Californian ravin’ about the raven plate

A California licence plate collector is asking the territory’s beloved goldpanner to share the spotlight with the hardy raven.
Kenneth R. Smith, a collector from Susanville, Calif., said in an interview this morning he has sent a letter to every Yukon MLA asking them to give Bill Barnie’s raven plate a chance.
‘I think it would be fabulous for your territory,’ Smith said.
‘The design, and the raven itself, is magnificent. The raven is pretty hardy, obviously, living way up there in Yukon. I think the same can be said about your residents.
‘I think it would create a lot of interest in your territory.’
Smith, 56, said he first discovered the plate after doing a prototype search to see what kind of plates are being developed.
He said he believes a Yukon raven offered as an optional plate would allow the Yukon to take its place on the world stage of desirable licence plates, right next to the Northwest Territories’ polar bear.
‘I think any serious licence plate collector has the N.W.T. polar bear; I think the raven would have equal or greater interest,’ he said.
Smith said he has yet to receive a response to his Aug. 16 letter to the Yukon’s MLAs.
In his August letter, Smith said he believes a Yukon raven would help with tourism in the territory.
‘Some of the Canadian plates that I think truly capture the essence of their provinces are of course the polar bear plate of your neighbour, the Northwest Territories.
‘Other exceptional Canadian plates are the old bison head Manitoba plates, the Bluenose schooner plates of Nova Scotia and of course, it goes without saying, your own Yukon miner plate.
‘I believe the proposed Yukon raven plate that has been designed by Mr. Bill Barnie is just such a plate. This plate would generate a great interest in your territory and could even generate increased tourism,’ Smith wrote.
In a July 15 letter to Barnie, Smith said he found the plate unique and wanted to purchase one.
‘I was wondering if there is any way I could purchase one of your prototype raven plates from you? It would be for display in my living room only and would become on of my all-time favorite plates ....’
NDP Leader Todd Hardy said this morning he has received Smith’s August letter and agrees the raven plate would be good for the territory.
‘I’ve always been a supporter of the idea.
‘I even have in my office a hard copy of the plate given to me by Mr. Barnie,’ he said. ‘I think Bill has done a pretty good job on it.’
He said he feels the raven plate would be good for tourism but would like to see it go to public consultation.
Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell, however, said he’s not too keen on the raven plate idea.
‘We have a plate that appears to serve the functional need for police and other purposes.
‘There’s a bit of an if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ ’ Mitchell said.
‘In terms of alternatives, I guess we’d have to research the costs.’
Mitchell said he also feels the design itself could use some work.
‘I think part of the problem Mr. Barnie’s design has been struggling with is that ravens don’t tend to be horizontal animals.’
He said he’s never seen a raven with front and rear feet.
Barnie said this morning he was flattered when he received a letter ‘out of the blue’ from Smith.
The local businessman said the July letter inspired him to continue his lobby efforts to give Yukoners a choice of plates for their vehicles.
‘I’m not suggesting we replace the goldpanner, I’m suggesting we give people the choice of an optional plate,’ he said.
‘Nobody is trying to shove anything down anybody’s throat.’
Barnie, who has promoted his plate for the last couple of years, said he hasn’t made much progress to date on selling his idea with the government.
Highways and Public Works Minister Glenn Hart was unavailable to comment on the raven plate.
In 1989, the then-NDP government ignited an explosion of outrage when it proposed a redesign of the tan-and-black plates used throughout the mid and late 1980s without the gold panner.
An organized lobby campaign eventually resulted in then-transportation services minister Maurice Byblow holding a Friday afternoon news conference in the then-Taku lounge to unveil the plate used today which includes a goldpanner.