Posted: Mar 17, 2021 7:00 AM CT | Last Updated: March 17
The 5,048 square-kilometre Beaver River watershed region in north-central Yukon is home to abundant wildlife. (CPAWS Yukon)
The Yukon government breached its duty to consult the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun by unilaterally approving a mineral exploration project in the Beaver River watershed, according to a petition filed to the Yukon Supreme Court Monday.
"We think that consultation utterly failed here," said Nuri Frame, the lawyer representing Na-Cho Nyäk Dun.
"You can't consult if you're unwilling to sit and talk to the rights holder, which is the community, which is the people, which is elders."