TRC making progress in Yukon, despite privacy laws

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission says it's making some progress in Yukon, despite having to work around strict privacy laws.

The TRC is trying to determine how many students died in Yukon residential schools.

They're using information provided by the Yukon government, which is withholding students' names.

They pledged to help us any way they can within their legislation, says Kimberly Murray, the TRCs executive director. I think theyre living up to their promise to do everything they can.

Whether changing the legislation is something within their means, I leave that to the Yukon to decide, but were happy with the assistance theyre providing us. Any information is important information.

The TRC has called the Yukon's privacy laws among the most restrictive in Canada.

Health minister Doug Graham says the Vital Statistics Act will not be changed.

The opposition says the government should change the Act and release documents in their entirety.

The law say that, for a period of 100 years, only relatives can learn of a person's cause of death.