The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Chief’s Office has released an official statement regarding the recent manslaughter conviction of Seth Boss for the 2022 killing of community citizen Anthony Primozic in Haines Junction, Yukon.
In a statement dated April 24, 2026, Chief Barb Joe confirmed that the First Nations council has permanently banned Seth Boss from all community lands. This decision follows a Yukon Supreme Court ruling on April 21, 2026, where Chief Justice Suzanne Duncan convicted Boss of manslaughter after determining that the prosecution did not prove he possessed the necessary intent for a second-degree murder charge, accepting the defence argument that he was too intoxicated at the time to form such intent.
Following the court’s decision, the Chief’s Office announced the closure of all administration offices on April 28, 2026, to allow staff and citizens to participate in a march in Whitehorse. The demonstration, led by the victim’s sister, Matsʼäsä̀na Mą, drew approximately 450 people to protest the verdict and call for reforms regarding the use of intoxication as a legal defence. The Daylu Dena Council in Lower Post, British Columbia, where Boss is from, has also issued a proclamation banning him from their community.
Moving forward, the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Council has committed to advocating for changes to the criminal justice system. Their stated goals include addressing institutional racism, supporting the decolonization of law, and ensuring greater respect for First Nations self-government.
