Adeline Webber facts for kids

Adeline Kh'ayàdê Webber is an important Canadian leader. She is currently the Commissioner of Yukon, a special role she started on May 31, 2023. Ms. Webber is a member of the Teslin Tlingit First Nation and the Kukhhittan Clan. She has worked for the government and has been very involved in agreements about land and self-government for First Nations. She also champions the rights of Indigenous women. As the founder of the Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle, she has helped many Indigenous women. She also helped First Nations people find jobs and training through programs like the Northern Careers Program.

Adeline Webber's Early Life

Adeline Webber was born and grew up in Whitehorse, Yukon. She is from the Inland Tlingit people. When she was five years old, Adeline was taken from her home. She was placed at the Whitehorse Baptism Mission School, where she stayed from 1947 to 1960. This was part of the residential school system in Canada. Even though Adeline and her sister, Winnie Peterson, stayed together, her family was separated. Her brothers were sent to different schools. After seven years in residential school, Adeline married Bill Webber. Her first job was working in the kitchen and doing laundry at Yukon Hall. This building later became the offices for the Council of Yukon First Nations.

Adeline Webber's Career and Leadership

Adeline Webber has spent over 30 years working for the rights of Indigenous people in the Yukon.

Helping Indigenous Women

In 1974, she started the Yukon Indian Women's Association. This group aimed to help Indigenous women who faced unfair treatment. Today, this group is known as the Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle (WAWC). It helps Aboriginal women connect, support each other, and discuss important issues.

Creating Job Opportunities

Later, Ms. Webber joined the federal government. She became the Yukon District Director for the Public Service Commission of Canada. In this role, she created the Northern Careers Program. This program helped First Nations people learn skills and find jobs in the government. Many people who went through this program now hold important government positions. She also set up a Training Policy Committee and a Training Trust program. These programs provided money for First Nations people to get training. Ms. Webber also helped create a plan for human resources. This plan was for both the Yukon government and the federal government. She worked with the Yukon Government and First Nations to make it.

Working for Land Claims and Self-Government

Ms. Webber was a strong leader in making land claims and First Nation self-government agreements happen. As a leader in the Teslin Tlingit Council community, she worked hard to finalize the Teslin Tlingit Council Final and Self-Government Agreements. These agreements are part of the larger Umbrella Final Agreement. She is an honorary lifetime member of the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre. This is because she was on its board of directors in 1989 and was president for ten years. She continues to be an active member of her community.

Becoming Administrator and Commissioner

In 2018, Ms. Webber was named Administrator of Yukon Territory. In this role, she would step in for the Commissioner of Yukon Territory if they were away or unable to do their duties. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said about her in 2018: “Adeline Webber has spent much of her career helping the public. She has shown herself to be a champion for Indigenous Peoples. I know the territory will benefit greatly from her experience and knowledge.”

In 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Adeline Webber as the 37th Commissioner of Yukon. She will serve for five years, taking over from Angélique Bernard.

Honours and Awards

Ribbon Bar of Adeline Webber

Ribbon	Description	Post-nominal letters	Notes
	Order of St John	DStJ
	Order of Yukon	OY
	125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal		Canadian version
	King Charles III Coronation Medal		Canadian version

Ms. Webber has also received the Yukon Commissioner’s Award for Public Service. She also earned the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre Service Award.