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Christmas is here, Willy Whistler isn't Neither the Whistler Resort Association nor James Millership want to go to court over a rodent.

Christmas is here, Willy Whistler isn't Neither the Whistler Resort Association nor James Millership want to go to court over a rodent. So, according to Millership, he is in the process of working out an agreement with WRA to continue promoting Willy Whistler, the affable hoary marmot who was forgotten by the WRA and resurrected last year by Millership. The West Vancouver entrepreneur revived the Willy Whistler concept, name and persona — to great a great public response. All of the public appearances Willy Whistler made were free of charge, he says. The WRA followed with a cease and desist order which forced a stand-off between the two as Millership pointed out the WRA had applied to trademark Willy Whistler in 1982, but abandoned the application in 1987. Now, Millership says he is working with the WRA to come to a "mutually beneficial agreement" over the use of Willy. Millership says Willy is in a bit of limbo right now as he negotiates with the WRA over the future of the hoary marmot and is unsure how much work Willy will be able to do over the coming busy Christmas season. "I'm holding off on really promoting Willy right now," Millership says. "He's still available for appearances in the future."