Erin Gray has seen the signs … and he’s not impressed.

The Skagway tourism operator has organized an online petition to bring at least one of the old “Welcome to the Yukon” signs back to the South Klondike Highway between Carcross and Fraser, B.C.

It now has more than 200 signatures, and is bidding to start a minor “international incident”.

The new Yukon signs, nine in all, have been pretty much universally panned since their unveiling a few weeks ago.

They were designed by Yukon artists in a project commissioned by the territorial government.

That hasn’t stopped the Yukon government, especially its Department of Tourism and Culture, from staying on script and saying the signs are fine. It’s just a case of people having trouble adapting to change, department spokespersons like Cameron Webber have suggested.

He said the same thing when recently contacted by The Yukon Star about Grey’s petition recently. Webber simply sent another copy of a statement already provided by the government which does not address Grey’s initiative.

Grey sent a lengthy email to the Star outlining his concerns.

“Of course, we’re hoping for our voices to be heard. Of course, we adore (the) Yukon. Of course, we’re coming to you with open arms and an open heart. You are our neighbours,” Grey said.

“My passion for this situation is obvious from the perspective of an Alaskan tour guide. The Klondike Highway is both our office and our church, and the Yukon sign is a prime destination. 

“Allow me to use an analogy to create a moment of compassion and empathy. Let’s say that you’ve been going to the same church for 10 years, building lasting memories with people from all over the world.  Let’s say that you are the preacher for your church, and that the legends and myths of the Yukon are both your daily bread and your sermon,” Grey said. 

“Every day for 10 years, you gather a new flock together and rhapsodize about Skookum Jim, Shaw T’laaa, the Chilkoot Trail and the fabled Eldorado Creek of the Klondike Gold fields.  Every day, your sermon culminates in a visit to the Yukon sign and all is right because the Yukon sign is an earthly wooden monument that belongs in the wild at the edge of the Last Frontier.”

Grey continued his analogy, comparing the change in signage to “then, somebody replaces your rustic wooden church with a bit of plastic that seems like it belongs in downtown Toronto instead of Yukon. They don’t ask for your permission or your forgiveness. They just replace your altar and drive away.”

His solution is simple and direct. 

“The result that I am clearly asking for is to bring back the Klondike Highway Yukon sign and restore it near the Windy Arm of Tagish Lake,” Grey said. 

“We know that at least two signs exist, and we’re asking for one of them.”

He’s even offering to pay for the work.

“Yes, I do believe that the Yukon government could quite easily put the sign in the back of a pickup truck and restore it. It shouldn’t take more than a day’s worth of work,” Grey said. 

“And if you need someone to pay for the gas, I’m your man. Heck, almost every tour guide in Skagway would be perfectly fine with two signs.  We’ll keep the new sign just fine and right; just bring back the old one to keep it company.”