Gavin Gardiner

Bio

Gavin is currently working as the legislation/policy analyst for the Carcross/Tagish First Nation (CTFN) in Carcross, Yukon. As one of only a handful of First Nations in Canada with a Self Government Agreement, CTFN has negotiated legislative authority similar to that of a province. Gavin's primary role is to develop, draft and implement legislation based on the virtues and values derived from traditional Tlingit and Tagish stories. Gavin enjoys the excitement of working for a government only three years old that was built based on local values and traditional culture.

Prior to this, Gavin was a research advisor to the Government of Saskatchewan Executive Council where he conducted policy analysis at the discretion of the Premier. Additionally, Gavin served two terms as President of the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union and was active in the national student movement as an executive member on the boards of both the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.

Gavin was born and raised in rural Saskatchewan before moving to Saskatoon to complete his Honours BA in Political Studies and English at the University of Saskatchewan. He recently completed a Certificate in Conflict Resolution and Negotiation from the Justice Institute of British Columbia. Now a proud northerner, Gavin calls Whitehorse, Yukon home.

Issue of Investigation

As a recipient of the 2009 Gordon Global Fellowship, Gavin's interest in the similarities between Canadian First Nations and other nations with a history of colonization will be pursued by examining the efforts of nations as they shift from conventional/western models of governance to traditional/culturally relevant models of governance. Specifically, he will examine the challenges faced by other nations, and look for areas where Self Governing First Nations and emerging democracies can benefit through the mutual exchange of insight, information and experience.