Yukon celebrates its 100th anniversary.

• Author: Michael, Patrick L.

Patrick L. Michael is Clerk of Yukon Legislative Assembly and Chief Electoral Officer.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Yukon Territory following the Gold Rush of 1898, the Legislative Assembly travelled to Dawson City and held a one-day special ceremonial sitting in the original legislative chamber used by Territorial Councils from 1901 to 1953. This chamber is located within the "Old Territorial Administration Building" which was designed and built by renowned architect T.W. Fuller in 1901 and now houses the Dawson City Museum.

The Yukon Territory celebrated its one hundredth anniversary on June 13, 1998. Centennial activities were focused on Dawson City, the centre of the Klondike Gold Rush and the capital of the Yukon from 1898 to 1953.

The Speaker, Robert Bruce, arrived at the Administration Building in a horse-drawn carriage. Members of the Assembly, most in period dress, took their places in the Chamber and the sitting opened with the Speaker's parade at 10:00 a.m. The Speaker gave the prayer in his native Gwitchin language and special guests were then introduced. These included former members for the Klondike riding, the Grand Chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations, the Mayor of Dawson City and consuls general for the United States, Great Britain and Germany. The Chief of the Tr'ondek Hwech'in, the First Nation in the Dawson City area, received special greetings as his people had ratified a land claims and self-government agreement the preceding day. This was the seventh such agreement to be reached under the provisions of the Yukon First Nations umbrella final agreement.

The House then proceeded with the business of the day which was Bill Number 100 entitled Yukon Day Act. The numbering of the bill was purposeful; the fact that it was being considered on the one hundredth day of the First Session of the Twenty-Ninth Legislature was a coincidence. The text of the legislation is as follows:

Recognizing that Yukoners value the history and heritage of this land and its peoples,

That the lives, traditions and cultures of the peoples of Yukon First Nations and of all others who have come to this land deserve honour and respect, and

That the creation of Yukon as a territory within Canada on June 13, 1898, was an historic event meriting recognition on its one hundredth anniversary,

The Commissioner of the Yukon Territory, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly, enacts as follows:

* In 1998...