Season 6 Episode 7

Rock the Talk

SEASON 6 / EPISODE 7

EPISODE RECAP:

January 14, 2022

Stone Cold Fever

Council of Yukon First Nations Grand Chief Peter Johnston welcomes an awesome lineup of guests for the first show of 2022, with Yukon Premier Sandy Silver and our Member of Parliament Dr. Brendan Hanley answering tough questions about the government's response to COVID, opioids and the relationship with Yukon First Nations. Plus, Melanie Bennett, Executive Director of the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate joins us to discuss the historic vote on a new First Nations School Board, entrepreneur Blair Hogan stops by to talk his company's award-winning virtual services, Tosh Southwick introduces her latest initiative – creating a First Nations-owned Internet Service Provider in Yukon – and Michelle Dawson Beattie of the Yukon First Nations Hockey Association shares some unwanted news about this year's Yukon Native Hockey Tournament.

RTT JANUARY 14, 2022

Part I: MP Hanley: New Year, Big Questions

Grand Chief Peter Johnston welcomes Dr. Brendan Hanley, Yukon's former Chief Medical Officer of Health and current Member of Parliament, back to the show for an update on his new job and some new realities in his riding. With so much going on, Hanley knows the voices of Yukoners – now facing an opioids crisis, housing crisis, environmental crisis, an Omicron wave and more – need to be heard in the House of Commons this year. And as leaders reflect on the relationship with Yukon and Canada, big questions come to mind – like is 2022 the right time to create a Chief Medical Officer position to support Yukon First Nations communities when emergencies arise?

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Photo Credit: Yukon News / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM

RTT JANUARY 14, 2022

Part II: Premier: Watching For Strain on Communities

With Omicron and opioids impacting so many Yukon communities, Grand Chief Peter Johnston connects with Premier Sandy Silver to talk about the territorial response. From a COVID perspective, Yukon First Nations have raised concerns about communication, the decision to send kids back to school, delays in the use of rapid testing, and Yukon's overall readiness to assist communities and businesses during a new Omicron wave. And as the opioids crisis intensifies, along with the growing need for mental wellness support, it's becoming abundantly clear – this is definitely not the start to 2022 that Premier Silver (or anybody else) had hoped for.

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Photo Credit: CBC / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM

RTT JANUARY 14, 2022

Part III: Blair Hogan: The Evolution of Virtual Business

Grand Chief Peter Johnston connects with Blair Hogan, President of Gúnta Business Consulting, to talk about his latest success – winning top Indigenous Business of the Year and the Yukon Innovation Prize (1st place prize winner) for the epic delivery of virtual engagement services that have been instrumental to helping Yukon First Nations hold events and gatherings throughout the pandemic.

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Photo Credit: Gunta Business & Yukon Energy / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM

RTT JANUARY 14, 2022

Part IV: Communities Vote on Historic School Board

Grand Chief Peter Johnston welcomes Melanie Bennett, Executive Director of the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate, back to the show for a closer look at the upcoming referendum on the creation of a new First Nation School Board that would govern up to nine schools in seven Yukon communities. This historic vote is already under way, and runs until January 27, with results being posted on January 31.

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Photo Credit: CYFN / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM

RTT JANUARY 14, 2022

Part V: Ownership Key to Our Connectivity

Grand Chief Peter Johnston welcomes entrepreneur Tosh Southwick of IRP Consulting to talk about the effort to establish a new First Nations-owned Internet Service Provider in Yukon. The idea is succeeding in other jurisdictions and could help foster self-determination, support health, education, small businesses and, above all, help level the playing field for rural communities.

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Photo Credit: Yukon University / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM

RTT JANUARY 14, 2022

Part V: Native Hockey Tourney Shoots for '23

For the third year in a row, the Yukon Native Hockey Tournament has been cancelled due to COVID-19. Grand Chief Peter Johnston invites Michelle Dawson Beattie, President of the Yukon First Nation Hockey Association to talk about the difficult decision she and her Board had to make, and echoes optimism that this epic event will be back in 2023.

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