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YUKON NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Premier names new chief of staff Jonas has “played an important leadership and advisory role” since that time, Pasloski said in a statement. “I’m pleased to welcome him to this new challenge and responsibility.” Smith replaces Ric Stryde, who had only held the position since the end of June last year. On Monday a cabinet spokesperson confirmed Stryde no longer worked for the office, but said very little else. Spokesperson Dan Macdonald said Stryde’s last day was “late last week” but wouldn’t say whether he resigned or was fired. Macdonald called it a “personnel matter.” Stryde was raised in the Northwest Territories. Before coming to the Yukon he worked in federal politics, including serving as senior northern advisor to Indian and Northern Affairs ministers Chuck Strahl and John Duncan. Liberal leader Sandy Silver said Stryde’s departure “came out of left field.” He called on the government
to publicly say why Stryde left and whether he got a severance package. “This is the number one position in the office, this is the chief of staff,” he said. Macdonald said he won’t be talking about severance, again saying it’s a “personnel matter.” NDP leader Liz Hanson suggested Stryde’s abrupt departure points to a problem with leadership. “The fact of the matter is this is their second chief of staff, they’re on their third deputy minister of finance, they’ve shuffled the deck chairs in the cabinet, and at the core it seems to me they’ve got a government that still can’t find their direction after all these years.” Stryde replaced Rick Nielsen, who held the job for two and a half years. Nielsen previously served as one of Premier Dennis Fentie’s chiefs of staff for five years, from 2002 until 2007.
column, is nominated for best columnist, and designer Heidi Neufeld is nominated for her work on the paper’s classifieds. The Yukon News is a finalist The News was also nominatin 10 categories at this year’s ed for overall newspaper excelBC and Yukon Community lence in its circulation category. Newspaper Association’s Ma The paper won seven Ma Murray Community Newspaper Murrays in 2014. This year’s Awards. winners will be announced on Better known simply as the Ma Murrays, the awards honour April 25 at an awards gala in Richmond, B.C. the work of community news(Eva Holland) papers in British Columbia and the Yukon. Armed robbery brings out Outgoing photo editor Alistair Maitland is nominated emergency response team in two categories: portrait/ personality photo award, for “A The RCMP’s emergency reBetter Life,” a photo of a young sponse team conducted what it mother and her daughter, and calls a “high-risk take-down” in sports photo award for “One downtown Whitehorse Tuesday Foot Kick” – an action shot evening, following an armed from an Arctic sports competi- robbery. Five people are now in tion. custody. Former staff reporter and At about 5 p.m. yesterday photographer Jesse Winter is Whitehorse RCMP were called a finalist for best black-andto a business on Elliot Street. white feature photo, for “Rescue Officers were told that two men Dive,” his shot of a team prachad come in, armed with a matising ice rescues in the partially chete and a baton. The suspects frozen Yukon River. demanded money and wanted In the feature series category, to know where the safe was, reporters Ashley Joannou and police say. Jacqueline Ronson are both When officers arrived the nominated – Joannou for her suspects had fled. They made articles on mental illness and off with “an undisclosed the justice system, and Ronamount of cash,” according to son for her stories on violence the RCMP news release. against women. No one was hurt during the Joannou is also a finalist for robbery. the Neville Shanks Memorial About two hours later police Award for Historical Writing officers from the Whitehorse for “Finding those lost to a detachment and the emergency tragic history,” about the ongo- response team stopped and suring investigation into the deaths rounded a vehicle at the corner of residential schools students. of Second Avenue and Hanson Editor John Thompson is Street. a finalist for best editorial, Five people inside the vehicle for “Stupidity outbreak mars were taken into custody withHarper’s visit.” Keith Halliday, out incident. who writes the “Yukonomist” “A number of items seized
from the vehicle are consistent with those used during the armed robbery,” RCMP say. There is no word on what, if any, charges are being laid. Police say they are still working on piecing together exactly what happened. They are asking anyone with details to contact the detachment. (Ashley Joannou)
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One of the top jobs in the premier’s office has quickly been filled. About 24 hours after confirming that his chief of staff had abruptly departed, Premier Darrell Pasloski announced a replacement. This time the premier chose from inside his party’s ranks. Jonas Smith, a fixture for Pasloski since as early as his first election campaign, was named to the job yesterday. Smith is a long-time Yukoner who used to be more known for his long hair and music than his politics. He was a member of the Canadian punk band Field Day and later put out his own album. Smith served as Pasloski’s campaign manager during the 2011 territorial election. Following the Yukon Party’s victory, Smith chopped off his locks, put on a suit and began serving as the premier’s executive assistant.
Yukon News nominated for 10 Ma Murrays
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City updates off-road vehicle bylaws City council has amended its ATV and snowmobile bylaws to ensure more stringent requirements for riders on Whitehorse trails. Recreational vehicle users will now have to carry a valid license, registration, insurance and safe riding card within city limits. Keith Lay, speaking on behalf of Active Trails Whitehorse Association, suggested the city also add a fifth item to the list – wearing a helmet. Although that requirement is mentioned elsewhere in the bylaws, Lay argued people wouldn’t notice it as easily. Council debated the idea for some time before agreeing to the amendment. Both bylaws passed third reading at Monday’s meeting. The amendments to the bylaws were made following changes to the territory’s Motor Vehicles Act last fall. The new legislation comes into effect next month. Riders outside of Whitehorse will not have to abide by any of the aforementioned rules. (Myles Dolphin)