Surviving the Great Whitehorse Earthquake of 2017
Surprisingly it was not the earthquake that woke me up on the morning of Monday, May 1. It was the stunning one-two punch of the […]
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Yes, it’s a Men’s Issue
May is Sexualized Assault Prevention month and once again we’re talking about women. Don’t men also suffer from unwanted touching, sexual harassment and even rape?
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The Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow
With summer approaching quickly, parents are faced with a familiar question: Where do I want my kids to spend their days while I am at
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Ice Cave
On a spring hike to the ice cave near Haines Junction, we found that the ice cave looks more like a bridge. Neither did we
Challenging Our ideas
When I meet someone new, I am used to being asked what I do for a living. The answer to that question inevitably leads to
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Forever Friends
Destiny Clennett is a young Vuntut Gwich’in. She is passionate about her people and connecting to the land.
Lobsters for Literacy (And More)
Whitehorse might be the site of the northernmost East Coast kitchen party in Canada this summer. On Friday, May 26, the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre
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Gypsy Goulash
When you’re in the backcountry, sometimes you don’t have a lot, but you need something fast, tasty and hot. This is a simple, highly adaptable
Thunder and Lightning
Thunder and lightning do not seem to be as common here in the Yukon as in southern Canada. However, lightning strikes are probably the most
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Sowing the Seeds of Spring
The light returns to the Yukon long before the heat and we’re still in the prime season of huge oscillations in temperature between day and
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N – North Dragon Restaurant
We needed to find a place to go for lunch that started with the letter “N”. Well, we needed look no further than the North
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Jack ‘n Sack 1 of 4
Although I can’t absolutely verify the factual accuracy of the following “claim to fame,” if I’m not the only person who had the unique opportunity
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Shake Out Those Memories and Shine ’em Up
Until fairly recently, I had no interest whatever in the idea of writing a book of memoirs. Like most people, I assumed nobody would care
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Grandpa’s Baseball Book – Part 1 of 4
2016 World Series (Chicago Cubs / Cleveland Indians) – I wasn’t doing a good job of explaining baseball to my grandchildren
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Ode to Winter
The warm winds of spring have brought with them the promise of little green shoots popping out of their seeds to generate the stuff of
Seeking Male Role Models
Reclaiming Male Role Models is a podcast created by Bob Schwenkler. I discovered it in 2014 when I became dissatisfied with my options for men
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Care for the Whole Self
I want you to imagine your favourite pie – apple, blueberry, rhubarb or a rebel mix of all three. I want you to picture yourself
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Just Planting a Seed Here, Folks
Somebody once said a gardener is just a philosopher with dirty hands and an aching back. Well, maybe nobody actually said that until I just did,
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Celebrate the Women in Your Life
I was five-years-old when I broke my first tooth. I was skidooing with my dad on our faithful, yellow Tundra. I was sitting up front,
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Exploration and Discovery
The mining industry plays an important role in the lives of Yukoners. The Yukon Chamber of Mines wraps up their annual mining week with a
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M – Making New Memories in a Spot with History
We went for dinner at Miner’s Daughter, which is in the historic Capital Hotel building and I imagine, if the walls could talk, we’d all
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Do You Remember When?
Allow me to take you back in time to when the words of today had a great difference in meaning… Close your eyes… and go
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Is That Thing Called a Knick-knack, or Bric-a-brac?
Recently, I was meandering through my trusty Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (shorter, as in not quite as gargantuan as the Encyclopaedia Britannica). This is a
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Right On, Yukon
I’m from Ontario, but boy let me tell you I would much rather be out here. Where I come from the only outdoor activities families
A Home Away from Home
“Gaby was four when she was diagnosed in June 2016, and her birthday is in October so she’s five now,” says Keira Kucherean. Her life
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Connecting Our Mind with Our Body
In today’s world, it can be hard to feel comfortable in our own skin. This is, in part, due to a growing plague of diet
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A Mentor for Yukon Young Writers
Born in England, but transplanted to Newfoundland when she was very young, Kathleen Winter credits libraries with kick starting her interest in writing. “We moved
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What’s the Appeal?
I was making a carrot cake this week for one of the Jack Russell’s birthdays (he gets the carrot ends, we get the cake, seems
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The Super Bowl of Ethics
It might be called a “bowl,” but in this competition, you won’t see any kickoffs, quarterbacks, punted balls or wide receivers. You will, however, see
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Creating a Men’s Circle in the Yukon
When I decided to remove my mask last summer I had to face how lonely I was, how isolated I had become. In a desperate
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So, Is Our Planet Round, or Flat?
Until a couple of years ago, there was a wonderfully entertaining fantasy writer by the name of Terry Pratchett. Perhaps there still is, somewhere on
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From Library to Learning Commons
Built in 1987, the Yukon College Library opened in 1988. It’s a place of constant change and with a budget for renovations in the area
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What’s Up with Your Feet
Leonardo da Vinci said the “human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art,” which it is. The foot has with a
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Start South, GoNorth!
Winter in Whitehorse is beautiful, but long. By the end of April 2016 we traveled down south to find Vancouver fully in bloom already. A
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Was That an Update, or a Sign of the Apocalypse?
It was a dark and stormy night a few weeks back. Dark enough and stormy enough that one might be forgiven for thinking the End
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An Accidental Alien
With the world’s longest undefended border it’s not difficult to become an accidental illegal alien, especially between the Yukon and Alaska. After all, the last
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Wicked Fit
Ryan MacGillivray has been sheep hunting for 10 years. Three years ago, he had the idea to start a boot camp for sheep hunters. He
International Women’s Day Poster Contest Winners
Our identities are multifaceted and complex, in order to address gender-based inequality and violence we need to find ways to hear each other in order
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What it Means to Be a Man
I was 12 years old when I first remember putting on a mask to face the day. My mask was that that of a joker,
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Yukon Wildflowers that Bloom in April
Last year we had an early spring and I found the first prairie crocus blooming on April 1st. Most years the crocus blooms near the
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A Swiss Tradition in the North
Of course, you have noticed that many people from Switzerland visit the Yukon in summer. Did you ever ask yourself what they do in wintertime?
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Bend the Rules of Exercise
While Whitehorse’s newest yoga studio True North Massage and Yoga just opened, it’s already setting itself apart from the other offerings in town. The yoga
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Baseball’s Only Perfect Season
As a retired sportswriter who bleeds baseball Red and could steal second base before I was able to walk to first, I was recently deep
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Honeymooners Head to Augusta
When Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin, 29, defeated American Patrick Cantlay on the final hole of the Valspar Championship in Florida on March 12 to win the
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Fata Morgana and other Atmospheric Optics
From “Don’s Descent,” the small hill behind our house, one can look as far as Haines Junction. Mount Decoeli and Mount Archibald loom on the
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Thank You, Grandma
Trekking around the vast wilderness behind my grandparents home, I remember my grandma taking me through the wilderness teaching me about traditional medicines. I loved
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An Ice Road Adventure
When I saw the post on Facebook from local Dawsonite Sarah Lenart, asking for two people to join her and friend Jeremy Herndl on a
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My Cup Runneth Over
In 2012 I came up to volunteer at the Yukon Quest Dog Sled Race and fell in love with the land. As I was approaching
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Color Me Blue
It struck me a couple days ago that I have gotten out of the habit of baking, and was missing having nibbly bites about for
Strap on your dancing shoes
“Lucie asked me to take a Latin dance class in 2001 while she was doing a minor in Spanish at Saint-Thomas university in Fredericton,” says
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My name is Chris. I am an Ontarian
I suffer jokes and insults & many others suffer the same fate, but we persevere. We understand that we are different. We are from Ontario.
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Mech Assault 2: Lone Wolf has come a long way
This week I paid a trip to Gecko’z to have a look at the recent Xbox release, Mech Assault 2: Lone Wolf. I last played
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Is she or isn’t she?
We all wear our identities in various ways to show the world what tribe we belong to. Go to Toronto and you will see the
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The only personality test that works
There are people out there who think they know everything they need to know about me just because: I’m a Scorpio. I’m a white male
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Fitting in is a fickle thing
My roots are in the east – specifically, a small coastal town in Newfoundland. My roots as an advocate are there too, buried amongst many
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Cooking Up a Career
Teresa Kozakewick grew up in Alberta. Raised by a father who had a passion for food, she had always been drawn to cooking. She enjoyed
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The Last Ski Race of the Year
Volunteers are gearing up for the Buckwheat Ski Classic. The cross country ski race is on March 25, but starting in early March volunteers were
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She Told Him: ‘Julie, Don’t Go’
We don’t know for certain that anyone ever warned Julius Caesar to watch his back on the Ides of March. We do know that the
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I’m Just Saying – kids sports
Last month, I was at Takhini Arena at 7 o’blessed clock in the morning to interview some figure skaters. I waited until I returned to
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Adventure and Great Powder
Interest in backcountry skiing in the Yukon has taken off, especially among tourists, says backcountry ski expert and guide Claude Vallier. Vallier recently published a
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Portable Burn Barrel
On a recent half-day ice-fishing adventure with our son, I got to experience some of the benefits of a portable burn barrel that he has
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Fun and Games After School
According to Darwin Murray, after sitting in a desk all day, it is fun to get up and run, play games and meet new people
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Looking Back on 40 Years of Team Spirit
When Joe Jack was around 24 years old he and a group of friends thought it would be a good idea to start a First Nations hockey team…
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Firelighters
“It will take a few minutes.” Almost all the time, taking a few minutes to get a fire going is an acceptable part of the
Saving Time in the Grocery Line
Consider Murphy, whoever he was. When anything goes wrong, people assume it’s somehow his fault. Being a forgiving sort of guy, I try to give
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Erik Nielsen Gets a Long Overdue Facelift
Manlig says he’s excited about the project and looks forward to seeing it through to completion. He’s worked on similar projects before and brings a
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Let Me Get to Know You. How About a Little Bicycle Trip?
When Hélène met François, she’d been dreaming of a long-distance bicycle trip for years. I think the fact that François was an experienced cyclist just
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Faint Praise for a Coarse Cultivar
Three foods top my No Thanks list: schmaltz herring, Marmite and kale. My sole experience with schmaltz herring – basically, raw fish preserved in rancid
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Home Is Where the Heart Is
In August of 2008, we had ground cleared so we could build a new house. It wouldn’t be very big or fancy, but it would
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Benefits of Boxed Wine
If you drink wine in the Yukon, certainly you have had a glass of Copper Moon wine. Maybe out of a glass bottle, but probably
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Border Lines
If I were to search out the exact opposite of local, homegrown food, I would pass through the security gates at an international airport. The
My passion has roots
You may have heard my voice on the radio or through a megaphone leading cheers in the spirit of ending gender-based violence, ending systemic injustice
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Looking for the Next Margaret Atwood
Krystal McKenna, a Grade 1 teacher at Jack Hulland Elementary School, sets young authors off on a great writing adventure. At the beginning of the
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Yukon Pilgrims Gather
Whitehorse resident Dianne Homan knows people make the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage for many reasons. So on March 15, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.,
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Gender Equality
The more scientists, experts, and the general public collectively study the concept of gender, the more questions arise. And in the realm of high school,
May the Force Be With You at This Year’s Hut to Hut Ski Event on Saturday
The EDI Hut to Hut, taking place this Saturday, is a family, social event that aims to encourage skiers of all ages and ability to
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Bingeing on Brassicas
Potatoes, kale and cabbage is a pretty common answer to the question, “What can you grow up there, anyways?” For those of us who get
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Life hacks for the kids
In previous columns in this space, I have offered various suggestions of ways to improve life for those who roam the earth on two legs,
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Something for Everyone
“The best part of this festival is that we have all these different parts of the community bringing their event”
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Too Busy to Be This Busy?
Tara Larkin of Pursuit Coaching will be hosting a five week seminar for women entitled Put Busy to Rest:Coaching for Women Taking on the World.
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When You’re Ready, The Door is Open
There’s a warm glow as soon as you step inside the front doors of Hospice Yukon – a feeling of being held, as if inside
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Taking on Sunshine Crack
I sleep in the next morning and Dan and I take it slow. Ironically named, Sunshine Crack faces north and does not catch sun until
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Pacing Ourselves to Pigeon Spire
On my third day in the Bugs I team up with my friend Andrew, who is one of the late-comers. We wake up when our
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If There’s a Need, There’s a Lion
As Lions Club International celebrates its one-hundredth anniversary, long time Grey Mountain Lions Club member Gerry Gerein sees this year as a culmination of all
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Taking the Kain Route
We begin the next day by eating cereal with rehydrated milk powder, gathering our things and setting out. The hike and scramble to the base
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The opposable thumb was not actually a Canadian invention
Ask any randomly-selected group to name mankind’s greatest invention, most will probably say the wheel. Fire doesn’t count; it was discovered, not invented. If you
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Experiencing creative writing in Namibia
I am sitting in the Lemon Tree Restaurant in Windhoek, Namibia, waiting for my fellow writers to show up. It is raining, and everybody is
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High on Life
Between the years of 1991 and 2011 my husband and I used to pack up our son and drive to a mountain summit a few
Fishing on a Budget
The equipment needed to start out fishing can be very expensive and it’s really easy to spend a lot more than you need to. One
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Colour The Yukon
Erin Dixon is an artist with a passion for Yukon landscapes. “I was into colouring before it was hot,” she says with a laugh. A
Riding Motorcycles for a Good Cause
Along with Cause Canada’s founder Paul Carrick and a local guide, the men will visit the projects and activities they are helping to fund. In
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Hold Onto that Heat
Woodstoves are still a very traditional heat source for our homes and cabins. Firewood and stoves have always been messy with chips and bark in
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Growing in the Dark
I was reminded of the importance of seedling density as I wandered away from my usual mung beans and lentils into tiny seed territory recently.
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The Best Trend in Wine
This is a wine trend that anyone could enthusiastically embrace – wine and chips! Planning a casual night of watching a show or reading by
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From the Catch to the Table
For those who don’t like the taste of fish, the reason is because of the lack of proper handling of the fish from the time
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Home for a Yukon Spell
When my parents drove the Canadian Shield to Whitehorse 34 years ago in a rusted, steel blue Pontiac, they were unaware of the lifelong curse
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On the Quest For A Good Story
Parents and teachers, do you have a budding Jack London in your midst? Kids in Grades 1-7 are invited to enter the Yukon Quest Short
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Super Bowl LI
By every statistical quantifier known to man or beast, less one, the upstart Atlanta Falcons don’t have much of a chance against the New England
Burbot Fishing at Little Atlin Lodge
From the day we came to Whitehorse it was my partner’s dream to catch a burbot; the only freshwater member of the cod family is
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