Donavon Young, Deputy Minister – Indigenous Relations

Source: Alberta.ca

Donavon Young is a long-time public servant. Young started his government career with the Government of Saskatchewan in 1995, where he primarily served as an assistant deputy minister (ADM) in Aboriginal Relations. Young left Saskatchewan to join the Government of Alberta in 2005 as an ADM, serving seven years in Aboriginal Relations and two years in Alberta Justice. He was appointed Deputy Minister (DM) of Aboriginal Relations in 2014, making him one of the longest-serving DMs at the Government of Alberta in the same post. 

Young has served under multiple Premiers and Indigenous Relations Ministers for the past twenty years. His extensive background lends to his understanding of Indigenous relations' complex and technical aspects, including UNDRIP, TRC, and other legislative pieces.

Prior to working for the government, Young was the Urban Research and Policy Coordinator for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. He also worked in research and program development at the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Metis Studies and Applied Research.