In our first post in this series, we talked about how technology has become inseparable from sovereignty in the Arctic.
Before discussing technology specifics, we have to acknowledge the foundational starting point.
Digital sovereignty in the Yukon is inseparable from First Nations data sovereignty.
The Council of Yukon First Nations Data Governance Strategy describes a vision where all First Nations have full sovereignty over their data and knowledge, how it is collected, where it is stored, and how it is analyzed and communicated. That vision builds directly on principles first articulated more than 50 years ago in Together Today for Our Children Tomorrow.
For Yukon First Nations, governance of data is a core element of nationhood.
That includes, but is not limited to:
These kinds of information are not just files and databases. They represent people, history, land, and community. Because of that, technology systems are never neutral. They are frameworks that can support Indigenous self determination while also, by their very design, introducing structures and assumptions that may conflict with it.
One of the most powerful ideas in Northern discussions of digital sovereignty is the concept of data on the land.
The principle is that information about a Nation, its citizens, and its territory should ideally be stored and governed within that territory, and under the control of that Nation.
As a value, this resonates deeply. The idea that data about a Nation should be governed on its own land reflects a desire for control, autonomy, and self determination.
But as a practical reality, the concept raises difficult questions.
These are not arguments against the principle, but honest reflections on the complexity of living it.
The challenge is to find approaches that respect the intent of data on the land while also acknowledging the technical and operational realities of modern digital systems.
Most Northern generated data does not live in the North.
It is hosted on national and international platforms, stored in data centers far outside the territory, and managed by organizations governed under other jurisdictions.
Increasingly, it is also processed by external analytics tools and artificial intelligence systems that collect, aggregate, and learn from information created in Northern communities, often in ways that are difficult to trace or control.
This reality raises important questions:
These questions highlight that sovereignty is not only about where data is stored.
Understanding digital sovereignty means also looking beyond physical location alone as a principle, and considering how data is analyzed, reused, and transformed once it leaves the territory.
What do First Nations governments, public sector organizations, and Northern communities actually do about this?
Most operate within a mixed digital environment. Some systems are hosted locally, some rely on national or international platforms, and many use a combination of both. Every choice involves tradeoffs between cost, security, control, and long term sustainability.
In practice, responsible approaches could include:
These questions span the Arctic.
Territorial governments, public institutions, and Northern communities are all navigating how to adopt modern technology without losing local control or local context. The shared challenge is to benefit from new tools and external expertise while ensuring that digital systems ultimately reflect Northern priorities and the intent of sovereignty in a modern world.
From our perspective as a Yukon-headquartered technology partner, the most important step is to keep these choices grounded in local leadership and local decision making. How the North approaches that balance will shape not only the future of technology here, but the future of sovereignty itself.
In the finale, Part III of this series, we will shift to looking at why local skills, local companies, and local leadership are essential to turning digital sovereignty from an idea into a long term reality.
If something in this post resonated—or sparked ideas—we’d love to hear from you.
If something in this post resonated—or sparked ideas—we’d love to hear from you.
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