Air North awarded 'Best Business' by Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce

The Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce named Air North "Business of the Year" at its annual awards banquet Thursday night. 

As he accepted the award, Air North president Joe Sparling said Air North is just one example of Yukon businesses providing home-grown products and services.

"All of us certainly take a lot of pride in being able to offer a local product, you know, certainly we've always believed that there's just all kinds of goods and services that we produce within the Yukon rather than having to import them." 

Other winners last night were:

• Business Person Volunteer of the Year: Marj Eschak of Coldwell Banker
• Best Customer Service and Satisfaction: Angellina's Toy & Children's Boutique
• Giving Back to the Community: Aroma Borealis
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Jayden Soroka of Pixelbox Studio

Mohammed Fahmy speaks at event

Mohammed Fahmy, the journalist who spent more than 400 days in an Egyptian prison on widely denounced terrorism charges, was the guest speaker at the awards event. 

He said in the wake of recent terror attacks around the world, it's important to continue having gatherings like awards and banquets. He said he was scheduled to speak in Paris before the recent attacks and he went ahead with it. 

"And that message that we went by going there, it's a message of defiance. They cannot win." 

Fahmy encouraged the audience to use rallies, petitions and social media to fight against extremist ideas.