Episodes

  • 3 - A tipping point for the Yukon's medical system? Also, Vince Fedoroff, a Mayor-Premier conflict, the future of the economy, and more

    3 - A tipping point for the Yukon's medical system? Also, Vince Fedoroff, a Mayor-Premier conflict, the future of the economy, and more
    Aug 23 2024
    Ben chats with editor Jim Butler and photographer Vince Fedoroff about this week's issue of the Yukon Star, including Vince's background with the Yukon Star and Whitehorse Star before it, and stories about health care, the Victoria Gold disaster, a brewing but confusing conflict between the Mayor of Whitehorse and Premier of the Yukon, and City of Whitehorse, Ken Coates’ article about the future of our economy and its dependence on the public sector, opioid-related deaths in decline, and—this just in—how many cat rescues the fire department responds to per year. If you’ve got feedback on the show or a question you’d like Ben to ask, email podcast@theyukonstar.com. Show Notes 1:45 - How did Kai get so many articles in the print edition this week? 2:10 - Kai’s background in graphic design and the news in Yellowknife 4:10 - What’s it like to be at a new newspaper? 4:45 - What’s in today’s Discovery Day long weekend edition of the paper? 5:45 - Victoria Gold headed into receivership 6:10 - The Yukon’s uncertain economy 7:30 - The upcoming municipal election 9:10 - The appeal of mayoral candidate Mellisa Murray’s immigrant background 9:45 - Kirk Cameron’s extensive experience 11:20 - What’s special about this election? Could all of Council be wiped out? 12:45 - Why is it important to have Councillors with experience in the role? 13:40 - Why are so many politicians not running again? 14:30 - What are the issues in the upcoming Whitehorse municipal election? 16:00 - Whitehorse City Council’s new civility policy 18:15 - What was the impetus for Council’s policy? 21:00 - Why is chinook salmon diminishing in Canada? 23:30 - The latest on Victoria Gold 24:20 - The nuanced debate between the Yukon Conservation Society and the Yukon Chamber of Mines 26:00 - Sale of City property for $1? Show Transcript This transcript was generated automatically and has not yet been edited. It has been posted here for your convenience. Please forgive any errors. Ben Charland 00:00 This is the Yukon Star Podcast. I'm your host, Ben Charland. Today is Friday, August 23rd, 2024. Now we've got a lot of stories that we're going to dig into and peel the headlines back for, but before we do, we're talking with Vince Fedoroff, photographer for the Yukon Star. Ben Charland 00:25 We asked him about his career, how he got his start back at the White Horse Star decades ago, and how photography has changed in that time or stayed the same. We've also got key stories that I'm talking about with Vince and Jim Butler, the editor of the Star, such as the Yukon Medical Association's president, Dr. Ben Charland 00:44 Komet, who wrote a letter to the Star about the healthcare situation, following from another letter by Dr. David Story. Now, these two letters have stirred up a really interesting and important conversation about healthcare in the territory today. Ben Charland 00:58 We've got a conflict brewing between the Yukon government and the city of White Horse, even though the reason for this is hard to understand if there is any. We've got the ongoing Eagle Mine disaster. Ben Charland 01:07 The board has resigned, the CEO has been fired. Ken Coates has an article about the future of our economy and our dependence on the public sector and how that might be dangerous in the years ahead. And we've also got a piece about how opioid deaths are in decline, but still tragic. Ben Charland 01:23 Now, before we dig into all of that, I just wanted to mention that by virtue of the time that we have for this podcast, we're necessarily going to miss some things that are in the paper, a 20 page paper that comes every week. Ben Charland 01:35 There's a lot of content in there and there's some articles that we just don't have time to talk about. There's also some articles that we only give a passing reference to. For example, Ivan Coyote's column about the no pop sandwich shop back in White Horse in the 1980s and their experience living here at that time. Ben Charland 01:53 It's a very powerful, poignant and important piece of writing that I think all of us would benefit from. We've also got the conflict between the Yukon government and the city, but that belies what the issue is really about, and that's downtown safety. Ben Charland 02:07 Finally, Ken Coates' article is paired with a column from the Toronto Star by David Olive. Indigenous investment is a huge part of our territory's economy. And one thing that Ken Coates talks about in his article is the importance of indigenous development corporations to the Yukon, because when the going gets tough, they're not going anywhere. Ben Charland 02:27 As usual, if you like this episode or any episode, please spread the word about the podcast. And if you can take a moment on Apple podcasts or Spotify, please leave us a review. And now here's my conversation with Jim and Vince. Ben Charland 02:43 Jim Butler, welcome back. Jim Butler 02:46 Good to be here ...
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    31 mins
  • 2 - Will City Council get wiped out? Plus municipal politics, civility, chinook salmon, and the ongoing Victoria Gold disaster

    2 - Will City Council get wiped out? Plus municipal politics, civility, chinook salmon, and the ongoing Victoria Gold disaster
    Aug 16 2024

    Ben chats with the Star’s editor, Jim Butler, and staff writer Kaicheng Shin about a number of stories. In particular, they focus on the upcoming municipal elections in October, the influence it is already having on the news, and the plausible outcome of an entirely novice Council in Whitehorse. They also talk about why numbers of chinook salmon are diminishing in Canada, and of course, the latest on the Eagle Mine disaster.

    If you’ve got feedback on the show or a question you’d like Ben to ask, email podcast@theyukonstar.com.

    Show Notes

    1:45 - How did Kai get so many articles in the print edition this week?

    2:10 - Kai’s background in graphic design and the news in Yellowknife

    4:10 - What’s it like to be at a new newspaper?

    4:45 - What’s in today’s Discovery Day long weekend edition of the paper?

    5:45 - Victoria Gold headed into receivership

    6:10 - The Yukon’s uncertain economy

    7:30 - The upcoming municipal election

    9:10 - The appeal of mayoral candidate Mellisa Murray’s immigrant background

    9:45 - Kirk Cameron’s extensive experience

    11:20 - What’s special about this election? Could all of Council be wiped out?

    12:45 - Why is it important to have Councillors with experience in the role?

    13:40 - Why are so many politicians not running again?

    14:30 - What are the issues in the upcoming Whitehorse municipal election?

    16:00 - Whitehorse City Council’s new civility policy

    18:15 - What was the impetus for Council’s policy?

    21:00 - Why is chinook salmon diminishing in Canada?

    23:30 - The latest on Victoria Gold

    24:20 - The nuanced debate between the Yukon Conservation Society and the Yukon Chamber of Mines

    26:00 - Sale of City property for $1?
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    29 mins
  • 1 - Eagle Mine Disaster, Dr. Storey, Housing Prices, Fatal Accident, and more

    1 - Eagle Mine Disaster, Dr. Storey, Housing Prices, Fatal Accident, and more
    Aug 9 2024

    We're talking about today's print edition of the Yukon Star, featuring stories about the Eagle Mine disaster, Dr. David Storey's letter to the editor, housing prices, a fatal highway accident, and more.

    Show Notes

    1:50 - Starting a new newspaper and succeeding the Whitehorse Star
    3:20 - Feedback on the new Yukon Star
    3:50 - Tim's unexpected start at the Yukon Star
    4:40 - The benefits of starting fresh vs. keeping tradition and archives
    6:35 - Jim’s good memory
    7:00 - Tim’s beat with the Yukon Star
    7:30 - The Eagle Mine disaster
    11:10 - Is this a human health issue as well as environmental one?
    12:40 - How important is mining to the Yukon economy?
    14:00 - Will Victoria Gold survive?
    14:45 - Jim’s editorial, “Those who wish to sing will always find a song”
    17:40 - How should we as citizens think about this?
    19:00 - Is public opinion turning against mining?
    21:15 - The urban-rural split over mining
    23:50 - Dr. Storey’s letter to the editor on health care in the Yukon
    28:40 - Will we be forced to establish private hospitals to meet our health needs?
    30:30 - Does Tim want to do a marathon?
    31:00 - Why are housing prices potentially starting to drop? How is this being affected by people who can’t find a place to live?
    32:25 - The building height and urban sprawl debate
    32:50 - Highway crash that took the life of Deputy Minister Michael Prochazka
    34:20 - Our raison d’etre is to reflect a community back to itself
    34:40 - What are we going to be talking about next week?
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    37 mins
  • Welcome to the Yukon Star Podcast

    Welcome to the Yukon Star Podcast
    Aug 1 2024

    This is the Yukon Star Podcast.

    My name is Ben Charland and I’ll be your host as we dig beneath the headlines and stories in the Yukon Star. Every Friday, in sync with the print edition, we’re going to chat with the editor, writers and other staff at the Star to uncover what’s behind the news. What are the key forces that shape Whitehorse, the Yukon, Canada, and the world today? Who are the newsmakers, both the ones you’ve heard of, and the ones you haven’t? What do you need to know to live, work, play, and contribute to our great community? We’ll answer those questions and much more, each week, here on the Yukon Star Podcast.

    Subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode.

    The Yukon Star Podcast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation and Ta’an Kwach’an Council. We are grateful and determined to be part of a diverse, respectful society in these lands. Original music, “I’m the Girl”, by Kim Rogers, produced and mixed by Rick Santers.

    Listen to the Yukon Star Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes and, if you have a minute, please leave a review. For more information about this series and the Yukon Star, visit theyukonstar.com.
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    4 mins