Gratitude
In the past few weeks, my sense of time has altered and, in that time, our family has been overwhelmed with so much kindness, generosity and support from so many people.
Last week, we had a hospital visit from Ron and Kathy McFadyen and they brought us a box full of cards and gifts gathered at the benefit held for our family.
As we sat and read the cards, I cannot say how many great lumps of emotion came into my throat.
It is and remains the emotion of gratefulness. Gratefulness for the kindness of our home and the generosity of the people who make it a home for all of us who live in the Yukon.
There are so many people to thank and we do thank you.
Flying out to another city for cancer treatment is not a journey anyone ever wants to make, no one plans it or wants to think about such things.
When we have to face it as a family, it makes such a difference to know you are not alone and that your community cares for you and is not afraid to let you know.
Both Todd and I and our children want to thank everyone who gathered, wrote, sang, donated and sent us hopefulness and love. We have felt it deeply and will never, never forget your warm gestures.
Todd and Louise Hardy
Whitehorse
Redundant school buses
Last week the school bus schedule was included in newspapers.
I usually don’t pay much attention to it, but this time something struck me about buses No. 22 and No. 23.
Bus No. 22 starts at Mary Lake, goes to Wolf Creek, Lobird and FH Collins Secondary School.
Bus No. 23 starts in Cowley Creek, goes to Pineridge, Wolf Creek and FH Collins.
It makes no sense to have both buses stop at the same locations in Wolf Creek only 10 minutes apart and then go on to the same schools.
Bus No. 22 could start at Cowley, go on to Mary Lake, Lobird and to the schools and bus No. 23 start in Pineridge, go on to Wolf Creek and head to the schools. This would save quite a bit of time for the students, and would also save gas money.
At FH Collins, the buses arrive two minutes apart.
Why is there no transfer of students between the buses so one can go to Whitehorse Elementary School and only one goes on the Vanier Catholic High School and Christ the King Elementary School?
The roads are plugged with school buses in the morning and the afternoon.
I am sure there are some transfer solutions so that not every bus goes to every school in town.
Claudia Kleedehn
Whitehorse
Laberge is on the move
Jon Breen
Yukon Liberal Party
Lake Laberge
I am writing to thank the 30 people who attended our first open house in the constituency of Lake Laberge at the Hootalinqua Firehall on August 23rd.
As the Yukon Liberal Party candidate for the riding, I was delighted to see that so many people were sufficiently interested in political issues that they gave up part of their evening to attend and to offer their views.
Our discussion was wide ranging. It touched on issues that affect the riding and the greater community of the Yukon.
These included — seniors’ and elders’ health-care concerns, government land disposition processes and costs, the corrections system, water quality concerns and the present lack of effective animal protection legislation.
The discussion about the need for an animal protection act was the most passionate. It elicited what appeared to be unanimous support for a timely resolution to our current state of affairs.
As almost every Yukoner knows, the tragic slaughter of scores of sled dogs that we witnessed earlier this year brought about a response that was little more than a collective wringing of political hands.
I committed at our open house that, if elected, I would work towards resolving this matter. In fact, the Yukon Liberal Party has already made that public commitment in a June 29th press release.
Liberal Justice critic Pat Duncan stated that “(T)he recent events in Dawson have highlighted the need once again to improve our animal protection legislation. A Liberal government would do just that.”
Thanks again to everyone who participated in our first open house.
The Yukon News plans to run letters from candidates during the run-up to the territorial election. Inclusion is this space is on a first-come, first-served basis. Letters less than 500 words will be given preference.