The Trailbreaker's Greatest Hits: 2015

One of the best things about year's end is putting together our "year in review" radio shows. On The Trailbreaker, we've cobbled together a couple of shows where we'll replay what we think are our "greatest hits" of 2015.Online, we thought we'd do the same.

In reality, though, these stories aren't our greatest hits.They're yours.

You'll see in thislist that these stories from all kinds of different folks. We thank you for sharing your stories with us it's anhonour to help share them.Especially these stories, which have a common thread: they're all about people doing positive things, fromall corners of ourbroadcast region.

The other thing that makes putting such a list together special is that it's a reminder of how great the Trailbreaker team is. This list really affirms the work of the show's producers and guest hosts.

We all had stories that we thought should have been on the list, but that we couldn't fit into the shows. If there was something you heard this year that stuck with you and it's not on this list, don't get mad, get in touch. And Happy New Year.

Here, without further adieu, are our picks for The Trailbreaker's greatest hits of 2015:

1. Actions speak louder than words

When 4th grade student Joshua Drygeese sat across from me in studio, he often waited for his teacher, Shirley Desjarlais, to encourage him to tell his story. Joshua won over $100 in a jigging contest at a hand games tournament in Tulita. Instead of pocketing the money and spending it whatever a 4th grader might, he donated the money to his school's breakfast program. His inspiration: Dene Law of sharing.

2. Moving mountains

Shene Catholique Valpy was denied when she tried to register her newborn daughter's Chipewyan name, Sahaia.After a year of waiting for the department of vital statistics to make the accommodation of the glottal stop, she had to settle for the use of a hyphen on her daughter's official identification. That was not the end it was the point when Catholique Valpy decided to tell her story widely. Many, many people joined her in support and with their own stories of systemic problems denying the use of Indigenous languages and names.

3. Bravery versus the cold and the darkness

Lionel Louison's bravery was called on in 2012, when he ran into Great Bear Lake to save a suicidal man life from drowning. We only learned of it this year, when Mr. Louison was one of 36 people from across the country who were awarded the medal of bravery by Governor General David Johnston. Lionel Louison told the story to producer Peter Sheldon, who then mixed it into a dramatic piece of radio befitting the winter rescue and Mr. Louison's well-deserved honour.

4. Hot cup of kindness

The concept of paying it forward is brought to life in Fort Simpson. At the Northern Store, Manager John Dempsey keeps a little slip of paper at the till. When folks pay for their gas or groceries, they often also pay forward a cup of coffee or a soup. The store then makes the coffee or soup available for anelder without much money, or someone else who is struggling.

5. Stitching connections

A sewing club that sprung up in Gameti caught the attention of CBC North producer Rachel Zelnicker. It has women getting together, learning, sharing and having a laugh. It made for beautiful radio. Perhaps my favourite moment was when Roxanne Mantla recognized the organizer, Lynn Turcotte:"She makes us feel welcome, she gets most of our jokes."

6. Egg man versus hunger

72 eggs a day.502 eggs a week.2232 eggs a month. Those are the numbers on Brian Fletcher's ongoing project of offering hardboiled eggs to people on the streets of Yellowknife. Mr. Fletcher spoke with host Juanita Taylor at a CBC North friendship breakfast in Yellowknife while I was away on parental leave (thoughmy son and I made it to the breakfast).

7. An act of resistance

Chief Louie Norwegian is said to have been motivated by the sound of crying mothers in Jean Marie River. In 1951, the community built their own school so that children wouldn't have to be taken to Fort Providence to residential school. Now, withNorwegian's daughter Gladys as chief, and with the work of people like Marilyn Hardisty, the community of Jean Marie River is working to preserve and revitalize the old log building that housed the community's alternative to residential school.

8. A world away, not that far

Amid the incredible national and international stories about the Syrian refugee crisis, we connected with Rhonda Miller. She and her husband worked alongside and became friends with a Syrian family while living and working in the Middle East. Rhonda has come into the studio a couple of times to update us on the status of her friends, as well as the work she's doing to try to get them to safety, potentially to Yellowknife.

9. Mother, grandmother tongue

A grandmother with her daughter and granddaughter have taken it upon themselves to do home-based Tlicho language immersion. How is it that as they made each other laugh in Tlicho, I couldn't stop myself from laughing with them? I spent a morning at home with the family as they used their Tlicho language to talk about sewing, household tasks and making coffee.

10. Walking with caribou

It's possible that the most powerful picture someone painted in my head while on the radio this year was of Abe Stewart walking among a herd of caribou. The animals returned to nearby Mr. Stewart's community of Fort McPherson after years away. Not only did he talk about the joy the animals brought him, he called on young hunters to respect traditional values and practice around harvesting caribou.

11. Music lost and music found

The soundtrack to this year's Trailbreaker greatest hits would have to be the recordNative North America, Vol 1.It has breathed new life into the careers and into the popular awareness of a number of incredible Indigenous musicians who were recording in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Turns out, many of them are still making music. Let's hope their Grammy nomination turns into a win.

12. Celebration of life

We also mark those who have made contributions to the North and to the community, but who are no longer with us. Doug Ritchie was an environmentalist and climate change activist who died this past year. His partner France Benoit came in to speak to us about Doug's life and just how they intended to celebrate it with the community after his passing.

13. As he lay dying

It's a unique honour to speak to someone as they face death. I found myself interviewing Hark Wylie at his bedside as he did just that. Mr. Wylie ignored hisdoctor's advice and came home to Yellowknife. He hadn't been back since he was a young boy in the 1940's. Hark's decision to reconnect with Yellowknife, and then the extraordinary kindness of Yellowknifers, made speaking with himunforgettable.