Indigenous reporter examines human rights in Yukon

Cameron Perrier, the first Indigenous reporter intern at the Yukon Human Rights Commission, says there's "a lot of crossover" between journalism and human rights investigations.

"[As a journalist], I'm still looking for information, I'm still trying to produce reports or information that will inform the public about issues that young people should know about," he said.

"As much as we want to be impartial, we do act as advocates sometimes for the issues that are affecting us or affecting marginalized communities."

Perrier's three-month stint in Yukon is thanks to a partnership between the Yukon Human Rights Commission and Journalists for Human Rights. His focus is on helping the commission with public education by designing promotional material, writing news releases, and being active on social media.

He's also working on an investigative research project, though he won't disclose what his focus is, citing privacy issues. He says it's looking at "an emerging human rights issue in the territory."

"There's a lot of groundbreaking stuff that's happening in the Yukon, I think, in terms of human rights issues that are being pushed forward," he said, pointing to local advocates for transgender rights as an example.

Perrier is Métis, originally from Calgary but now based in Toronto. He says his experience in the North has been-eye-opening, and will definitely inform his future work as a journalist.

"I'm always now going to be keeping my eye on the North, just seeing what's going on."

The Indigenous reporter internship has been described by the commission as a pilot program. Another intern will be selected when Perrier's stint is up next month.