About Us

The Yukon Association of Education Professionals (The YAEP)

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The YAEP is a statutory body with objectives defined by section 2 of the Teaching Profession Act that include:

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• advancing and promoting the cause of education;

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• increasing public interest in the importance of education and public knowledge of the aims of education;

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• improving the teaching profession by advising, assisting, protecting, and disciplining[1] members in the discharge of their professional duties and relationships.

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• promote the continuous improvement of professional competence and of conditions of learning and of teaching

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The YAEP is responsible for the regulation of the Yukon teaching profession, and serves as a representative member organization providing workplace advocacy services and bargaining on behalf of education professionals with the Government of Yukon (“YG”), as their exclusive bargaining agent.

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The bargaining unit of the YAEP is comprised of certified teachers, school administrators/principals, education assistants/remedial tutors, first nation language teachers and teachers on call (otherwise known as substitute teachers) who are employed in 37 separate schools in Whitehorse, and regionally across the Territory in each rural community. In their various roles, Yukon educators are responsible for delivering quality, inclusive public education.

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Access to education is vital to a healthy democracy, a healthy economy, and unlocking the human potential of Yukon children and young adults. Education in the Yukon is an essential service and a basic right, not a luxury. Moreover, the increasingly complex needs of the diverse range of students in an inclusive education system has only increased the many challenges that educators face. The diverse needs of students must be met, and that includes provision of adequate special education (see Moore v. British Columbia (Education), [2012] S.C.J. No. 61) For those with severe learning disabilities, and special education needs, meaningful inclusion is the ramp that provides access to the statutory commitment to education made to all children in the Yukon. Suitably skilled, professionally trained, certified and competent educators are an essential resource and critical interface in providing meaningful inclusive education in the Yukon.

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Yukon educators work within and on the traditional lands and territories of Yukon First Nations. The YAEP is committed to supporting the implementation of the Self-Government Agreements as the Yukon confronts the hope and challenge of true reconciliation. Yukon educators are expected to successfully undertake the challenging responsibility of giving practical effect to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, including to:

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• establish a more inclusive public education system, to ensure schools meet the needs of Yukon First Nations students and offer all students opportunities to learn about Yukon First Nations ways of knowing, doing and being;

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• provide culturally responsible and appropriate programming and learning opportunities; and

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• build student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.  

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The YAEP oversees and administers self-directed member professional development opportunities with a mission of “Building capacity and sustainability to provide Yukon educators with culturally relevant and collaborative professional development, to empower all students to thrive.” YAEP Professional Development prioritizes the role of Yukon-based Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being and is committed to collaborating with Yukon education community partners.

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[1] Section 13