Brent Butt is heading to Yellowknife. He's in conversation with Cabin Radio's Emily Blake. Plus a musical that gives a Pride and Prejudice side character a new, queer life is making its Canadian debut in the city – the writers flew from New York City to join us.

Also in this episode: Hockey Helps the Homeless plans a February NHL alumni game in Yellowknife, and Emily Smejkal argues now is the time to re-evaluate geothermal energy in the North.

In tonight's newscast: Two RCMP officers in Yellowknife face charges over the March 2025 death of a 56-year-old, Lawrence Blackduck, while in police custody.

Also tonight: The Union of Northern Workers faces a lawsuit brought by former members of its executive, Yellowknife's two mayoral candidates discuss their federal affiliations, and the writers of a musical about a Pride and Prejudice side character arrive in the NWT for their show's Canadian debut.

In tonight's newscast: the IRC sets up a vote later this month on whether chair Erwin Elias should be removed from office following an investigation into unspecified allegations.

Also tonight: the GNWT releases new cell phone guidelines, Inuvik's mayor hopes to move on from a summer of bear problems, Canada's cultural sector waits on a promised $600-million federal funding bump, and a former NWT prosecutor launches a novel about a northern homicide.

Thirty-two grizzly bears were killed in Inuvik this summer. A new landfill fence has a lot to do with it. We heard from one of the people tasked with protecting the community as the bears sought a new food source.

Also in this episode: Emily Blake asks experts how Yellowknife and the NWT should be handling artificial intelligence in elections.

After an unlikely meal, Ollie interviewed China's consul general – the country's top diplomat in Alberta, Sask and the NWT – about Chinese-Canadian relations. China has a clear message it wants to get across after Mark Carney visited the country earlier this year, but the North spends a lot of time worrying about Chinese influence in the Arctic, in mining and in infrastructure. Zhao Liying took our questions.

(For the record, we bought our own Ricky's.)

Also on the show, Nova Scotia Senator Mary Coyle explains to Natasha her bill calling for a national energy poverty strategy. What exactly would that do in the North?

In our nightly newscast: a change in advance voting dates catches out some Yellowknifers, a $42-million LNG plant for Fort Simpson is going ahead, a Yellowknife daycare clears three suspended staff of wrongdoing and the Major Projects Office reacts to Indigenous frustration over consultation timelines in BC.

In our 15-minute nightly newscast: NWT RCMP's commanding officer on the rise in gun crime, online bookings open for some Yellowknife health services, what we know about the coming flu season, and new funding for music at two schools.

Elsewhere in the world: the Pope is diagnosed with lung cancer and cyber attacks hit French fridges as Alberta referendum advance voting begins.

Note: You'll now get each nightly newscast as a dedicated episode and our best interviews as separate episodes on the feed! Even more to look forward to.

Jay Bulckaert wants to convince you that AI can be a powerful tool for good in the North.

Bulckaert just left Artless Collective, one of the territory's leading video agencies, to create a company that helps northerners get to grips with AI. He believes he can help give people back more time for innovation. He explained his philosophy to Ollie.

Also in our 15-minute newscast, The North Tonight, we examine the prospect of a national energy poverty strategy and – on an unrelated note, despite the name – we hang out with Cold Fusion, who are bringing jazz fusion back to Yellowknife.