Respected Elder and proud Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Citizen Mary Jane Jim receives YukonU Honorary Doctorate of Arts Degree
Yukon University will present Mary Jane Jim with an honorary doctorate degree at the annual Convocation ceremony on Saturday, June 7 on Ayamdigut Campus. Jim has dedicated her life to healing and empowerment through culture, language, and traditional knowledge.
As a citizen of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN), Jim comes from a long line of Southern Tutchone/Tlingit Matriarchs. She is a respected Elder, community leader, and advocate for Yukon First Nations, drawing strength from her family and community.
Her leadership encompasses language preservation, land claims, and wellness initiatives. She has twice served as Vice Chief for the Assembly of First Nations Yukon Region and held a position on the executive of the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN), where she is also honoured on the Wall of Honour.
In addition to mentoring future leaders, she also co-leads Duu Chuu Consulting with her husband Tim Cant. Previously, she served as co-faculty in the Indigenous and Métis program at the Simon Fraser University, where she championed decolonized education and community justice.
“A legacy spanning five decades, Mary Jane Jim has become a guiding force in language preservation, Indigenous rights, and decolonized education. Her life’s work uplifts not only the Yukon First Nations but also the next generation of leaders she so passionately mentors,” said Dr. Lesley Brown, President and Vice Chancellor of Yukon University. “We are honoured to present Mary Jane Jim with this honorary doctorate from Yukon University for her unwavering commitment to truth, tradition, and collective wellbeing.”
Jim is incredibly honoured by this recognition. “I accept this honorary doctorate degree with deep gratitude – not just for myself but for generations who came before me and those still to come. Everything I have learned about healing and empowerment comes from our culture, our language, and the traditional knowledge passed down through our Elders. This recognition is a tribute to my family, my community, and all those who continue to walk the path of revitalization and justice for Yukon First Nations. I am proud to carry forward the teachings of my ancestors and to stand in the strength of our matriarchal traditions.”
Mary Jane Jim
Mary Jane Jim spent her early childhood on CAFN traditional territory, including Stony Creek, Mendenhall landing, and Dakwakada (Haines Junction), surrounded by mountains water and the land. Eventually, her family moved to the Whitehorse Indian Band village during a time when the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council and Kwanlin Dün First Nation were amalgamated into a single band. The community faced significant challenges, including limited infrastructure, such as a lack of running water. Despite these hardships, Jim's upbringing was shaped by her parents, grand-parents, aunts and uncles who instilled a strong belief in the importance of helping others.
As she gained experience over time, Jim found herself seated at leadership tables, where she established her presence and built meaningful relationships. In these environments, she developed both personally and as a leader, contributing to key decisions and important discussions while advocating for her community and Yukon First Nations.
“Growing up, I was surrounded by leaders who were dedicated to advancing First Nations rights and empowering others to find their voice,” says Jim. “I was fortunate to learn from them, and the knowledge they instilled in me that this path of advocacy was my calling."
Stepping into her first political role at a young age, Jim became a member of Council for the Whitehorse Indian Band. Before that, she had joined the executive of the Yukon Indian Women’s Association (now Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council), where she began to grow as a leader. Guided by the encouragement of strong First Nation women mentors, she embraced opportunities to lead. The Association focused on advancing the rights of Indigenous women and children, with a strong emphasis on education and justice. Immersed in this environment, she found her purpose to advocate for change.
Jim first learned about Bill C-31, the amendments to the Indian Act that affected the status of Indigenous women, during a meeting of the Yukon Indian Women’s Association along with the National Indian Women's Association. This moment marked a turning point for her, broadening her understanding of the national political landscape surrounding Indigenous rights. Deeply moved, she became actively involved in advocacy work, drawing on the knowledge and experience of the leaders around her. This marked the beginning of her lifelong journey in advocacy and intervention.
As she gained experience over time, Jim found herself seated at leadership tables, where she established her presence and built meaningful relationships. In these environments, she developed both personally and as a leader, contributing to key decisions and important discussions while advocating for her community and Yukon First Nations.
Deeply connected to her traditional knowledge and land-based practices, Jim enjoys fishing, hide tanning, and participating in cultural activities that bring her people together in a good way. As a respected member of the community, she shares the lessons she learned in her youth, emphasizing that if you want to achieve something, you will always have the support of your people and community.
For Jim, the journey into leadership was personal, as she worked with Dene Nets’edetan a Yukon First Nations Women’s healing project. She was committed to leading community in healing, where she immersed herself in training that grounded her as a woman and a leader. This journey gave her the strength to stand behind the work being done in the community.
Jim advised others to seek out mentors and get involved with organizations like the Whitehorse Aboriginal Women's Association and the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre. These organizations focus on traditional knowledge, advocacy and pro rights-based education are at the center. Through service and volunteering, she believes people not only give back but also learn valuable lessons about leadership and community. Even today, she continues her advocacy work, always open to learning and always growing.
“Old style words are just like school.” - Annie Ned/ Nnthenada