Photo by Vince Fedoroff
DECISION WAS CITY’S ALONE – Fireworks are seen during the Dec. 31, 2017 New Year’s Eve fireworks show. Dr. Brendan Hanley had no role in the City of Whitehorse decision to cancel this New Year’s show.
Hanley wasn’t involved in fireworks show cancellation
The Yukon’s top medical official says he wasn’t involved in the controversial decision to cancel Whitehorse’s wildly-popular New Year’s Eve fireworks.
The Yukon’s top medical official says he wasn’t involved in the controversial decision to cancel Whitehorse’s wildly-popular New Year’s Eve fireworks.
That decision was announced Wednesday by city officials. The news prompted a spurt of anger and derision on social media, especially on the official city page.
“The New Year’s Eve fireworks that typically take place at Shipyards Park have been cancelled, due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the release from the city stated.
“The annual fireworks show is a beloved and popular event in Whitehorse, and as such, typically draws big crowds.”
The city continues to follow the recommendations made by the chief medical officer of health of the Yukon, the release added.
But during his weekly COVID briefing this morning, Hanley said he had not been consulted – nor did he know anything about the issue.
That came after the Star had posed the question to his communication team Wednesday – something he had not been aware of either.
Hanley’s communications assistant said in an email “the director of public health, working in the COVID Response Unit, did speak with representatives from the City to offer some suggestions on how the City could safely host the fireworks display. The decision to host or not was the City’s.”
When it comes to events such as the fireworks, Hanley said, he and his staff try diligently to keep their involvement at arm’s-length.
That means the health staff work in an advisory capacity, rather than making the decisions for organizations planning such events, he said.
“We prefer to provide guidelines, or a template,” Hanley said. We let the organizations decide.”
He didn’t offer an opinion or comment as to whether he believed an outdoor festival or event such as the fireworks show would be suitable under the virus guidelines.
“We prioritize the safety of our residents, visitors and staff,” Mayor Dan Curtis said in the city’s release.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but we need to respect physical distancing guidelines.
“We really hope we can put on a great show for you again in 2021.”
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Comments (20)
Up 10 Down 1
Jake The Bosun on Dec 22, 2020 at 1:21 pm
Kevin, you had your street plowed?
(We have seen 1 sanding truck since it first snowed in November)
Up 16 Down 8
Juniper Jackson on Dec 21, 2020 at 4:03 pm
Dan is a Liberal, proud to say so too. The rest of the Liberals..just open their mouth and **** falls out, everyone buys into it.. and poor Dan.. he tries to exercise his power with fire works and look at the fall out.. no one (well..me and a few others) so much as raised a brow when Silver took every last civil liberty we had and quietly tucked it behind a Emergency Measures Act. No one feels it because their life hasn't changed.. it has for some.. they aren't making the news..when it's changed for all.. it still isn't going to make the news. I can not imagine Dan's face at the clamor.
Up 16 Down 45
Nathan Living on Dec 20, 2020 at 8:03 am
The mayor made the right call on this one.
Social events indoors or outdoors have resulted in major covid outbreaks. We have to flatten the curve and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed.
In Canada and around the world sloppiness has failed us.
Thanks mayor Curtis for keeping us safe.
Up 12 Down 15
Nathan Living on Dec 19, 2020 at 1:12 pm
Josey Wales is correct with this covid fear porn observation.
It's time to open things up more while practicing social distancing. All the platitudes about vaccines which may not be available on the expected dates is disturbing. If we get into the cue early the rest of the country will still be waiting for vaccination for months and months.
The stock market has roared back but our economy may falter with our new national debt and all the people that lost their jobs are in dire straights.
We need more balance here folks, let's move along more quickly on this covid war and dial back the covid fear porn a little.
Up 15 Down 14
Josey Wales on Dec 19, 2020 at 9:24 am
Well folks, gotta say never paid much to this stock photo for this article.
That said, given the times we are in, our 1st world freedoms flushed...the photo?
Absolutely fitting for said times and regime, SS Yukon. So perfect too!
You decide whether SS Yukon is a ship of fools, or jackbooted authoritarians absolute fetishizing on race, constructing utopia/shielding their leader. IMO both are applicable for civic & territorial blowholes.
The mystery requires no magic (see what I did there), by design 100%
As duly noted prior, folks are eating up the fear porn like nice docile sheep.
Folks seem to forget that we are not dependent on Politician's, they are dependent on us. We are the host, they are the parasite...their importance is 100% a social construct.
Up 24 Down 22
JC on Dec 18, 2020 at 3:45 pm
Graeme Campbell: What is so positive about what Dr. Hanley as done on the Covid thing? All he has told us so far is explaining the 6 + 1 steps. Nothing about the disease itself.
Up 19 Down 15
JC on Dec 18, 2020 at 3:42 pm
Steven: I'll bet you think Donald Trump was responsible for the American Civil War to eh?
Up 12 Down 16
JC on Dec 18, 2020 at 3:38 pm
Josey: Great comment. I'm with ya bro.
Up 21 Down 18
JC on Dec 18, 2020 at 3:36 pm
Jayne: Don't count on Rendezvous this Feb. I'm sure the good Doc and comrade Premier have already cancelled that one out.
Up 24 Down 3
Dentist on Dec 18, 2020 at 3:34 pm
I'll just walk out onto my front deck if I am still awake, fire off a couple of shots and be done with it. I live in the forest and the nearest neighbours are a long ways away.
Up 40 Down 23
Graeme Campbell on Dec 18, 2020 at 7:09 am
I'm glad this was said. Dr Hanley is a good man. I can't imagine how hard his job has been the last year. Advising gov can't be easy. I'm guessing sometimes he throws his arms in the air as well with the odd exclamation of surprise.
Up 19 Down 55
Steven on Dec 18, 2020 at 6:33 am
I believe the pressure to cancel this family event was initiated by the Yukon Party.
Up 33 Down 5
Kevin on Dec 17, 2020 at 8:13 pm
Cancelled?? Like the fellow before me said " withhold your property tax" they can't even plow the street more than once a year with all of their surplus money..35 million extra sitting in the bank but needing to borrow 10 mil to build a new building that costs 10 mil. Fireworks are too much though. And then to outright lie about it..haha
Up 40 Down 7
Guncache on Dec 17, 2020 at 7:42 pm
Well I have a bunch of commercial (display) fireworks so I guess I'll have my own show. And yes I can have these, I'm a licensed pyro technician.
Up 28 Down 12
Crunch on Dec 17, 2020 at 6:01 pm
This is what you call a " Libriff". Something bad going down and people scrambling off the stage. You can blame anyone as long as it's not me!!!! Hillarious!
Up 31 Down 15
JC on Dec 17, 2020 at 4:17 pm
What in the world has fireworks got to do with safety from covid? With the amount of people we have in Whitehorse they can still keep the rules while watching. Sounds to me like the Silvers Gov. is doing a bit of post Christmas Grinch work. Take away, one time of the year outdoor enjoyment for the children. "Your a Mean one Mr. Grinch/Silvers.
Up 94 Down 9
Matthew on Dec 17, 2020 at 3:13 pm
The New Year’s Eve fireworks that typically take place at Shipyards Park have been cancelled, due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the release from the city stated.
1 active case, what's more social distancing than being outside in the fresh air anyways? It's times like these when we need these little bits of joy and amusement in our lives..
Up 48 Down 34
Josey Wales on Dec 17, 2020 at 1:06 pm
Gee...even more civic wizardry.
Folks they are not even trying to hide their "Civic" contempt for the citizens.
Same plandemic...pride parade no sweat...wt...F?
Different time, same plandemic, traditional family event cancelled...wow.
What a bunch of J** O** those civic authoritarian socialist justice warriors.
Even if they reverse their mind, they still thought AND did it...asses
How progressive, guess the money "they" save (ours) cancelling this event...can offset the 25K for virtue signaling crosswalks recently passed.
Everyone should withhold their property taxes next year, bankrupt the regime and trebuchet the commies.
Up 85 Down 5
Jason on Dec 17, 2020 at 12:47 pm
Really guys? One of the the things we can do outside with our families because we can actually social distance and you cancel it? This reeks of wanting to save money vs actual concerns about the event.
People need to follow the safe six. I believe Hanley would say that this is totally fine to proceed within the guidelines.
Up 57 Down 5
Jayne W on Dec 17, 2020 at 12:45 pm
Can someone help me here and understand why this event was cancelled, but in 56 days we will be celebrating Rendezvous which is an outdoor event too. That does draw quite a few people. Now they might not have fireworks, but to me fireworks can be quite safe, if everyone co-operates. I can just imagine how many lost dogs, horses, other animals after everyone creates their own light show in the CR sub divisions to replace this cancelled event.