consequences that leave their mark for decades to come. In the aftermath of the Eagle Mine Disaster, Yukoners have been left to lend taxpayer dollars to cover disaster-response costs that amount to one-eighth of Yukon’s budget.
Similar to the City’s OCP, regional land plans in the Yukon are holistic plans created together by communities, governments, stakeholders, planning experts and are designed to include economic values as well as environmental and social values. As former Chief of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Dawna Hope has said, “We know we need mining. But no more boom and bust, in and out.” As many leaders across the Yukon have pointed out, the Yukon’s mining laws have not been updated since the Gold Rush. To sustain mining and local jobs we need mineral legislation for the twenty-first century.
Where the Waters Meet
Written by Paula Gomez Villalba with photos by Hannah Hofsink, Ross River Dena Council territory | June 26, 2026
June in Tu Łidlini (Ross River) is marked by willows, broods of ducks rafting on ponds, and the smell of fresh poplar leaves. Sitting at the confluence of two important rivers, the Ross River and Tu DesDes (Pelly River), Tu Łidlini translates to “Where the Waters Meet.”
You can still see snow on most peaks, feeding lakes and rivers on Ross River Dena Council territory as it melts. These waters support so much growth: Moss that blankets the forest floor soaks up moisture like a sponge. Pike eggs hatch near the shore. Birds return in waves, filling the land with sound.
Greeted enthusiastically by two pups as we pull in, our CPAWS team meets at the Ross River School. With canoes in tow, we make our way to one of these waterbodies: Jackfish Lake.
We’re supporting flatwater canoe training with the Ross River School, teaching alongside Principal Cox and schoolteacher Kennedy Pepin-Harmatiuk. A group of Grade 6/7 enthusiastic students is ready to learn.
River guide and First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun citizen, Kadrienne Hummel, leads a few safety demonstrations and basic paddle stroke lessons from the shore. The group then pushes out onto the water to loop around an island in the lake.
Kaneda, a Ross River Youth who paddled with us on Tu DesDes (Pelly River) last summer, is especially keen to share skills and support others in the canoe. He sits in the stern, directing the boat with confidence.
As the afternoon progresses, youth find rhythm in their paddles, growing stronger in their synchrony.
During the trip, Kadrienne speaks about her journey since her first trip on Tsé Tagé (Beaver River)—reflecting on how paddling connects her to culture and what it has meant to become a public voice for her Nation.
Jackfish Lake lies in the traditional territory of the Ross River Dena Council (RRDC), formed by melting glaciers over 10,000 years ago.
In the sediments surrounding Tu Łidlini, there are even traces of prehistoric life. Four different species of dinosaurs walked this land 85 million years ago, leaving behind fossilized footprints – one of which is on display at the school.
Nearby, around the Lapie Canyon where our CPAWS team is camping, snowshoe hares dart in and out of sight. Lichen and mosses cover the rocks, soils, and creep up some trees.
Our Conservation Intern, Hannah, takes photos of nearby lichens and mosses. To help more people connect with these tiny species, she’s creating a field guide this summer. Often this means getting down to their level and using a special camera lens to capture all of their textures and colours.
During the trip, Hannah shares with students more about lichens and their role on the land.
“Lichens are a partnership between a fungus and an algae. The fungus provides the structure, while the algae provides energy through photosynthesis. Without lichen, forests would struggle to survive. They insulate permafrost, help plants grow, store carbon, and provide food for caribou. Lichens grow really slow, with some species only growing 0.1 mm per year!
On a stump near the canyon, Cladonia lichen grows, a fruticose (shrubby) lichen characterized by elongated horn-like stalks that Caribou forage in the winter. Around it, Stairstep Moss (Hylocomium splendens) creates a dense mat that absorbs water, retaining moisture and trapping nutrients to support soil building and erosion control.”
These lands and waters are part of Dene Kēyeh (Kaska Country), where the Tu Łidlini Land Guardians continue on-the-ground monitoring and care.
As the days pass, our team joins handgames in town and visits the Dena Cho trailhead where exciting Guardian work will be underway soon. Between paddle strokes, hikes, and stories, we get a glimpse of just how deep the water’s history runs and the abundance that’s supported by Dene Kēyeh.
Youth learning on the water, wildlife thriving, and opportunities to connect are just some of the values RRDC is working to safeguard through their Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA). We’re excited to paddle alongside RRDC leadership, supporting their work and sharing more about what makes these lands and waters so important.
Oil and Gas Lease Sale in the Arctic Refuge Flops—Again
June 5, 2026
Whitehorse, Yukon – For the third time in a row, the U.S. government-backed oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic Refuge—home to the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd—has been an utter flop. The sale, which closed out today shortly before 11 AKDT (12 PT), received only a paltry nine offers from two bidders, who vied for only five of 58 parcels of land among the 700,000 acres of pristine, environmentally invaluable land offered on offer within the Coastal Plains of the Refuge. Today’s sale raised only USD$ 3.7 million—a dismal 0.2 percent of the USD $1.8 billion the Administration has previously projected the leasing program would generate.
This embarrassingly low turn-out marks the third such fiscally unsuccessful attempt by the Trump Administration, which has been pursuing an oil and gas leasing program in the Arctic Refuge in open defiance of the rights and will of the Gwich’in people, the concerns of environmentalists, and the expertise of scientists, Traditional Knowledge Holders, and economists since 2017.
CPAWS Yukon is deeply disappointed to see this lease sale proceed, as it was conducted against the express wishes of the Gwich’in, Canadians, and environmentalists around the world. The decision of the U.S. government to proceed with this lease sale represents a direct attack on the health and well-being of the Arctic Refuge, the Porcupine Caribou Herd, the sovereignty and culture of the Gwich’in people, and openly disrespects Canadians as a whole, being in violation of U.S. diplomatic and treaty obligations to Canada.
Incensed by these injustices, Yukoners have submitted a petition to the Government of Canada to take all necessary steps to support the Gwich’in in protecting the sacred calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd and to uphold Canada’s commitments under international and Canadian law, as well as the will of the Yukon people. This petition is slated to be presented on Parliament Hill by the Honourable Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for the Yukon and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs.
While CPAWS Yukon is pleased to see the Trump Administration’s misguided plan to sell off the Coastal Plains once again fall flat on its face, we are worried for the future of the Arctic Refuge and the Porcupine Caribou Herd. We stand alongside the Gwich’in in asserting that the only acceptable development in the Arctic Refuge is no development. We will continue to work alongside Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, the Gwich’in Steering Committee, and our international environmentalist allies at the Arctic Defense Campaign (ADC) to defend this special place.
“Given this frankly pathetic response from industry—which seems to clearly recognize drilling in the Arctic Refuge is simply bad business—we at CPAWS Yukon are beginning to wonder when the Trump Administration will give up on its disastrously unpopular, environmentally irresponsible, and economically unsound plan to sell off this ecologically sensitive, culturally irreplicable place in the name of greed, power, and self-interest.”
–Laurence Fox, Conservation Coordinator, CPAWS Yukon
Contact
Laurence Fox, Conservation Coordinator, CPAWS Yukon
lfox@cpawsyukon.org | 867-393-8080 x3
Inside CPAWS Yukon
Inside CPAWS Yukon
Written by Paula Gomez Villalba | April 27, 2026
Do you have a good idea of what CPAWS Yukon is all about? We’re not an animal rescue, despite what the “paws” in our name might suggest. CPAWS Yukon is a non-profit environmental organization that promotes conservation across the territory. Together with our partners and supporters, we stand up for the Yukon’s land, water, and wildlife.
Sometimes our work really does involve paws, like these lynx paw prints during wildlife surveys in Chasàn Chùa (McIntyre Creek) as part of our Coexistence and Caution study a few years ago.
For us, conservation is about protecting and caring for wild spaces (land, water, plants, animals, soil, minerals, and their interactions) so that they persist for current and future generations. It’s not about “untouched” or “pristine” landscapes, as these places are homelands for Indigenous peoples.
There are many tools and perspectives available for safeguarding wild spaces and their connected ecological and cultural values. We work with First Nations, Governments, organizations, and Yukoners to translate community values and ideas into meaningful actions and policy changes.
So what does this look like?
Upholding Indigenous Rights
First Nations are already working hard to protect their lands and waters, and we want to help move this meaningful work forward. Our path to Reconciliation involves listening, respecting each Nation’s rights, and recognizing their agency as key decision-makers and stewards of their traditional territories. We support First Nations’ goals in government processes, amplify Indigenous-led initiatives, and push for processes that honour the Umbrella Final Agreement.
IN ACTION:
Knowledge Collaboration
By bringing together Western science, Traditional Knowledge, and local perspectives, we help build a stronger foundation for conservation and decision-making. This collaborative work includes research, community-led learning, and sharing information through accessible tools and platforms.
IN ACTION:
On the Land Trips
CPAWS Yukon has organized, or helped organize and guide, on the land trips into different areas for decades. Citizens of all ages from those areas join, and sometimes others like artists, journalists, guardians, and Yukon First Nations staff as well. The trips vary in length and remoteness, from a day out on the land to full multi-week paddling journeys.
Getting youth out on these trips is a high priority for us. Not only do they give youth life-changing skills and experiences, but also the agency and confidence to speak up for their traditional territories.
Often trips live on as films that bring communities together, connect people to place, and share stories of the land and First Nations stewardship.
IN ACTION:
Public Advocacy
We create tools and break complicated processes down so Yukoners can voice their values. Our hope is to help people feel empowered to actively engage in conservation by participating in public consultations and connecting to nature across the territory, whether physically or through stories.
IN ACTION:
Environmental Education & Outreach
Through educational resources and community events, we share knowledge about local ecosystems, increase awareness of conservation issues, and highlight the relationships between people and place. Our outreach also includes working with partners and First Nation communities to create spaces for learning, dialogue, and cultural connection.
IN ACTION:
Collaboration
Protecting land and water requires strong relationships, shared learning, and collective action with First Nations, Governments, organizations, and residents. By supporting gatherings, participating in global conversations, and through community-led processes, we help build the connections and momentum needed for meaningful conservation across the territory.
IN ACTION:
Policy Submissions
Our Conservation Team creates submissions and recommendations on draft land use plans, policy documents, regulations, and proposed development projects. These submissions include research and analysis to address gaps, identify threats to wildlife, determine tools needed for protection, and ensure meaningful co-management. Often submissions provide strategic guidance and highlight ecological, cultural, and community values as we engage rights holders and stakeholders.
Chasàn
Chùa
DAWSON REGION
STEWART WATERSHED
Porcupine Caribou
New mining legislation
PROTECT
THE PEEL
Community Guidelines
Community Guidelines
CPAWS Yukon is proud to create community spaces for fostering connection, sharing news and facts, and facilitating discussions about conservation issues in the Yukon.
We welcome you to engage in healthy and thoughtful dialogue about safeguarding the Yukon’s wild spaces for everyone. Please be mindful of the following guidelines, particularly when posting a comment on our social media platforms:
- Inclusion: Everyone has a place in this community and in nature. Engage in ways that respect diversity and consider your biases.
- Respect: Be thoughtful and courteous. While we might not always agree with one another, taking the time to have open conversations and think critically helps us share perspectives to find robust solutions to the issues we are facing.
- Kindness: Lead with empathy. Everyone deserves to feel safe, especially queer, trans, racialized, and marginalized people and groups. There is no room for bullying, harassment, hate speech, discrimination, or explicit language.
- Community: We all share relationships with each other and the natural world. Ask questions and share your knowledge, experiences, and ideas in ways that support collective learning and collaboration.
Misrepresentation: Help maintain a trustworthy space. Double check sources and reflect on whether your opinion is evidence-based or based on your own individual experience. Posts that include misinformation or misleading content will be removed. - Relevance: Stay on topic with comments that are relevant to what CPAWS Yukon has shared.
- Spam: This space is reserved for discussion and sharing ideas. Spam like advertisements, self-promotion, or commercial content will be removed.
- Non-partisan: CPAWS Yukon is a registered charity. This space may be used for advocacy or debate over policy positions, but please refrain from biased commentary on specific politicians or political parties.
Comments that do not align with these guidelines will be removed. Users who repeatedly violate these guidelines may be blocked from engaging on our platforms.
Our team is committed to learning and reflecting on our practices and impact. As platforms and policies continue to change, we may update these guidelines and/or shift where we are active to ensure that our community spaces continue to align with our values.
To stay connected with CPAWS Yukon updates, we recommend subscribing to our newsletter:
CPAWS Yukon Decries U.S.-Announcement of Oil and Gas Leasing Sale on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge
April 24, 2026
Whitehorse, Yukon—CPAWS Yukon stands in solidarity with our Gwich’in allies in decrying the U.S. Government’s decision to proceed with the environmentally, socially, and economically reckless launch of the oil and gas leasing program within the Coastal Plains of the Arctic Refuge. The announcement, made April 17th, officially opened more than 680,000 acres of the Coastal Plain—home to the sacred calving of the Porcupine Caribou Herd at a formal lease sale to be held June 5.
This lease sale represents a direct threat to the health and stability of the Porcupine Caribou Herd, who have been returning to the Coastal Plain to birth, nurture, and protect their calves for millenia. It is also an affront to the sovereignty, culture, and will of the Gwich’in people, who live in ongoing relationship with the caribou who have steadfastly and adamantly opposed any and all development within the Coastal Plain. The move also represents the continued disrespect of the U.S. government for the sovereignty and security of Canada and Canadians, as this unilateral action is in direct violation of the legally binding 1987 Canada-U.S. Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement.
Offering oil and gas leases in the nursing grounds of baby caribou during an accelerating climate crisis and unprecedented biodiversity loss following two previous sales that, due to a lack of industry interest, were universal flops, is not only immoral and irresponsible, but absurd.
CPAWS Yukon remains committed to standing beside the Gwich’in in the fierce and unwavering defense of the Arctic Refuge and the sacred calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou. The only acceptable oil and gas extraction on the coastal plain is none, and we won’t stop fighting until the Refuge is protected. Now and forever.
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Contact
Laurence Fox, Conservation Coordinator, CPAWS Yukon
lfox@CPAWSYukon.org| 867-393-8080 x 3
Join the Herd, an evening for the Porcupine Caribou
Join the Herd
An Evening for the Porcupine Caribou Event Recap
Written by Paula Gomez Villalba | March 23, 2026
Earlier in March, people across Canada and the U.S. came together to stand up for the Arctic Refuge – again. Through the CPAWS submission portal, nearly 300 letters were sent to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) calling for lasting protection of the Porcupine Caribou Herd’s calving grounds. Over 100 of you joined us at events over the past few weeks, which culminated with Join the Herd at the Yukon Arts Centre on March 11th.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended, and to our partners at Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, and the Yukon Arts Centre for helping make this event possible. We were honoured to be joined by Norma Kassi, Shirlee Frost, and Debra-Leigh Reti, Vuntut Gwitchin Citizens who shared meaningful reflections and stories following a technical update.
The calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou are in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge. The caribou’s range and deep connections to land and people extend through the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alaska. Map by Paula Gomez Villalba, inset photo by Atsushi Sugimoto/www.apl-as.com.
At a time when oil and gas lease sales could happen as early as May 5th and there are active leases where seismic testing could begin any day, coming together and sharing positive, impactful stories like those of the Gwich’in is incredibly important. They show us how far we’ve come, that we are not alone, and the importance of Indigenous leadership.
During Join the Herd, Laurence from our team updated everyone on all the bills, acts, lawsuits, and actions of U.S. administrations that got us here (7:29 in the recording). They also highlighted how the 2025 budget bill that reinforces more lease sales does so to offset costs from tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations, increased military, and specifically ICE deployment, which harasses people, separates families, and deports many illegally. “It’s not just the caribou and the Arctic Refuge and the Gwich’in that they’re hurting. They’re literally hurting people to hurt more people,” Laurence shared.
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- Aelyia Brick
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- Mike Thomas/Yukon Arts Centre
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- Mike Thomas/Yukon Arts Centre
We were incredibly lucky to have three strong Vuntut Gwitchin women speak about growing up on the land and standing up for the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Norma Kassi shared a story about being put down on the ground as a baby, being surrounded by caribou while her mother hunted. Reflecting on the history of fighting for the Arctic Refuge, Norma recalled meeting with grandmothers, travelling to Arctic Village in Alaska where leaders gathered, and the strategy Elders laid out focused on Gwich’in life and connections. She shared about the movements of the Porcupine Caribou Herd, how the young bulls lead the cows while the old bulls follow, showing the young what to do.
“When the cows come, there’s muskrat houses all over the land, all over the lakes… We trap muskrats so that we can survive to sell the pelts when we come back in June. The cows eat what the muskrats bring up for them, and it’s powerful medicine. And for some reason they all go to sleep amongst all the lakes near the muskrat houses. The cows they rest, and the young bulls circle them, the 2 to 3 year olds circle them and watch them, and protect them, because they’re carrying young ones.”
– Norma Kassi, Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
Shirlee Frost was also raised in Old Crow. She spoke about how Gwich’in and caribou hearts are connected, sharing a story about going out to see the caribou with her father, feeling overwhelmed and awed by all the caribou lying on a lake.
“To be amongst them when they’re migrating, you wouldn’t believe, you feel it right through your body… Mother Earth literally vibrates with them”
– Shirlee Frost, , Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
Debra-Leigh Reti, newly elected MLA for Vuntut Gwitchin in Old Crow, spoke about hardships in town and about bringing forward a motion that unanimously passed in the Yukon Legislative Assembly to help protect the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Emotional and grateful seeing her grandson, Landon, at the back of the exhibit by a bull caribou, Debra-Leigh shared a story about them hunting together.
“We all have a caribou story. We all have some kind of caribou story. And I was thinking, you know [about] my time in Old Crow since I moved home in 2018, from the oldest elder to the youngest child, they have a caribou story already.”
– Debra-Leigh Reti, Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
Following some door prizes, Laurence hopped back on the microphone with some caribou facts. For example, did you know that they can turn off their circadian rhythm so the darkness doesn’t make them tired all the time? Or that the caribou have a special pigment in their eyes that helps them see in near, total darkness?
The evening wrapped up with a chance to see the caribou come to life through sound, light, and storytelling. Artists Lianne Charlie and Nicolas Hyatt, co-leads of The Caribou Art Project shared more about the art installation and how the herd has grown. Caribou are carefully laid out, so that when you enter the exhibit you start walking in step with them. The cows and calves are in the centre. Fifteen speaker boxes placed throughout the room play stories and music.
“The hope and desire [is] that folks who weren’t or do not have the type of connection that these Gwitch’in people have talked about, could use this installation and opportunity to experience proximity, to experience closeness to caribou. Many of us don’t have that opportunity now, due to environmental impacts further south”
– Lianne Charlie, Wolf Clan of the Tagé Cho Hudän (Little/Salmon Carmacks First Nation)
“We have a physical herd here made from plywood and acrylic. And those speak, especially the choice of acrylic, to the disappearance of caribou. You’ll notice that some of the calves in particular, are entirely made out of acrylic… Our hope is that that is not where we’re going in the future.”
– Nicolas Hyatt
Events like this celebrate community and highlight how we can stand strong, together. A heartfelt thank you once again to everyone who attended, to our speakers, volunteers, and organizers. The Caribou Art Project will be at the Yukon Arts Centre’s Main Gallery until May 22, 2026. Visit Monday to Friday between 10 am and 5 pm to develop your own caribou story.
Mike Thomas/Yukon Arts Centre
Mike Thomas/Yukon Arts Centre
Video by Adil Darvesh with event photos by Mike Thomas/Yukon Arts Centre. Additional photos by Malkolm Boothroyd and Peter Mather.
You can still help give a voice to the Porcupine Caribou. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation is urging everyone to call on federal ministers and the Government of Canada to protect the Arctic Refuge. The Nation even created a script and compiled phone numbers to make the process incredibly easy.
613-992-9381
Minister Julie Dabrusin
Minister of Environment
613-995-4014
Minister Anita Anand
Minister of Foreign Affairs
“Hello, my name is (your name), and I am calling from (your location). I am urging the Government of Canada to help protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou, from destructive oil and gas drilling.
I call on the Government of Canada to meet directly with First Nation and Inuvialuit leaders whose communities depend on the Porcupine caribou herd for their culture, food security, and way of life – and to take immediate action to protect this sacred place.
Canada must uphold its responsibilities under the Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement and the International Agreement on the Conservation of the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Thank you.”
CPAWS Yukon renews call for permanent protection of Arctic Refuge following U.S. nomination for oil and gas
February 10, 2026
Whitehorse, Yukon – The Yukon Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS Yukon) is once again renewing calls for permanent protection of sensitive caribou calving grounds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began the process of accepting land tract nominations for their oil and gas leasing program on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, triggering a 30-day public comment period. This nomination and comment period is a step towards identifying plots of land on the Coastal Plain for oil and gas development and would be the third instance of nominations, with the first two resulting in flop lease sales.
CPAWS Yukon stands in solidarity with Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Gwich’in Steering Committee, and numerous Alaskan organizations in denouncing this poorly planned and rushed process.
The Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge is home to numerous sensitive ecosystems, including the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd, whose transboundary migration is so crucial that the United States and Canada agreed to work towards conservation through the “Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States on the Conservation of the Porcupine Caribou Herd” in 1987.
The Trump administration’s reckless decisions to force lease sales within the Arctic Refuge ignores previously established international treaties, environmental protections, and the voices of numerous Indigenous Nations, Canadians, and Americans.
As the 30-day public comment period continues, CPAWS Yukon is urging the public to go on the record and highlight the importance of the Arctic Refuge and say no to oil and gas in the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Comments can be emailed to BLM_AKSO_AK932_AKLeasesales@blm.gov.
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Contact
Laurence Fox, Campaigns Coordinator, CPAWS Yukon
lfox@cpawsyukon.org | 867-393-8080 x3
Background
Canada-United States agreement on porcupine caribou herd conservation