Rock the Talk
SEASON 4 / EPISODE 11
May 29, 2020
COVID-19: Wild Thing
Council of Yukon First Nations Grand Chief Peter Johnston welcomes a wild lineup of Yukoners to talk about the territory's much-anticipated COVID-19 Re-Opening Plan, along with a discussion about forest fire readiness, bear awareness and more. Guests include inspirational entrepreneur Douma Alwarid, Chad Thomas of Yukon First Nations Wildfire, Loralee Johnstone of Silvertip Mine, Conservation Officer Dave Bakica, Melanie Bennett, Executive Director of the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate and Dawson City Mayor Wayne Potoroka.
Part I: Unorthodox Yukon: Evolving and Adapting
Grand Chief Peter Johnston connects with Yukon entrepreneur Douma Alwarid to talk about the impact that the COVID crisis has had on her small but beautiful business, Unorthodox Yukon. Alwarid's gift shop sells locally-made gifts that are best described as wearable masterpieces (i.e. jewelry and accessories), and admits the initial shutdown was really hard on her business because it was so dependant on traffic in her store. She didn't believe a website was needed, that is, until now. In the midst of an unprecedented health emergency, Alwarid "evolved and adapted to the new normal by building a website and investing time, energy and money into social media and online marketing." The results have been nothing short of spectacular.
Photo Credit: Unorthodox Yukon / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM
Part II: Chad Thomas: Wildfire Season, Meet COVID
Grand Chief Peter Johnston connects with Chad Thomas, CEO of Yukon First Nations Wildfire, the largest First Nation fire organization in Canada. With the threat of COVID-19 and the prospect of another fierce wildfire season around the corner, Thomas and his crew are gearing up for another summer of recruitment, skills development and readiness activities that will help keep Yukon communities safe. Thomas talks about the unprecedented experience ahead, and explains how safety measures will be added both in the classroom and in the field. The future looks bright for YFN Wildfire, and Thomas talks about the challenges, evolution and inspiration that has made this program a homegrown success story over the past seven years.
Photo Credit: Yukon First Nation Wildfire / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM
Part III: Loralee Johnstone: Mining's COVID Reality
Grand Chief Peter Johnston is joined by mining sector guru Loralee Johnstone, a Director at Ceour Mining Silvertip and Chair of the Yukon Business Advisory Committee, to talk about the evolution of the mining industry and the immediate uncertainty and potentially long-term impacts of the COVID crisis. Before the pandemic, Johnstone noticed there was a shift in the right direction where mining companies and First Nations were clearly working in partnership and believed in their relationships. She acknowledges that the global economic pause may result in job losses and other challenges, but she remains hopeful that companies and communities will continue to build relationships and keep the momentum going.
Photo Credit: Yukon Chamber of Mines / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM
Part IV: Wildlife Wisdom: Are You Bear Aware?
With summer just around the corner, Grand Chief Peter Johnston invites veteran Yukon Conservation Officer Dave Bakica to talk about ways that Yukoners can help to prevent conflicts with bears and other animals. Bakica says the bear population is focused on putting "fuel in the tank" right now, so paying close attention to your trash bins and any attractants in your yard will be key to preventing unwanted visitors. Dave says an example of a bear attractant that is often overlooked is bird seed, and encourages proper maintenance of feeders before the bears take care of things for you. Officers stay busy boosting awareness of the concerns with foxes, coyotes, ungulates and more, but as expected there is emphasis on being bear aware above all else.
Photo Credit: Whitehorse Star / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM
Part V: First Nations Education: The New Beginning
Grand Chief Peter Johnston welcomes Melanie Bennett, the first-ever Executive Director of Yukon First Nation Education Directorate, to talk about the way forward for this important new organization. Melanie's work is dedicated to research and policy development as well as capacity development to help ensure Yukon has an education system that reflects the world view of those who use it. The discussion also explores the idea of a First Nations School in Yukon, something many Yukoners believe is long overdue.
Photo Credit: Melanie Bennett / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM
Part VI: Mayor Potoroka: Dawsonites Are Resilient
Grand Chief Peter Johnston connects with Dawson City Mayor Wayne Potoroka to talk about the challenges facing a tourism-oriented community during the COVID crisis. "I have never lived in a Dawson where the streets weren't packed with tourists," says Potoroka. "I think what we're learning is just how resilient some businesses are. We're learning how many people and organizations and businesses care about this town." Looking ahead, the Mayor is hoping Yukoners will be taking staycations to take advantage the available rooms and experiences, and is also hoping that the federal and territorial government see how necessary important it will be to help Dawson businesses navigate this unprecedented crisis.
Photo Credit: Yukon News / Audio Courtesy: 98.1 CHON-FM
S4E11 Quick Links
Check out the official website of this made-in-Yukon woodland firefighting program.
A Yukon Government resource page to help you stay safe in bear country this summer.
Check out the latest news and tourism updates from one of Yukon's most famous municipalities.
There's lots going on at CYFN! Check out what's new in the news section of our website www.cyfn.ca.
Official website of the Coeur Silvertip Mine, located just south of the BC/Yukon border.
For the latest information about COVID-19 in Yukon, visit www.yukon.ca