Note by Terry Cumming: Trevor's life has been spared by a Yukon court decision yesterday (more news to follow). Letters like this demonstrate why Trevor can now hopefully leave the Yukon and start a new life. I am worried that there are too many trigger-happy crackpots/cowards up there who would hunt him down and kill him, were they to know where he was living.
New ID rules just make fraud easier! (Whitehorse Star, Nov 5).
I recently went to get my driver’s licence.
I looked at the requirements before, got out my passport, Canadian identity card, birth certificate, Yukon health care card, Yukon driver’s licence and dressed up to look presentable.
I have had a Yukon driver’s licence for about 40 years. When I presented my documents, I was told I had insufficient identification. I was asked for a utility bill or a phone bill.
For a number of reasons, I had a bad reaction to this. I suppose I am alienated from society in some severe ways, but I just think this is so stupid and so wrong.
Stupid because what does a phone bill or utility bill prove?
Anyone from anywhere can have a phone or utility bill. I could be a citizen of another country and have this.
It does not prevent fraud; in fact, if our dear government is worried about fraud, this makes it easier. It’s wrong because what about the people who live off the grid in our dear old Yukon?
One of the charming things about this territory is everyone does not live in Whitehorse and work for government.
I have employees; they live at camp for seven or eight months of the year, they travel in the winter and maybe visit their parents in Ontario for a month. How do they get a Yukon driver’s licence?
Why shouldn’t they have one if they are here most of the time? Why should we make it difficult for them to get one?
On another note: I will never, ever give money to the animal shelter in Whitehorse again.
I will actively encourage others not to support it, and I certainly hope government does not subsidize it.
Trevor the dog should have been taken out and shot the first time he bit someone. Too bad some people have gone completely insane.
Stuart Schmidt, Dawson City