Whitehorse Daily Star

July 8, 2020

• Giving should always make you feel good Beginning on July 6, the federal government began sending out $300, tax-free, to 6.7 million seniors who receive Old Age Security (OAS) to help cover the added financial burden caused by COVID-19.
• Slowly but surely, the secrecy tightens The Yukon government has (perhaps accidentally, but I believe deliberately?) decreased the amount of information available to the public.

July 6, 2020

• Conservative campaign is in total disarray I receive daily updates from Conservative Party leadership hopefuls and from their supporters.
• The question: who will curate the curators? The Whitehorse Star is moving to a system of subjecting letters to the editor to a “peer-review process” in the hope, perhaps, that by “curating” the Opinion pages, fewer opinions of the incorrect variety will see the light of day.
• Beware of the nests I would like to make a pre-caution to paddlers on Chadburn Lake.

July 3, 2020

• Animals help us cope with life We have always had animals in our home. I have one down by my feet as I write this.
• Sharing a shattering experience I write to U.S. President Donald Trump regularly, and leave it at, “Dear Mr. President: I pray for you and your country.”
• Hate speech and opinion are different things Recently, there has been some controversy in the Whitehorse Star regarding opinion pieces.
• Freedom of speech is not an absolute On the strength of the commentary by your staff reporter, Gabrielle Plonka (Star, June 26), I have decided to take out an online subscription for your newspaper.
• We want to broaden the spectrum of local opinions The Whitehorse Star has listened attentively to the chorus of Yukoners who were disappointed in an editorial decision we made last week.
• I resent being deemed worthless, Gentlemen Ed. note: this is an open letter to Premier Sandy Silver and Dr. Brendan Hanley, the Yukon’s chief medical health officer.
• Black Lives Matter everywhere If Black Lives Matter, why is it that we hear so little aboaut the modern-day massacre of English-speaking Cameroonians?
• A black sports hero Several years ago, Gudrun (Goody) Sparling,
• Hopefully, the Liberals noticed this occasion Ed. note: the Yukon Party official Opposition has released the following statement.

June 26, 2020

• No doubt: it’s turbulent times for policing Recent events have sparked what can only be characterized as a movement against the police in North America.
• This writer does not represent the Star The Whitehorse Star has been the subject of numerous complaints and social media attacks in the last several days for comments made outside this publication by a freelance writer based in Whitehorse.
• Writer was totally ill-informed Ed. note: the Star has received this letter from numerous readers.
• More than a doctor’s note is required to escape this! I am writing this letter to lend support to the petition recently filed to the Supreme Court of Yukon by a group of concerned Yukoners (Star, June 17).
• The territory needs far better water regulation, enforcement Water needs protection because so far, extractive industries cannot be trusted with it.
• The spirit is alive and well! We would like to extend our sincere thanks to some Yukoners who recently helped us out.
• A matter of lies, damned lies and statistics “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics,” wrote American humourist Mark Twain in 1907, incorrectly attributing the caution to 19-century U.K. prime minister Benjamin Disraeli.

June 24, 2020

• Proudly fly our flag on Canada Day! We are fortunate in Canada, as we have a freedom very few countries in the world can compare to, but at what cost?
• The ramification is there It’s obvious that our taxes are going to go up next year

June 19, 2020

• To our leaders: give us our lives back! Most of us old folks remember the famous words of the Apollo 13 mission crew commander in 1971 when he calmly noted to the NASA command centre: “Houston, we have a problem.”
• Trails must not degrade our environment The City of Whitehorse’s new Trail Plan should acknowledge the fact that when we build trails, we may negatively impact the natural environment.
• Trudeau is out to seize all firearms In my humble political opinion, Junior Trudeau and his buddy, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, the former Toronto police chief and, for a time, the head of the Ontario Provincial Police for a short period, have a goal.
• We sound a strong note for equality Music Yukon stands in solidarity with communities around the world who are standing up to systemic injustice within our societies.
• The Liberals’ abuse of power continues Ed. note: the official Opposition Yukon Party released this statement this week.
• These projects need the funding Ed. note: a territorial Liberal cabinet spokesperson released this statement this week.
• We’ve never had a more undemocratic regime When members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly agreed to adjourn the legislature on March 19, I supported their decision.