The Yukon government unveiled commemorative medals to mark the territory’s 125th anniversary on Jan. 16 at the legislature in Whitehorse.
The medals — numbering 250 — are to be bestowed upon Yukoners who embody the values of “leadership and reconciliation.”
The artwork adorning the front of the medals is titled “Resilient Hearts Insightful Vision” and was created by Tlingit artist Violet Gatensby from Carcross/Tagish First Nation. Among the imagery featured on the medal design are fir boughs, intended to symbolize peace and well-being.
Gatensby is no stranger to having her work prominently displayed: Her painting “Forget Me Not” is prominently displayed in a Yukon courtroom, and her art was recently selected for display at Vancouver International Airport.
“There’s multiple stories intertwined with this coin, but all of them are from moments in my life where I felt like things were changing. And I kind of want to display that, in this coin today, for everybody,” Gatensby told attendees at the medal’s unveiling.
Half of the medals bearing Gatensby’s art will go to Yukon First Nations leadership, who will distribute them at their discretion.
The distribution of the other 125 medals will be guided by an advisory committee and awarded based on feedback from governing and opposition MLAs, Yukon commissioner Adeline Webber and members of the public.
To nominate someone for the medal, Yukoners must complete the nomination form, available at yukon.ca/125, and submit it to yukon125@yukon.ca by March 11. Medal recipients will be announced later this year.
Premier Ranj Pillai told media gathered at the medal unveiling that the Yukon 125 commemorative medal project will cost $65,000 to $75,000.
“The total cost for the project — so that’s everything from making sure that our artist was properly compensated, working with […] Mammoth Marketing, who oversaw the concept design, the competitive process for the artist, and then the production — in all it’s $65,000,” Pillai said, although he noted the price tag could approach $75,000 when other costs associated with the medal’s roll-out are considered.
The Yukon government’s online contract registry, which provides details about current and historical government contracts, indicates that Mammoth Marketing Yukon Inc. was paid $65,000 for “professional services” in relation to the project.
The Yukon’s celebrations of 125 years since the territory became a part of Canada are being marked from June 12, 2023, until June 13, 2024.
Contact Matthew Bossons at matthew.bossons@yukon-news.com