Elder who helped start Yukon land claim process dies at 86

Roddy Blackjack, a Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation elder and one of the architects of Yukon's land claim agreements, died this week at age 86.

Blackjack was part of the Yukon contingent that travelled to Ottawa in 1973 and presented then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau with documents that would become the basis for future land claim agreements.

"Roddy Blackjack was a very respected man and elder of our community," said Eric Fairclough, chief of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

"He's contributed a lot to our land claim process and has always given people advice and guided us throughout the years."

In addition to serving as chief of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, Blackjack was an executive elder of the Council of Yukon First Nations and "elder in residence" at Yukon College.