September 2023

To our community,

Today our hearts break with the affirmation of the deaths of First Nations children, and the identification of potential burial sites, near the former Chooutla Indian Residential School.  This announcement confirms another appalling truth of about the treatment of First Nations children. It is a truth we cannot turn away from if we are to walk with integrity on our journey of reconciliation.

So today we come together, in grief and love, to honour the lives of these children and to hold up Survivors, their families and communities.

Going forward, we must never forget the injustice and cruelty that allowed these children to die alone far from home. We must choose to create a future where every child matters. This means not only having the right intentions, but also being prepared to follow through with right actions.

At Yukon University, we stand together, in grief and sorrow with Residential School Survivors, their families and communities, to condemn the practices of genocide, racism, discrimination and hatred.

We commit to our own learning and unlearning journey to understand the legacy of residential schools and on-going trauma experienced by Survivors and their families, so that we will never again stand for the practice of taking children from loving homes, families and communities, stripping children of their languages, their heritage, their dignity, their rights and exposing them to violence in their learning environments.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lesley Brown
President & Vice-Chancellor
Yukon University

Gä̀gala-ƛ̓iƛ̓ətko (Nadia Joe)
Associate Vice-President, Reconciliation
Yukon University

WHITEHORSE, YT— The Mastercard Foundation is expanding its partnership with Yukon University (YukonU) to continue to transform education and support Indigenous youth success in the Yukon through the EleV (“ell-uh-VEE") Program.

Yukon University is pleased to announce that Aisha Montgomery has been appointed as Associate Vice-President, University Relations.

Montgomery has called the Yukon home for more than 20 years, raising her family here and contributing to countless initiatives in the territory through senior roles with the Government of Yukon. As Director of Communications and more recently Director of Policy with the Government of Yukon, she has developed strong relationships with municipalities, First Nation governments, the federal government and many other stakeholders across the territory to bring about significant impact on the everyday lives of Yukoners—from midwifery legislation, territorial land development, emergency response and more.

As Associate Vice-President, University Relations for YukonU, Montgomery will oversee government relations, development, marketing and communications, and alumni engagement.