The emergence of co-management within education policy in Yukon

...there is a clear gap between the system of First Nation governance envisioned in the Final Land Claims and Self-Government Agreements and the system as it currently exists. The agreements have yet to be implemented fully, or even close to fully. This means that there are a variety of policy fields which First Nation governments have the power to control, but have not yet assumed this power. For some, this implementation gap is one that will eventually be overcome if the necessary resources are invested. Using education policy in Yukon as a case study, this paper suggests that there appears to be a different relationship emerging between the Yukon Government and First Nation governments. It argues that in the policy field of education the Yukon Government and First Nation governments are moving towards a system of co-management, based on increased partnership and collaboration. To make this assertion this paper will compare the current trajectory of the relationship between Yukon and First Nation governments through a co-management framework. This framework is based on the body of literature that discusses regimes of co-management by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal governments over natural resources. It is comprised of four parts: the underlying rationale or origin for the regime the structure of the regimes various bodies how power and decision-making occurs and how Aboriginal voice, or traditional methods and practices are incorporated. --P. 2-3.