Whitehorse Daily Star

August 15, 2023

• Armed Forces members mobilize in N.W.T. to help battle wildfires Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are set to be mobilized in the Northwest Territories today as wildfires threaten communities, including the capital, and hundreds of people have been airlifted to safety.
• Questions remain on eve of school year: Yukon Party With the new school year set to begin Aug. 22, Yukon students and parents will quickly find out if the government has sufficiently prepared the school system to ensure a smooth start.
• Education system vacancies need filling The Yukon government says it’s made significant progress in the recruitment of education professionals in advance of the 2023-24 school year.
• Pathway is connected to trail Whitehorse has taken another step toward connectivity and accessibility with the creation of the All Ages and Abilities (AAA) route along Chilkoot Way.
• Old Crow residents begin returning home The Old Crow evacuation order was rescinded Monday afternoon and flights back to the remote community were set to begin today.
• Reject proposed power rate hikes, CFIB urges board NDP MLA Lane Tredger remains opposed to any further rate increases by ATCO Electric Yukon, and has been backed by a national organization representing Canadian businesses.

August 14, 2023

• Pillai saluted special day Premier Ranj Pillai recognized International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples last Wednesday.
• Main Street Town Square is drawing the crowds The Main Street Town Square took to the street this summer. It was an initiative proposed by city councillor Ted Laking.
• Pact addresses oil, gas rights decision-making A new agreement assures shared decision-making concerning oil and gas rights in Canada’s Western Arctic – Tariuq (Offshore).
• ‘This is the land of opportunity’: Champagne Federal Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne is all for Yukon mining development.
• Residents happy to be home, mayor says Scores of Mayo residents began returning home Sunday afternoon after Yukon Protective Services rescinded the evacuation order officials had issued on Aug. 6.

August 11, 2023

• Dawson’s great, great niece visits Dawson A small meet-and-greet gathering took place Aug. 2 near the site of the George Mercer Dawson memorial plaque to celebrate the visit of Dawson’s great, great niece, Greta Dawson.
• Procurement transparency is disappearing, YP says The Yukon Party is calling on the territorial government to reverse the recent changes to its bid opportunities website.
• Fires’ role in boreal forest ecology can get lost in the smoke, evacuation dramas The Yukon, like many places in Canada, is slogging it through a long fire season.
• Tourism funding is called ‘reconciliation in action’ Several federal ministers, MPs and territorial government representatives were on hand Wednesday afternoon at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre to announce $2.1-million in funding to advance First Nations tourism in the territory.
• Mayor plans official visit to Skagway Monday evening’s city council meeting agenda included approval for Mayor Laura Cabott’s travel expenses.
• Government, YP trade remarks on housing Yukon cabinet communications staff have responded to a commentary by the Yukon Party published in the Opinion section of today’s Star.
• First Nation, government partner on firefighting The Carcross-Tagish First Nation (C/TFN) is employing a new approach to wildland fire management this season, in partnership with the Yukon government.
• Beloved Loki ride welcomed back to the track The Copperbelt Mining Museum’s popular Loki train ride is back up and running, delighting local rail buffs and tourists alike.