Letter to the Editor
Whitehorse Star
Re: CBC Yukon Quest interview - Friday, Oct. 12
Date: Thurday, 18 Oct 2007 09:02:59 +0000

Re: CBC Yukon 'Afternoon Show' last Friday.

Show host Russ Knutson was interviewing Mr. Stephen Reynolds, Executive Director of the Yukon Quest. Reynolds was on the show to promote a fundraiser at a local coffee shop that evening. This interview clearly showed the special chummy relationship that exists between CBC and the Quest.

Reynolds was talking about a project documenting all the colourful stories that have happened in the Quest over the years and Knutson brought up the "great moose killing" with an axe by a Quest musher. I am used to the talking heads on the 'A New Day' morning show regularly using animals as the butt or springboard of jokes . I was very disappointed that Knutson would see this brutal act as something to be celebrated.

Knutson pretty much let Reynolds take over the microphone for most of the interview ( and wow my recorder not not keep up to the high performance b.s )to give Reynolds a chance to get his best Quest propaganda out on the airwaves. Knutson didn't ask one tough question in the interview. Tough questions like how Reynolds felt about three dogs being killed in the 2007 Quest. Tough questions like the issue of Quest mushers culling/killing dogs, which was brought up this year by musher Frank Turner. Tough questions like the lack of lifelong commitment to the dogs, who are sold, given away, or otherwise deemed of no "use" and thus "destroyed".

Many tough questions have been asked in the last few years in Whitehorse newspapers by a very few citizens concerned about sled dogs. None of the questions have been answered. A lack of response indicates to me that these and other allegations are true. I would like Mr. Reynolds to write a letter to the paper putting his Quest propaganda in print, for the public record.

Mike Grieco
Whitehorse
YT

P.S. James Miller, thank you for contacting Yukon Wolves. Perhaps Russ Knutson can interview the "conservation" officer at the Dept. of Environment.And ask what was reported to him on January 11,2004 in regards with government snares? Snares that were set to strangle wolves to death. And then we might speak with you, Mr Miller.