Whitehorse Daily Star

December 19, 2013

• MLAs approve motion supporting northern airlines The Yukon legislature unanimously passed a private member's motion last week calling on the federal government to adjust its travel booking systems to enable its employees to use northern carriers when they travel to the territories.
• Ambassador of the Philippines has been busy Leslie Gatan, the ambassador of the Philippines, has been visiting the Yukon this week to meet with community groups, Premier Darrell Pasloski and government representatives.
• Kent defends consultations for new mining rules Opposition MLAs had the chance to question Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Scott Kent on Bill 66 Tuesday in the legislature's committee of the whole.
• Coalition's calendar carries powerful portraits Members of the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition have released their fourth annual Photography for Social Change calendar.
• Preparing for the opry is ‘an organized chaos' Inside the Yukon Arts Centre on Wednesday afternoon, it's a scene ready to start any good hoe-down.
• Pickup truck linked to missing man discovered by tree-cutters Yukon residents searching for a Christmas tree north of the city last Sunday instead found a pickup truck driven by a Whitehorse man missing since Dec. 7.
• Council's pullout disappoints Yukon Energy boss The Ta'an Kwach'an Council has pulled out of a potential business partnership with Yukon Energy and its plan to begin burning natural gas.

December 18, 2013

• Corridor improvement plan starts The Yukon government has awarded a contract to CH2M Hill Canada Ltd. to develop a long-term functional plan for the Whitehorse corridor section of the Alaska Highway.
• Doing His Part Volunteer Ted Garland was taking care of the Salvation Armysʼ kettle
• Yukon consulting firm launches $600,000 suit against company A Yukon consulting firm has launched a lawsuit against a Nevada-based mining corporation, claiming more than $600,000 in unpaid fees for work at the old Whitehorse Copper Mine.
• The Capital Of Cold It was an ice foggy morning in Whitehorse today,
• Energy consumption hits peak demand Energy consumption on the grid this morning hit its highest peak so far this fall.
• Cold Klondike Colour Parks Canada has the Commissionerʼs Residence in Dawson City all decked out for Christmas.
• Comment deadline extended for LNG-burning proposal The period to provide comment on Yukon Energy's plan to begin burning natural gas instead of diesel fuel has been extended for 20 days until Jan. 10.
• Inquest negated need for a patient safety review, YHC explains The Yukon Hospital Corp. says it didn't initiate a patient safety review into the August 2012 death of Mary Johnny because the chief coroner called an inquest.
• Project spending plans include five new bridges Selwyn Chihong Mining Ltd. plans to spend $54 million on its Selwyn Project next year, the company announced Monday.
• CRTC releases decision on summer hearings The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) can't force more Internet companies to come to the North, concedes chair Jean-Pierre Blais.

December 17, 2013

• Changes coming for Yukon health insurance Yukon residents will have more clarity on the territory's universal health care insurance plan following amendments to the Health Care Insurance Plan Act passed last week in the legislature.
• Ex-commission chair wins environmental award Longtime Yukoner Dave Loeks, a pivotal figure in the long-running Peel watershed debate, has received the 2013 Gerry Couture Stewardship Award.
• Storm did not obliterate record Whitehorse residents may have been shovelling their driveways and decks a record number of times last week during the 34-centimetre dumping of snow, but no snowfall record was broken.
• Sandwiched By Good Cheer Tyler Cooper chilled a bit with Santa and Mrs. Claus
• CBA lowers gavel on ‘tough-on-crime' agenda The president of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) has blasted the federal government for effectively rolling back progress on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), but praises Yukoners for their leading role in tackling the issue.
• Sharing Seasonal Goodwill Volunteers delivered more than 200 Christmas hampers to Whitehorse residents last Saturday.
• Government accused of ‘ducking' debate on mining acts changes The interim leader of the territory's Liberal party wants to know why the government is "ducking” debate on proposed amendments to the Quartz and Placer Mining acts.
• Officials probe huge propane escape at the Wolverine Mine site The territory's fire marshal says officials at the Yukon's Wolverine Mine followed all the required procedures in dealing with a major propane leak and evacuation late last month.
• Canada Post is following the right route, MP believes Yukon MP Ryan Leef says Canada Post is moving in the right direction with its five-point plan to become financially sustainable.
• Runner-up may challenge results The runner-up for chief in the Liard First Nation's general election held Monday is thinking about challenging the results.