Science education in the Yukon: signalling a time of change for Canada

The Yukon is the most westerly of Canada's 3 territories, located north of British Columbia and bordering Alaska in the United States. The territory is sparsely populated with the majority of its population residing in the capital city of Whitehorse. The remainder of the population is distributed across 14 communities, most of which are represented by a different language-based and, more recently, politically defined self-governing First Nation. These geo-graphic, demographic, and political elements have historically impacted edu-cation in the Yukon, both negatively and positively. The continuing implica-tions of these influences on science education in the Yukon are important considerations addressed in this chapter