Yukon Updates Oath Requirement for Municipal Officials After Council Protest

Newly elected officials in Dawson City can now pledge allegiance to Canada's Constitution instead of the British Crown, following concerns raised about the monarchy's history with Indigenous peoples.

• The Yukon government amended its Municipal Act, allowing municipal councillors to choose between swearing allegiance to the British Crown or to the Constitution of Canada.
• The change was prompted by Dawson City's newly elected council, which refused to take the King's oath due to its historical implications for Indigenous peoples.
• Councillor Darwyn Lynn, a member of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, spearheaded the decision, expressing discomfort with the oath's connection to Canada's colonial past.
• Yukon's Minister of Community Services, Richard Mostyn, emphasized that the amendment reflects the territory's commitment to reconciliation and inclusivity in governance.
• This move makes Yukon one of three Canadian jurisdictions to offer an alternative to the Crown oath, following similar changes in Quebec and other regions.

3 Articles

CBC BBC The Globe and Mail