Math'ieya Alatini elected grand chief of Council of Yukon First Nations

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 25, 2025 8:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Math'ieya Alatini, erstwhile main of the Kluane First Nation, has been elected the caller expansive main of the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN).

The predetermination took spot Wednesday during CYFN's annual wide assembly astatine Brooks Brook, adjacent Teslin.

Four other people were running alongside Alatini: Pauline Frost, Ed Schultz, Rose Sellars and Steve Smith. Five rounds of voting were held to find the winner, with 1 campaigner being removed aft each round. The last ballot was between Alatini and Schultz, a erstwhile CYFN expansive chief. 

Alatini succeeds Peter Johnston successful the role. Johnston, who served arsenic expansive chief since 2016, decided not to tally for different term.

Alatini has a commerce grade from the University of Victoria. She was elected main of Kluane First Nation successful 2010 and served 2 presumption earlier deciding to participate territorial politics. She ran arsenic a Liberal campaigner successful the 2016 Yukon election, but finished 2nd behind Yukon Party MLA Wade Istchenko.

She has besides served arsenic a main strategist with GSD Strategies, a consulting firm, and was CYFN's COVID-19 coordinator during the pandemic.

CYFN is a non-profit governmental enactment based successful the territory that represents and advocates for Yukon First Nations, with the expansive main serving arsenic the main governmental spokesperson.

Alatini volition besides person immoderate caller responsibilities arsenic expansive chief. Starting successful October, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) volition nary longer person a Yukon determination main who's autarkic of CYFN. That person's duties and responsibilities volition present beryllium taken up by the CYFN expansive chief. The 2 organizations announced the alteration earlier this month.