A wonderful feast was laid out for the entire community to share. All the trimmings were there, ham, turkey, stuffing, salads, vegetables and bannock. Volunteers cooked the turkeys all over town, Angela Rear helped with the details, and it was a fantastic meal, accompanied by music and carol singing.

Many TH Citizens honoured for Service

Story & Photos
by Josée Bonhomme

The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Community Awards were handed out at the First Nation’s traditional community Christmas Dinner open to all citizens.

Volunteer of the Year went to Victor Henry, with Karen Farr and Kevin Mendelsohn as runners-up.

Employee of the Year was shared by Tim Gerberding and James MacDonald, who has since moved on to Whitehorse as Executive Director of the Ta’an Kwӓch’ӓn.

The Youth Award went to Allison Anderson, with honourable mentions to Tanner Sidney and Tyler Rear.

The Elder of the Year award was given to Julia Morberg, with honourable mentions to Percy Henry and Victor Henry.

Allison Anderson was recognized again as the Citizen of the Year, with honourable mention given to Peggy Kormendy and Angela Rear.

Shawn and Cathy Ryan at the Underworld reception

Ryan & Wood Honoured as Yukon Metals shine at Mineral Exploration Roundup

Whitehorse (January 18, 2010) – Yukon’s metals potential is taking the spotlight at the annual Mineral Exploration Roundup. “Yukon continues to achieve significant recognition by Canada’s mineral sector, despite the global economic challenges facing the mineral industry,” Premier Dennis Fentie said. “Our commitment to Yukon’s mining industry is yielding results.” Hosted each year by the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AMEBC), Roundup brings together organizations and people representing all components of the global mineral exploration and mining sector.

This year, Yukon received special recognition by the AMEBC with two significant awards.

Yukoner Shawn Ryan has been selected as the recipient of the H.H. “Spud” Huestis Award for excellence in prospecting and mineral exploration. Ryan’s pioneering exploration work in the Dawson Range led to increased industry interest in the White Gold District. Over 8,000 claims were staked in the district last year with more than a dozen companies actively working in the area.

Accepting the award Ryan, as always, said that it belonged equally to this wife, Kathy Wood, the other half of Ryanwood.

In addition, Stephen Quin and Bruce McLeod of Capstone Resources are being recognized for their achievements in developing the Minto Mine with the E.A. Scholz Award for excellence in mine development. Capstone Mining Corporation continues to exceed production expectations and has recently … Cont’d on p. 2

Download full online edition: (pdf – 9.47MB)

IN THIS ISSUE (24 pages!):

1 – TH Awards / Ryanwood Exploration honoured
2 – Page 1 items concluded
3 – Competing projects
4 – Uffish: Too Much Time/Nemo’s Notions
5 – Letter from J. Robb / Town Calendar of Events
6 – Fulda Follies
7 – Double Bob Fun
8 – Chamber Awards / No Foul Play suspected
9 – A New Gold Rush: Underworld Story gets better
10 – Parvovirus False Alarm / Raven Poem
11 – News Canada Health Tips / Library Notes
12-16 – TV Guide deleted
17 – 20 Years Ago in the Sun
18 – W. Ogilvie #2
19 – Reading Recovery / Blackout / Social Justice Films at Danoja Zho
20 – Authors on 8th – Thompson
21 – Bookends: Cabin Fever / More Comics Page
22 – Obituaries / Truck is Free / Students: Don’t Worry About Deadlines
23 – Classifieds, Jobs, Business Directory & Quickies
24 – City of Dawson News & Notices

Klondike MLA Steve Nordick presents the Farmer of the Year plaque to Grant Dowdell and Karen Digby

Story & Photo
by Dan Davidson

Grant Dowdell and Karen Digby were honoured as 2009’s Farmers of the Year at the North of 60° Agriculture Banquet in November. At the time Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Archie Lang spoke highly of their efforts.

“Grant and Karen’s hard work has enriched their local community and demonstrates how local agriculture in Yukon can really make a difference.”

Speaking in the Legislature on November 9, Lang expanded on his comments.

“They are recognized and much admired for their contribution to Yukon’s agricultural sector and through that contribution to everyday life for those in their local community of Dawson City.

“Grant and Karen’s three-acre farm is located about eight miles upstream from Dawson on a small island and produces a variety of vegetables, herbs and bedding plants.

“The much sought-after products of Grant and Karen’s hard work can be found at Dawson’s Saturday markets on the waterfront and in the local grocery stores and restaurants that proudly advertise the farm’s produce. During the summer, bouquets of their farm’s flowers grace many of the historic buildings, hotels and homes in Dawson City.”

Scott Widmeyer discusses issues with councillor Stephen Johnson.

Dawson Hires Acting CAO

Story & Photo
by  Dan Davidson

As of January 8, Dawson City is shy a full complement of senior administrative staff by two key positions. So council has hired Scott Widmeyer to serve as Acting Chief Administrative Officer while it seeks to fill these positions.

Former CAO Eldo Enns stepped down just days after the October municipal elections.

Since that time those duties have been shared between Senior Financial Officer Jackie Olson and Fire Chief Jim Regimbal. Olson, however, was lured away to a post with the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in’s Heritage Dept., and gave notice in December.

In the time since the election, council has posted the CAO job. There were fourteen applicants. Two were short-listed and one actually took an unsuccessful telephone interview. It was decided to post the position again.

The new council, with just two members held over from the last administration, has been having some difficulty holding effective meetings since October. There have been nearly as many overtime sessions as there were in the previous three years and several special meetings which have had to be called to resolve contentious issues, one of which was the matter of hiring a new CAO. Given all that, it was felt that a temporary CAO might be able to assist them in getting tuned up as well as help with the hiring situation.

Councillors Ashley Doiron and Wayne Potoroka have been at some pains to indicate that the decision to hire a temporary CAO at a cost of $800 a day does not mean that council lacks confidence in its existing staff.

“The interim CAO isn’t being brought in to make sweeping changes or ‘fix’ anything,” Potoroka said. “He’s here to provide temporary cover and, more than anything, assist in the search for a new CAO. He’ll also be able to provide roles and procedures training for Council, which would have happened in the fall if a CAO had been in place.

“Jim and Jackie have done a great job as our Acting CAOs, but our management team is down to half capacity come the end of the week. Getting some short-term help seems prudent and, frankly, important.”

The ten point terms of reference for the Acting CAO include leading the search for a new CAO and training both Mayor and Council in procedures, roles and responsibilities. Point 7 specifically states that “No systems in place that are used by the City of Dawson are to be altered or replaced without the express consent of the Town Council or the City of Dawson.”

Widmeyer is a former resident of Dawson (1978-1985) who currently lives at Lake Laberge. He has worked in various Yukon communities and was one of two individuals recommended to the town for this contract by the Dept. of Community Services.

Widmeyer arrived in Dawson on Friday, just in time to attend a farewell luncheon for Jackie Olson.

“I’ve been to just about every municipality in the territory,” Widmeyer said. “I think Dawson was the only one I skipped, because I lived here. From here we went to Haines Junction, Watson Lake, Carmacks and Teslin. But we’ve always had a residence at Lake Laberge.”

Widmeyer has indicated to council that he is available to assist until the middle of February.

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IN THIS ISSUE (24 pages!):
1 – Farmers of the Year / Acting Ch. Admin. Officer at Town
2 – Staff Holiday holidays/New Rec Centre for Dawson?
3 – Truck in Ice stays there
4 – Uffish: Trends in Political Debate/Nemo’s Notions
5 – Letter from our Readers/Town Calendar of Events
6 – Farmers/L. Goyette falls in Love with Dawson
7 – Northern Light, Northern Darkness by L. Goyette/MLA Letter to Mayor re: Arena
8 – Student Art at Odd Gallery
9 – KIAC-SOVA Open Studio
10 – Scrooge at R. Service School
11 – Christmas Eve at St. Paul’s
12-16 – TV Guide pages deleted
17 – Northern Light by Goyette
18 – W. Ogilvie #1/Beaded Moccasins at Dänojà Zho
19 – Beyond the Ice Cube Social Equity Films/Landfill Cups for 25¢ extra/Black-billed Magpie
20 – Housetraining your Puppy/A Very Special Pitmas to You
21 – Bookends: Anatomy of a Dating Scam/Comics Page
22 – CKS Plugs in for Paper Pick-Up/Evan Rensch joins the Sun/Christmas Eve Mirage/Enterprising Kids bake Pennies 4 Patients
23 – Classifieds, Jobs, Business Directory & Quickies
24 – City of Dawson News & YESAB Open House on Dome Rd. (Mining & Subdivisions?)

During December, classes at the Robert Service School collected food donations for the Dawson Women’s Shelter. The boxes were turned over on December 11th

by Dan Davidson

An application to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board, under the Act of the same name, is expected to be completed and approved by March of 2010. Catherine Harwood, project manager for the Dawson Secondary Sewage Treatment Plant, reported to Dawson’s council on November 17 on the next steps to be taken with the project.

The next court date for the project is expected to be in April/May 2010. By that time visible work on the plant will have begun, Harwood said. She expects that this hearing may take place in Dawson.

Officials with the Dept. of Community Services are continuing to meet with town officials regarding the final form of the Memorandum of Agreement between the municipality and the territory. Of particular concern to the town are the clauses about sustainable O&M costs.

Contaminated soil from the construction site in the former highways yard has been removed and relocated to a site at kilometre 11 on the Top of the World Highway. Harwood indicated that 1200 cubic metres of material were moved.

Harwood said that a test hole has been drilled down to 328 feet at the construction site in connection wth the deep shaft needed for the SST plant and the results were satisfactory.

Meetings have begun with the Yukon Water Board’s staff to acquaint them with the project.

Mayor Jenkins expressed concerns over Operations & Maintenance cost sustainability of the SST over the long term. “Any number over the number you have provided us with is not sustainable,” he said. YTG numbers have indicated an annual O&M cost of around $200,000 (Actually the number is between $280,000 and $300,000). During the recent municipal elections Jenkins stated that he expected annual O&M for the plant to run well over $2 million.

“I don’t know if the number we’ve provided is sustainable,” Deputy Minister Mike Johnson replied, noting that the previous… Cont’d on p. 2

City of Dawson Removes Employees’ Seasonal Break

by Dan Davidson

By a tie vote of two to two, with one member absent, Dawson council has voted not to offer to town staff an extended Christmas to New Year’s break that has been in place since 1998. Since that time, it has been common to close the office from Boxing Day to New Year’s Day, this closure to be made at the discretion of the town council.

Dawson’s Public Service Bylaw Section 7.06 reads: ‘With the approval of Mayor and Council the City Office shall be closed between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. If an employee is required to work on any of these days, an alternate day off will be granted. The exchange for this day shall be taken as time in lieu rather than pay.”

This practice was in place from 1998 to 2004 and continued through the trusteeship years and though the three years of the council that was restored to office in 2006.

Employees have been paid for the days the office was closed. This took the place of a Christmas bonus and was inaugurated by council as a perk for employees, along with some other non-salary considerations, at a time when they had been considering unionizing. As a result, the town was not faced with a serious drive to see an employees’ union here again until this year.

During the last two years, at least, there has been an annual debate on council as to whether the practice was justified or should be continued, but the final resolution has continued to be in favour of extending the days off with pay.

The number of days off has varied from year to year, depending on where Christmas and New Years fall in the week, but this year it would have been three days.

This year the specific recommendation read as follows: City of Dawson Removes Employees’ Seasonal Break “That the council approves the office closure as per section 7.06 for December 29-31 in recognition of staff dedication and hard work throughout the year.”

Mayor Peter Jenkins objected to the resolution on the grounds that it gave town employees more holidays than any other town employees in the Yukon. He saw these days as additional statutory holidays and said he was not in favour of that.

“I haven’t been comfortable with this for awhile, and it’s something that’s been brought to my attention by a very broad cross section of people in Dawson City.”

While the cost to the town for three days for all employees was in the order of $13,008.00, it actually didn’t make any difference to the year’s budget whether these days were worked or not, since the money would be spent in either case.

Coun. Wayne Potoroka was conflicted. The time off recommended is equal to that which he enjoys as an employee of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in during the same time period, and he saw it as a good thing for staff morale. But he was concerned, now that the town’s employees had applied for union certification, that granting the time might put the town in conflict with the Canada Labour Code by altering the terms and conditions of employment.

Legal advice from the town’s lawyers was that this would not be the case. The practice was allowable under the terms of the Public Service Bylaw.

Coun. Stephen Johnson was in favour of continuing the practice as it had been going on for a number of years (no one at the meeting knew how long or when it had begun) and would, he felt, have the weight of precedent behind it.

“If this is not granted, then… Cont’d on p. 3

Download full online edition: (pdf – 5.81 MB)

IN THIS ISSUE (36 pages!):

1 – Sewage and Christmas Cheer
2 – Sewage & No Seasonal Break
3 – Union in Dawson & Poem
4 – Uffish: Hospital Location
5 – Letter from West Dawson
6 – Goyette reads/Gunning sings
7 – Anti-bully Day at RSS!
8 – Letter/KIAC Craft Bazaar
9 – Where are Dawson Artists?
10 – Review: Varietease!
11 – Jenkins: New Arena Need
12 – Review: The Nutcracker
13 – H1N1 Message from Health Canada
14-23 – TV Guide pages deleted
24 – Town sues Everett/SOVA Words/Miriam’s Cabin Photos
25 – 20 Years Ago in the Sun
26 – Tr’ondëk Last-Minute Bazaar Photos
27 – Last-Minute/Shop Dawson Gift Certificate Participants
28 – Monica Fras receives Law Studies Scholarship/A Poem: The Snowplow went By
29 – YCS presents G. Couture Stewardship Medal
30 – Seniors’ Art Exhibit/Petition Bears No Fruit / Press Releases
31 – Christmas Bird Count/ Scoop Bonhomme News
32 – HSD News: Pet Boarding/The Ballad of Free-Fallin’ Fred by Bard Barnacle Bob
33 – Sun Comics X 2!
34 – Max’s Colouring Page/Top
10 – Fiction Paperbacks
35 – Classified/Business Dir./Jobs
36 – City of Dawson News & Greetings

CFYT-FM graduates to a 7-year license Story & photo by Dan Davidson

The big news at the annual general meeting for Dawson’s CFYT-FM radio station was that the volunteer run not-for-profit society had received approval from the CRTC to extend its broadcast license for another 7 years.

As president Kyla MacArthur told the 14 or so members at the meeting, this meant that the fledgling society had a new status.

“The training wheels are off,” she told the membership after the excited applause died down.

The station will be allowed to expand its output to 50 Watts, to broadcast in stereo.

The license notes: “Dawson City Radio indicated that the station would broadcast 126 hours of programming each broadcast week” with 44 hours of that time being home grown shows and the other “82 hours of programming originating from the commercial radio station CKRWFM Whitehorse.”

McArthur noted that the CRTC expects more from the station at this stage. The mostly music oriented station will need to find ways to increase its broadcasting of news, discussions between hosts and guests on current affairs, sports reports supplied by the City Recreation Department and other news.

The license states that the “applicant committed to devote at least 5% of the news broadcast to local stories each broadcast week.”

Some of this may take the form of live audio and video broadcasts of such events as the Dawson City Music Festival and the recent live audio coverage of election results during the municipal elections in October.

The station possesses remote broadcast equipment and volunteers have had training in how to use it.

In its ruling the CRTC encourages CFYT to pursue more of this type of content as part of its mandate as a Type B Community FM Radio Station.

MacArthur noted that the society has been successful in replacing a lot of its outdated equipment with the financial assistance of the City of Dawson’s funding program, as well as increased revenue from the rolling ads on DCTV’s channel 11. A recent “radiothon” raised $3,000.00.

Since the society is basically stable now in terms of having a home base, decent finances, good equipment and a base of some 18 volunteer programmers, MacArthur reported that the board felt this would be a good year to engage in visioning and planning for the future, for what the society might look like and be doing in five year’s time.

Director Peter Menzies (one of the founders of the original version of CFYT two decades ago) led a presentation on possible major goals of a 5 year plan, the main points of which included facilities (particularly a larger working space) and equipment; programming (including podcasting and more remotes); organizational structure (including part time paid staff); better communication with volunteers; and governance… Cont’d on p. 3

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IN THIS ISSUE (28 pages):

1 – CFYT & Ryanwood
2 – Ryanwood Award
3 – Composting Essential
4 – Uffish: Oh Where Can she Be? If you see her, call us!
5 – Letter / NEMO Cartoons
6 – A Celebration of Percy
7 – Finding Our Way
8 – Free Underground Parking
9 – Favron Enterprises wins Bob Leckie Award
10 – Town Heritage Plan Award / Pet Overpopulation
11 – Ad: Mike’s Story #3
12-16 – Sun TV Guide deleted
17 – Rookie Mountie / Authors on 8th (H. Daniel)
18 – Ten Thousand Villages ‘09
19 – Klondike Restorative Justice / More NEMO Cartoons!!!
20 – Christmas Pageant Prep. / SOVA Words
21 – SOVA Extreme Art / RSSWomen’s Shelter Bazaar
22 – Petition Bears No Fruit / Press Releases
23 – Bookends – The Lost Symbol
24 – Climate Change / Library Notes
25 -The Pine Grosbeak / Comics
26 – Kids’ Art Page / Top 10 Fiction Paperbacks
27 – Classified/Business Dir./Jobs
28 – City of Dawson News

The torchbearers: Alisa Camplin, Suzanne Crocker, Marge Kormendy, Peter Menzies and Kevin Mendelsohn pose for pictures with excited students.

Story & Photos by

Dan Davidson “I almost cried when I saw Kevin (Mendelsohn) coming up the street with the torch,” said local relay organizer Jody Beaumont (Cirque Consulting & Communications).

Th e r e wa s a l o t o f excitement all through the streets of Dawson on the morning of Nov. 4, tempered with a bit of disappointment that the promised Air North jet was unable to land at the airport, and that the torch party arriving here had to be a bit smaller than planned.

The event ran about half an hour behind schedule, but that just meant that all the students and staff at the Robert Service School were nicely warmed up from chanting in the brisk morning air.

It also meant there was better light for taking pictures, though it might have been neat to see the Olympic Torch coming through the 9 a.m. dimness.

By the time the convoy of vehicles pulled up with the torch bearers, flags whistles and glow sticks shaped like bottles of Coca- Cola had been distributed and people were primed to cheer.

Local Marge Kormendy was the number one torch bearer. She paraded the 94 cm symbol, designed to bring to mind Canada’s open land, vast potential and the smooth fluid lines left in the snow and ice from winter sports, back and forth on 5th Avenue, while handlers staged photo opportunities, media people with video cameras got in everyone’s way and and the noise of the cheering, whistling crowd… Cont’d on p. 6

Download full online edition: (pdf – 6.37 MB)

IN THIS ISSUE (28 pages):

1 – Spirit of the Flame in Dawson
2 – Hospital Site / Council turnsdown pay raise
3 – Museum Auction a Success
4 – Uffish: Some Time in the Trenches of World War I5 – Heaven at Berton House /Town Calendar of Events
6-7 – Spirit of the Flame Cont./ Geoff Berner’s Klezmer
8 – Police Blotter / Winter Dog Care / Women’s Shelter News
9 – IODE Connection
10 – Remembering the Dead of Many Wars at RSS
11 – Ad: Mike’s Story #2 TV Guide Pages Removed so pages numbers won’t match after p. 11.
17 – Remembering War Vets
18 – Youth Art Enrichment /Alisa Camplin in Torch Run
19 – SOVA Words / CBC Song Quest / Births & Obituary
20 – Italian Connection: A. Senter & P. Rosà, Filmmakers
21 – Joanne Bell / Wednesday Lupypciw (Artist in Residence)
22 – Fr .Ernest keeps the Faith, Nigeria to Dawson / Bookends
23 – 20 Years Ago in the Sun
24 – Dawson’s Olympic Mail / RSS Astronmers in Ottawa
25 – Mom’s Photo Album / The Ptarmigan / Comics
26 – Kids Art Page / Top 10
27 – Classified/Business Dir./Jobs
28 – City of Dawson News

The Icing on the Season

by Dan Davidson

There are signs of
seasons changing
that we all can
recognize:
falling leaves and
boarded windows,
filled with plywood cut
to size.

Hotels close and shops
cut hours
and the RV parks shut
down,
and the last canoeing
Germans
take their tours around
the town.

But the icing on the
season’s
when the snow comes
down to stay;
puddles frozen in the
morning
that remain that way all
day.

And when slush forms in
the river
we know what that’s all
about,
‘cause we know that
winter’s coming
when they pull the
ferry out.

Oct. 31/2009

Dawson’s New Council Sworn in

First Meeting of the New Council: From left to right, Jackie Olson (acting CAO), Wayne Potoroka, Stephen Johnson, Peter Jenkins (mayor), Rick Riemer, Ashley Doiron.

Story & Photo by Dan Davidson

Dawson’s new municipal council was sworn in at a special session held on October 20 at 6:30 p.m. There was just a small group of family members and supporters in attendance to watch as notary public Rhonda Taylor administered the oaths to returning councillors Ashley Doiron and Rick Riemer and then to new councillors Stephen Johnson, Wayne Potoroka and mayor-elect Peter Jenkins.

Each member of council swears first to “be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and successors according to law.” This is followed by a six point affirmation

“1. That I am a Canadian citizen;

“2. That I am not in any way disqualified from holding the office of (Mayor or Councillor)

“3. That I have not, nor will I have while holding office, any interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract or services connected with the said municipality, except such as I may lawfully have under the provisions of the Municipal Act;

“4. That I have not, by myself or any other person, knowingly employed any bribery, corruption or intimidation to gain my election;

“5. That I will not, without due authority in that behalf, disclose or make known any matter that comes to my knowledge by reason of my office; and

“6. That I will faithfully perform the duties of my office, and will not allow any private interest to influence my conduct in public matters.”

Following on the swearing-in ceremony the council held its regularly scheduled 3rd week of the month meeting. The timing of future meetings was one of the subjects of the evening’s d i s c u s s i o n s . Tuesday night provides some difficulty for Councillor Potoroka and discussion ranged around what other time might be suitable. Due to the Procedures Bylaw which was imposed on Dawson’s council during the trusteeship, this is not as simple a matter as it might seem, and will actually require a bylaw change. This creates a need to state to the public the intent to change the bylaw, the drafting of an amendment and three readings before it can come into force.

In its original version, the process would also have required the approval of the Minister of Community Services, but that requirement was dropped part way through the terms of the Steins administration.

Council postponed a decision to take action to assess a waste oil contamination problem at the Quigley Landfill, citing a need to see the government order and to decide whether it might not be more suitable to move straight to remediation. That decision will be taken at a noon hour meeting this Wednesday, no doubt the first of many additional meetings to come for this new group.

In addition to changes in elected officials, there are other changes at the town office. Eldo Enns has resigned as city manager and the city staff are seeking to unionize, under the umbrella of the Public Service Alliance of Canada which has applied for a certificate to do so.

Download full online edition: (pdf – 4.36 MB)

In this Issue (24 pages):

1 – Signs of the Season
2 – New Council Sworn In
3 – Vaccination Program Starts
4 – Uffish: Climate Change and the Art of Storytelling
5 – Halloween at RSS
6 – Rose Gassner gets Ready for Bazaar Mania
7 – Volleyball Tournament Pix
8-9 – Authors on Eighth: Breakup by Carrie Stewart
10 – Authors on 8th / Humane Society News
11 – TV Guide Pages have been removed so page numbers won’t match from here on.
17 – Century Blues Tour / Yael Wand Home Concert
18 – Library celebrates 110 Years
19 – Northern Garments Inc. 2009 Exporter of the Year /SOVA comes out of the closet / Town Calendar of Events
20 – The Meaning of Fair Trade / Our Feathered Neighbours
21 – Bookends / Comics / Han Language Lesson
22 – Max’s Artists’ Page / Top 10
23 – Classifieds, Business Directory / Outreach Job Board

KATTS Goes to Town, Builds Trails Everywhere - Trail Crew Boss Alex Brook stands behind part of his hard-working crew on the newly completed Ninth Avenue Trail, one of many projects to improve or build new hiking trails in the Klondike Region. Youth workers aged 14 to 25 were recognized on October 3rd at a special celebration when the new trail was officially opened. An inaugural hike and a BBQ were hosted by the Klondike Active Trails and Transportation Society to honour the 64 trail builders who worked on the project over the past three years. - Photo Jay Armitage

Story & photo by Dan Davidson

In a race that see-sawed back and forth through the entire count, the unofficial report from Dawson returning officer, Bonnie Barber, is that Peter Jenkins has reclaimed the position of mayor by the slimmest of majorities, beating incumbent John Steins by a mere 8 votes.

The five people counting up the tally sheets were on tenterhooks throughout the hour that it took to tabulate the 529 ballots. Two were spoiled, leaving 527 cast.

The count was neck and neck up to about 60 ballots, after which Steins appeared to pull ahead, but never by more than 10 or 20 votes. Sometime after the 300 count the lead began to see-saw back and forth, changing hands eight times with variances of just one or two votes, until Jenkins finally pulled ahead near the end of the second column on the sheets.

When the ballots cast on voting day were finished Jenkins had a solid lead of nearly 25 votes, but this dwindled rapidly as the 42 advance poll ballots were counted, and in the end he held on with 267 votes against Steins’ 259.

Jenkins arrived at the polling station just after the count was finished and pronounced himself very happy with the size of the turnout and the closeness of the race, calling it a sign that democracy was healthy in Dawson.

“John came forward with a very strong campaign: buttons, the whole nine yards. I tended to kind of sit back and ride this one out a little bit.

Jenkins ran a campaign based on several key issues: the potential O&M cost of the new secondary sewage treatment plant that YTG is building here; the integrity of the potable water supply; and the need for new recreational facilities in the town.

In the public forum held on Oct. 7 he advocated building a new recreation centre.

Int e rvi ewed a f t e r the election, he said that facilities and programs to deal with the town’s teenagers would be a major priority for him.

As for his first move on taking office, he said, “I’ll have a look at the financial statements and see where we’re at.”

Shortly after the ballot counting ended John Steins was considering the options he might…

(Continued on page 2)

Download full online edition: (pdf – 4.84 MB)

In this Issue (24 pages):
1 – Election coverage & KATTS
2 – 3 – Underworld Reception
4 – Uffish Thoughts: About those Vanishing Papers
5 – Letters to the Sun (2) / Town Events Calendar
6 – Happy Trails by KATTS
7 – Dirty Laundry
8 – ODD Entitlement
9 – Ted Harrison Honoured
10 – Jim Robb Honoured
11 – Authors on 8th poem Breakup by Niall Fink
12 – 16 – TV Guide Pages removed
17 – Electric Vehicle Power
18 – Energy Alternatives
19 – 20 Years Ago in the Sun
20 – Olympic News and City Notices
21 – Our Feathered Neighbours / Comics / Han Language Lesson / Glass is Back at CKS
22 – Max’s Artists’ Page / Top 10
23 – Classifieds, Business Directory / Outreach Job Board
24 – Torchbearer Profile: K. Mendelsohn

Members of the Amadiyyah Muslim Community invited speakers from five Faiths to explain their views on how to reconcile the Existence of God and Human Suffering in the world. The moderator of the event was Eldo Enns, third from right. The opening prayer was offered by Percy Henry, seated to Eldo’s left.

Story and photos by Josée Bonhomme

Dawson City was chosen as a venue for a World Religions Conference on the evening of September 29, 2009 at the Dӓnojà Zho Cultural Centre. The event was very well attended on a cool Tuesday night, reminding us all that winter is just around the corner.

Youth, young and old adults, even our Mayor, listened carefully as so many truths were said in a four-hour long string of important words. The event, organized by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Community of Canada, B.C. Branch, was a live example of what Islam preaches, and involved many entities who gladly pulled together for the event.

Eldo Enns was asked to moderate the conference, and had been contacted through his work at the City of Dawson as Chief Administrative Officer. Like everyone else, Enns could not resist helping in this effort. Glenda Bolt who manages the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in’s cultural centre looked like the canary who ate the cat, having hosted five Faiths, and about 100 people in the comfortable auditorium, not to mention the wonderful buffet at the intermission.

As the person who must report on the event, I am still wondering if the inclusive atmosphere, the attentive audience, the willingness to learn with open minds and hearts, were a result of our own community, or if it were made possible because of the Ahmadiyyah Muslims being catalysts of a great potential.

Perhaps that is one question best left to the future, and to our readers. (Write, people!)

Five speakers took turns graciously, each listening to the others’ messages in reflection and respect, representing the Aboriginal view, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikkhism, and Islam in the Ahmadiyyah Muslims’ view.

Our hosts and catalysts were from Pakistan. Very kind and polite, but highly motivated with a will to share, create dialogue and understanding, and driven naturally by their strong beliefs, their mission brought them to Dawson City.

From the literature they shared here, their social and moral values stipulate that “members of the Community are expected to illustrate in their daily lives high levels of social, moral and spiritual values. They are also committed to promote friendship, goodwill and righteousness among themselves, and among all communities and nations.”

Their role of service to humanity…

Continued on page 2

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In this Issue (24 pages):
1-2 – Love for All
3 – More Goodwill News from Eagle
4 – Uffish Thoughts: Elections
5 – Letters to the Sun (3!) / Town Events Calendar
6 – Secondary Sewage Treatment to meet Deadline
7 – Municipal Elections, Mayor Candidates’ Statements
8 – Police Blotter / Chum Report
9 – Chum Report / Humane Society
10 – Safer Roads to Resources / Dalai Lama visits with Larry Bagnell
11 – Inspired by the Sun, Part 3
12-16 – TV Guide Deleted. Pages past this point don’t match the contents list
17 – Best Ranger Patrol in the North / Y.O.O.P. Gold Poke Draw Winners
18 – New Tombstone Interpretation Centre
19 – Myriad of Mushrooms
20 – The Billingtons: Tale of a Northern Nursing Life / The Naylors: Filling in Family History / Whirlwind: A Poem!
21 – Pasha Malla Reading / Hospital Survey / Hӓ n Language Lesson / Comics
22 – Max’s Artists’ Page / Top 10
23 – Classifieds, Business Directory / Outreach Job Board / Swallowtails
24 – One great BIG Ad!

Dawson’s Rangers pose with staff from “Headquarters” in Yellowknife after a dinner cruise on the Klondike Spirit. Photo - Dan Davidson

Story & Photos by Dan Davidson

“I wanted to come and visit you,” Brigadier General David Millar told the Dawson Junior Rangers, “because I have heard that you are one of the most enthusiastic, outgoing, energetic Junior Ranger Patrols in all of the North.”

This must have put the 17 youngsters in the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Community Hall into a state of shock, because when he continued by asking them “Is that true?” he had to get them to repeat themselves three times before they were loud enough to live up to his compliment.

Millar, the Commander of Joint Task Force North, was in Dawson City on September 11th to meet with both the Canadian Junior Rangers (CJR) and the Rangers, but he began his visit by focussing on the youngsters.

“Our Junior Rangers are our future leaders here in the Yukon and in Canada,” he said in a later interview, “and this is a great opportunity to show them that we appreciate all their efforts to be fine young citizens here in the community of Dawson.”

Millar sees the Junior Ranger program as being the youth program that is the most natural fit for places in the North like Dawson. The activities undertaken by the Junior Rangers are more relevant to the lifestyle of the North than those that are part of Army, Navy or Air Cadet groups.

“Talking to members of the Rangers here, they say that this is the case,” Millar said. “The life skills that are going to be most useful in your life here, the Ranger (program) does offer that.”

Earlier, talking to the group, Millar asked them about their

Continued on page 2…

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In this Issue (28 pages):
1 – Junior Rangers
2 – Junior Rangers / Miner’s Death
3 – Front Street Paving
4 – Letter: About the Hospital
5 – Letter: Slo-Pitch Softball / Town Events Calendar
6 – International Outhouse Race
7 – Community Garden Caper
8 – KPMA AGM & Miner of the Year
9 – Twenty Years Ago in the Sun
10 – Police Blotter / Robert Service
11 – Tammy Salzl / Robert Service
12 – Midnight Sun #1 Boss / Press Releases
13 – Chamber of Commerce AGM & Business Awards / Rusty Blackbird
19 – Fort Selkirk
20 – World Con / Bookends
21 – Inspired by Sun , Part 2 / Dempster Trailer Fire
22 – Humane Soc. News / Artist Profile:
M. Dolman / Authors on 8th: Rauguth
23 – Authors on 8th (Cont’d)
24 – R. Service School Tery Fox Run
25 – Violence Prevention / Cartoons
26 – Max’s Colouring Page / Top 10 Fiction Paperbacks & Pop CD’s
27 – Classifieds, Business Directory & Outreach Jobs / Religions Conference
28 – City of Dawson News & Pre-Election Announcements

The contents pages numbers will not match with the contents as some items have been removed due to copyright reasons.

- The Klondike Sun

Romy Jansen captured the muskox on her camera about 24 hours before it was killed, demonstrating the proper way to shoot something you don’t plan to eat. Photo Romy Jansen

By Stephanie Waddell
Whitehorse Star, September 2, 2009

A $1,000 reward is being offered by the Yukon Fish and Game Association for information that leads to a conviction in the shooting of a muskox on the Dempster Highway.

Last Friday, a driver on the highway came across the bull laying about 500 to 600 metres off the road on the tundra, Torrie Hunter, the territory’s manager of field operations north, said in an interview this morning.

The bull had been shot in the shoulder and left on the roadside around Kilometre 455 of the highway between the Rock River Campground and the Yukon- Northwest Territories border. The muskox, which is illegal to hunt in the Yukon, was likely shot sometime between 9 a.m. and noon last Friday.

For three weeks before that, the animal had been the subject of discussion by travellers on the highway.

“It was actually quite a bit of a tourist attraction,” Hunter said. A press release about the death noted there were some reports of people travelling to that area to see the muskox, a rare sight in a territory where there are only about 125, which also roam into Alaska.

Hospital Location protested at Council

by Dan Davidson

Mayor John Steins will be telling the territorial government that the council would like it to consider other locations for the new hospital that the Yukon Hospital Corporation will be building in Dawson.

So far the town has not seen a design, a development proposal, or a footprint for the project, but has been told that it will be built on the site of an existing children’s playground behind the current health centre. The land there is owned by YTG but has been used as a playground for over three decades.

The government has committed to replace the park at another location.

Be that as it may, Minto Park, as it is known, is seen by many as a recreational site (playground, ballpark, site of the Dawson City Music Festival and a number of other annual events) that should not be lost to the community.

At the August 18 council meeting, former town councillor Shirley Pennell pointed out that the use of the area as a park actually extends well beyond a generation, with many historic photographs showing events taking place in this location.

At a Yukon Hospital Corp. meeting held here on August 27, YHC chair Craig Tuton was unwilling to discuss alternative locations, indicating that YTG had made this land available for the project. Any change in location would, he said, be a political matter which should be taken up with the local MLA and the government.

Yukon Party MLA for Klondike Steve Nordick is on the record as saying that the hospital location is fixed and cannot be changed. Reports from the meeting indicate that Nordick came under considerable verbal criticism at the YHC meeting.

Pennell attended this meeting and was distressed that the YHC board came to talk rather than to listen.

Sylvia Burkhardt was so upset after the meeting that she penned a lengthy handwritten letter on a sheet of yellow legal paper and posted it in the Canada Post office, exhorting any readers to save Minto Park, and “register opposition to this at City Offices…”

Not content with that, she arrived in delegations for the September 1 meeting and presented council with a lengthy critique of its own shortcomings in raising opposition to the hospital’s construction in the YHC’s proposed location.

She was unaware that council has been discussing this matter intensely since it was first raised earlier in the summer and has been delaying its own response to proposed projects by both the hospital corporation and the Yukon Housing Corporation because the requests appear to conflict with the existing Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw.

Just as importantly, so far the requests for approval from both crown corporations amount Hospital Location protested at Council

Continued on page 2…

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In this Issue (24 pages):
1 – Muskox Grief / Hospital Location
2 – Hospital / CDF project awards
3 – Rowdy Discovery Day / Muskox / Tr’ondëk Teacher Orientation
4 – Opinion: Omar Khadr
5 – Schools: End Social Promotion / RCMP seek Auxiliaries / Town Events
6 – Salvation for CIBC Building
7 – High-Tech paving / H1N1 in Schools / Tombstone Park Photo Opp
8 – Tombstone Park Plan Signing & Interpetation Centre Opening
9 – Xof1 Solar Car: Inspired by the Sun
10-11 – Police Blotter / Minto Resorts
17 – History Hunter: Jack London and Cabin Fever
18 – Chum fishery report, Yukon & AK
19 – Obituaries / SOVA’s Suzanne Hale awarded BMO 1st Student Art Prize
20 – Surrendering to the River: Rafting the Yukon from Dawson to Circle, AK / Dawson Kids thank Schmidt Mining
21 – Feathered Neighbours: Migration / Hӓ n Language Lesson #13 / Comics
22 – Max’s Colouring Page / Top 10 Fiction Paperbacks & Pop CD’s
23 – Classifieds, Business Directory and Outreach Job Board
24 – City of Dawson News & Pre-Election Announcements

The contents box page numbers will not match as some pages have been removed for copyright reasons