Fentie in Dawson: The Unabridged Report

by Dan Davidson

There were things other than the bridge across the Yukon River on the minds of Dawsonites when Premier Fentie visited town last week.

The next largest single topic seemed to

Premier Dennis Fentie and Deputy Premier Peter Jenkins. Photo by Dan Davidson

be medical services, which broke down into several categories, covering both ends of the spectrum.

On the one hand several mothers protested the lack of a birthing centre in the community. The premier understood the concern but reminded his questioners that it really wasn’t possible to provide each community with all the services that might be needed for a safe birthing experience.

Many pregnancies still needed to come to term in Whitehorse, he said, though the government was trying to make that more convenient by providing rooms in the city at the Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre for the final weeks before delivery.

There was some doubt from the floor as to whether this would be enough space.

Fentie commended his interrogators for “the tremendous passion you bring to this issue.”

In response to questions about upgrading of senior and general care here, Fentie repeated an election promise to upgrade the nursing station and the seniors lodge. In particular, senior care will be increased to cover level 1 and level 2.

One of the nurses at the station felt that such promises were somewhat misleading giving the government’s problems with staffing and retention of medical staff. Fentie admitted that “it is certainly a challenge.”

Senior John Gould hoped that the problems surrounding senior care could be resolved before he needs it.

“I’m going on 85 years old. I’m not interested in going to Whitehorse My family’s all here.”

Still on medical, the continuing question of doctors on call for emergency situations got some airing again. There hasn’t been any progress on this issue for a number of years and several governments, but the Premier said it was under negotiations again.

Economic development was an issue for Bill Bowie of Arctic Inland Resources, who applauded the efforts of the government in this area, but still mourned the loss of the town’s youth, most of whom “leave here to find their future.”

Considering the degree to which the government has leaned on Dawson’s town council lately, Fentie was surprisingly conciliatory when issues related to that body arose. When chamber president Martin Gehrig asked about the possibility of the town losing its council and being administered by a trustee, the Premier deflected his response, saying, “We’re not going to let Dawson City down. We will find ways to diminish the impact.”

When a Klondike Valley resident asked him to insure that none of the present council could ever run for office again, saying he didn’t trust the voters in Dawson not to re-elect them, the Premier and MLA Peter Jenkins really didn’t respond directly, perhaps thinking of the value to be found in forgiveness for past errors.

Fentie wanted to “be positive and constructive, to look forward” adding that the mistakes of the past were “water under the bridge” and then apologizing for the unintentional pun.

He didn’t rule out the possibility of a public inquiry into the handling of the Capital Funding Agreement between the City of Dawson and the YTG, but said it would have to be handled by someone outside of government.

The government already does a few things that Dawsonites are happy about, and they took the opportunity to thank the Premier.

Brent MacDonald, of the Percy DeWolfe Race Committee, was thankful for the assistance the group is getting in planning for the 2005 International Sled Dog Competitions to be held here next March.

Greg Hakonson, of the Dawson City Arts Society, thanked the government for the support it has been given, not only for its annual grant, but for the additional money which will enable it to transform the Old Liquor Store into a new arts college.

One of the final comments of the evening was a question from Aedes Scheer (teacher) and Wendy Cairns (Bombay Peggy’s), who asked what was to become of the delinquent loans owed by cabinet ministers. Fentie said the problem was solved and that unpaid loans would be turned over to a collection agency.

“At the end of a 6 month period,” Fentie said, “all delinquent loans are being handed over for collection to the private sector. The ministers in question do not get the benefit of negotiating terms, conditions or interest like the other 74. It’s a solution that has been a long time coming.”

Fentie Coy on timing of Dawson’s bridge

by Dan Davidson

When you say there was a Monday night bridge meeting in Dawson, you aren’t talking about a game of cards, albeit some might contend any conversation about a bridge might be a house of cards.

Premier Dennis Fentie made it clear at the Dänòja Zho Cultural Centre Monday night his government is committed to building a bridge across the Yukon River here.

From Fentie’s point of view, building the bridge does not even seem to be a Dawson City issue as such.

“You just happen to have a river and we need to get across it,” he told local businesswoman Diana Andrew in response to her question.

“This government intends to build a bridge in Dawson City,” he told Martin Gehrig, president of the local chamber of commerce.

Past chamber presidents and members of the business community must have been pleased to hear the pro-bridge arguments that they have developed over the years flowing freely from the mouth of the Yukon’s government leader.

A bridge, Fentie said, would be of great value to the tourism industry. It would also create a much-needed extra loop in the Yukon’s highway system, would benefit the territory as a whole, and strengthen economic links with Alaska.

At a cost of $1 million a year to run a ferry, a $30-million investment on a bridge that would last for 80 years seems, in his view, to make a lot of sense, he said.

This is precisely the argument the mayor’s committee on the bridge issue made a few year’s ago.

Fentie also dismissed the concern expressed by town council when he was asked by Aedes Scheer if the building of a huge capital project like the bridge would prevent other needed capital dollars from coming to the town in the near future.

“The bridge will not diminish what we can do in other areas,” Fentie said. What he called the “social side of the ledger” was not something to be ignored either, he added.

“I think it’s pretty evident a decision has been made,” Fentie told ferry worker Brent MacDonald when the latter asked if the town could see the research base and question it before a final choice was taken.

Businesswoman Helen Bowie asked when Dawson could expect a bridge announcement. Fentie grew somewhat coy in his reply.

“I don’t want to jump-start the budget,” he said. “I don’t want to pre-announce the budget.”

Numerous attempts were made to argue against the bridge. They were arguments based on aesthetics, lifestyle, and a division between older and newer residents. However, these did not really make a dent in Fentie’s resolve.

The bridge, he told his audience of about 40, is an old issue in Dawson, and his government simply has the political will to make it happen that others have lacked.

He saw it as a visionary decision which would assist in the development of Dawson’s future prospects and that of the rest of the territory as well.

This sat well with many of those in the audience. Scattered applause was heard after speeches on both sides of the debate.

Fentie was shy on specifics, as there are plans still to be made. He did indicate the government was looking at a suspension bridge. He also laid to rest the rumour that the river might be narrowed somewhat to aid in the construction. The abutments and approaches, he said, would be on the banks, not in the river.

Throughout the meeting, Fentie was joined at the table by Klondike MLA Peter Jenkins, who left the floor to his boss but contributed the occasional whispered comment to him.