DAWSON CITY – To celebrate Canada 150, Commissioner Doug Phillips is delivering presentations to elementary schools across the Yukon.

He will be at Elijah Smith Elementary School in Whitehorse on Friday with Carolyn Bennett, the federal minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and Education Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee.

Phillips’ tour reached Dawson and Old Crow last Tuesday and Wednesday.

At Robert Service School (RSS) in Dawson, he met with Grades 4 and 6 students, with each session lasting between 30 and 45 minutes.

Phillips loves talking to young people about the country, the flag, and the history, something he readily admits he has learned a lot more about during his tenure.

His presentation to classes included a slide show of historical events, and little quizzes about their contents along the way.

He was pleased to note that the two grades at RSS knew most of the answers, and that many of the students had travelled quite extensively in the country.

There were two video presentations as part of the talk. One encouraged people to visit national parks, and the other showed selected young people speaking about what Canada means to them.

Students were invited to get involved in the competition to find names for some of the new horses that have been born to the RCMP Musical Ride stables recently.

All the foals this year will have to have names beginning with O. Oreo and Ogilvie were popular choices in Dawson.

The question-and-answer period in both sessions ran in both directions, as the kids had questions for him as well.

Phillips, assistant Pavlina Sudrich and RCMP Sgt. David Morin, his aide de camp, handed out sugar cookies (with white icing and red maple leaves), commemorative pins and Canada 150 Flags.

Finally, as many as could squeeze into the Canada 150 frame at one time posed for pictures.