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Yukon Nuggets

1969

Other News From 1969

  • The Yukon Chamber of Commerce elects Bob Choate President, Don Lamont, First Vice President and Bert Norrie, Second Vice President.
  • About two hundred Old Crow residents set out on foot and with dog teams for the Old Crow Flats for muskrat trapping.
  • Max Ferguson, of CBC radio’s Rawhide, attends the Rendezvous.
  • Wilfred Charlie of Carmacks is Rendezvous dog racing champion. Bill Royds is named Chairman of the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous for 1970.
  • The Yukon and NWT, with a joint entry, will enter the Canadian Men’s curling championships, the McDonald Brier, for the first time.
  • After four and a half years as General Manager of New Imperial Mines, Ross Kenway has resigned. He is succeeded by Bill Dean.
  • WHTV installs cameras in the Yukon Legislature Council Chambers and will carry the sessions live.
  • The Alaska Highway is paved from McRae to the Mayo cutoff.
  • 5600 visitors attend the Yukon Trade Show at the vocational school.
  • The annual RCMP Ball, a black tie affair, is held in the Whitehorse Recreation Centre. Inspector and Mrs. R.S. Wood host.
  • Volney Richmond Jr., President of the Seattle-based Northern Commercial Company, announces that the company has sold its Whitehorse store to Hougen's Limited. N.C. has conducted business in Whitehorse for forty-two years and has operated for nearly one hundred years in the Yukon. In 1872, it operated a trading post at Fort Reliance six miles down the Yukon River from Dawson City.
  • Oil exploration permits are issued for land near Whitehorse.
  • Taylor & Drury purchases the building of the former Northern Commercial Store.
  • Jack Hoyt, General Manager of White Pass, retires after forty years with the company.
  • Edge King, President of the Alberta and Northwest Chamber of Mines, leads a delegation of ninety people to visit the Yukon.
  • White Pass takes delivery of the first of seven diesel locomotives required for the Anvil ore hall that will begin in the fall.
  • Bob Choate is transferred to Edmonton to assume a new position as Vice President of Canadian Utilities. He is succeeded at Yukon Electrical by Andy Morin.
  • Two astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land on the moon.
  • Arthur Laing, the federal Minister of Public Works, tours the Yukon.
  • One hundred Yukon athletes participate in the Canada Games in Halifax.
  • Jack London's cabin, originally located at Henderson Creek, is officially opened in Dawson City on Discovery Day. The Mayor of Oakland, California, John Reading, attends. Half of the logs of the original cabin are to be installed in Oakland.
  • Dr. Don Branigan, from Manning, Alberta, opens a medical practice in Whitehorse.
  • Gordon Bartsch, President of Great Northern Airways, says Yukon could be the main base for the whole Western Arctic.
  • W.A.C. Bennett re-elected Premier of B.C.
  • Al Wickens is President of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce.
  • Bud Harbottle is named Base Manager of Great Northern Airways.
  • The Manhattan, Humble Oil's ice breaker tanker, completes her voyage from east to west through the Northwest Passage to Prudhoe Bay.
  • Mrs. Marie Ange Cyr cut the ribbon to open the expanded Taylor and Drury Supermarket in the former N.C. Store.
  • Richard Rohmer, founder of the Mid-Canada Corridor Concept, leads a group of professional members on a northern tour.
  • Jean and Mrs. Chretien visit the Yukon in November.
  • Yukon Member of Parliament and lawyer, Erik Nielsen won on appeal the right for Indians to hunt for food at any time. He represented Tom Smith of Haines Junction who had shot a moose out of season.
  • CKRW, the first private radio station North of 60, begins broadcasting on November 17, 1969. The staff includes Rolf Hougen, President, Al Jensen, Station Manager, Ron McFadyen, Program Director, along with News Director Ken Williams and announcers Ched Millar and John Ellison.
  • Erik Nielsen and Progressive Conservative party leader, Robert Stanfield back the Yukon Territorial Council’s effort to have more responsibilities transferred from Ottawa to the Yukon.
  • Judy Gingell is a founding director of the newly formed Yukon Native Brotherhood.
  • A federal government White Paper rejects aboriginal title claims and proposes ending of treaties.
  • Bert Wybrew is returned for his second two year term as Mayor of Whitehorse by acclamation. Kurt Koken and Jim Light continue to serve their two year term as Aldermen. Two seats are added to council bringing the total from four to six. Candidates are Jean Banks, Jan Montgomery, Jim Howatt, Paul Lucier and Dave Robertson.
  • Al Kapty is elected President of the Yukon Liberal Association.