2011 Yukon general election
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All 19 seats to the Legislative Assembly 10 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 37th general election in Yukon, Canada, will take place on October 11, 2011,[1] and return members to the 33rd Yukon Legislative Assembly.
The incumbent government is lead by Darrell Pasloski, who was elected as leader of the Yukon Party at a convention on May 28, 2011, replacing former Premier Dennis Fentie. The Yukon Party has formed government for two terms and will be looking for its third mandate from the voters.
Pre-writ period
Redistribution
In 2008, the Yukon Assembly struck a committee to review the electoral district boundaries for this election. The committee decided to increase the number of seats in the territory to 19. Yukon now matches the other territorial assemblies in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in terms of the number of seats.
The rural districts outside of the capital city of Whitehorse remained unchanged with the exception of Mount Lorne and Southern Lakes which were merged into a single district. The total number of rural districts dropped from 9 to 8.[2]
The urban riding's in Whitehorse were increased to 11 from 9. Only three districts in Whitehorse had no boundary changes, Whitehorse Centre, Riverdale North and Riverdale South. The riding that received the most significant alteration was Copperbelt. That district was split into four ridings, primarily Copperbelt North and Copperbelt South, while McIntyre-Takhini was significantly expanded in western uninhabited part of Copperbelt and renamed Takhini-Kopper King. An entirely new riding was also created out of Copperbelt called Mountainview.[2] The remaining urban districts all received minor boundary adjustments.[2]
The boundary changes were adopted by the Yukon Legislative Assembly in 2009.
Lake Laberge dispute
In the fall of 2009, Yukon Party MLA Brad Cathers had a falling out with Premier Dennis Fentie, and ended up sitting as an independent on the opposition side.
Cathers remained a party member despite his public criticism of Fentie. On May 19, 2010, the Yukon Party riding executive of Lake Laberge nominated Brad Cathers as a delegate to the party's 2010 convention. The meeting lasted three hours and saw the riding executive loyal to Fentie, including the President, walk out on the 60 members who attended. Former MLA Al Falle defended Cathers at the meeting. The meeting ended with a board of directors loyal to Cathers being elected.[3]
Summary of results
Party | Party leader | # of candidates |
Seats | Popular vote | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2006 | Current | Elected | % Change | # | % | Yukon Party | Darrell Pasloski | 10 | 11 | Liberal | Arthur Mitchell | 5 | 5 | NDP | Elizabeth Hanson | 3 | 1 | United Citizens | Vacant | * | 0 | * | Green | Kristina Calhoun | * | 0 | * | First Nations | Gerald Dickson | * | 0 | * | Independent | 0 | 0 | Vacant | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 18 | 18 | 19 | - | 100.00% |
Candidates running
Bold incumbents indicates cabinet members and party leaders and the speaker of the assembly are italicized. Only candidates who have been quoted as running are listed.
Rural Yukon
Timeline
- October 10, 2006, the Yukon Party, under Dennis Fentie, wins its second majority government in the 36th Yukon general election.
- January 2009, John Edzerza resigns from the YNDP to sit again as an independent.[15]
- August 28, 2009, Brad Cathers, MLA for Lake Laberge resigns from cabinet and the government caucus to sit as an independent member over issues with Premier Dennis Fentie.[16][17][18]
- September 26, 2009, the NDP chooses Elizabeth Hanson as party leader.
- October 22, 2009, John Edzerza rejoins the Yukon Party[19] and now serves as Minister of the Environment.[20]
- July 28, 2010, Todd Hardy, MLA for Whitehorse Centre and former leader of the Yukon New Democratic Party dies after a long battle with leukemia at age 53.[21]
- September 17, 2010, the United Citizens Party of Yukon is registered.[22]
- December 13, 2010, in a by-election, Elizabeth Hanson is elected MLA of Whitehorse Centre with 51% of the vote.[citation needed]
- February 28, 2011, the Yukon Green Party is registered.[23]
- April/May 2011, United Citizens Party leader Willard Phelps resigns.[24]
- May 28, 2011, the Yukon Party chooses Darrell Pasloski as party leader and Premier at a convention in Whitehorse.
- June 12, 2011, Darrell Pasloski is sworn in as Premier.
- June 29, 2011, Brad Cathers rejoins the Yukon Party.[12]
- July 6, 2011, Steve Cardiff MLA for Mount Lorne died in a car accident.[25]
- August 2011, Kristina Calhoun is appointed leader of the Yukon Green Party.[26]
- September 6, 2011, the Yukon First Nations Party is registered, Gerald Dickson is the leader.[27]
- September 9, 2011, the election is called.[1]
Retiring MLAs
Member | Party | District | Reason | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Yukon Party|[12] | John Edzerza | Yukon Party | McIntyre-Takhini | Serious health issues |
Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Yukon Party|[28] | Dennis Fentie | Yukon Party | Watson Lake | Retire as Premier and from politics and will live full time in Watson Lake |
Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Yukon Party|[29] | Archie Lang | Yukon Party | Porter Creek Centre | Unknown |
Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Yukon Party|[10] | Patrick Rouble | Yukon Party | Southern Lakes | Attending the University of Calgary to attain a doctorate degree. |
Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Yukon Party|[30] | Ted Staffen | Yukon Party | Riverdale North | Interested in returning to business in the private sector |
Opinion polls
Polling Firm | Date of Polling | Link | Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Yukon Party align="center"| Yukon Party | Template:Canadian politics/party colours/NDP align="center"| New Democratic | Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Liberal align="center"| Liberal | Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Yukon Green align="center"| Green |
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DataPath Systems | July 17-25, 2011 | [1] | 40 | 35 | 15 | 7 |
DataPath Systems | July, 2010 | [2] | 22 | 26 | 39 |
Notes
- ^ Mitchell represents Copperbelt in the 32nd Assembly, but he is running in Copperbelt North, one of four ridings Copperbelt was divided into at the last redistribution.
References
- ^ a b "Yukon general election to be held Oct. 11". The Globe and Mail, September 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Yukon Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report" (PDF). Elections Yukon. March 2008. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ^ John Thomspon (May 21, 2010). "Not your typical riding meeting". Yukon News.
- ^ a b c d e "Kerry Huff Acclaimed as Porter Creek Centre Candidate". Yukon Liberal Party. October 28, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Territorial Election 2011". Yukon NDP. June 17, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
- ^ John Thompson (August 1, 2011). "Brad Cathers keeps crown". Yukon News.
- ^ "Nomination Meeting Set for Lake Laberge". Yukon Liberal Party. January 25, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ "Elias to Seek the Confidence of Vuntut Residents". Yukon Liberal Party. April 16, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ "Yukon NDP aims to rebuild after MLA's death". CBC News. July 12, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Yukon MLA Rouble leaving politics". CBC News. June 15, 2011.
- ^ "Colleen Wirth Acclaimed Copperbelt South Candidate". Yukon Liberal Party. April 1, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Cathers returns to Yukon Party caucus". CBC News. June 29, 2011.
- ^ "Don Inverarity, MLA Porter Creek South, Running for Re-election". Yukon Liberal Party. June 27, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ "Curtis Seeks Liberal Nomination for Riverdale South". Yukon Liberal Party. June 16, 2011.
- ^ "Yukon MLA Edzerza quits NDP, will sit as Independent", cbc.ca, January 28, 2009.
- ^ "Yukon minister's resignation threatens to collapse government". The Globe and Mail, August 31, 2009.
- ^ "Cathers resigns over ATCO scandal". Yukon News. August 28, 2009.
- ^ "Cathers Shocker Creates a Minority Government". Whitehorse Star. August 28, 2009.
- ^ "Edzerza rejoins Yukon Party", cbc.ca, October 22, 2009.
- ^ "Edzerza named Yukon environment minister". cbc.ca, February 4, 2010.
- ^ "Todd Hardy succumbs to cancer". Yukon News. 28 July 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
- ^ Munson, James (December 3, 2010). "Phelps' party in limbo". Yukon News. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ Sander-Green, Nadine (August 9, 2011). "Greens are a party of balance, candidate says". Whitehorse Daily Star. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ "United Citizens Party of Yukon loses leader". CBC News. May 9, 2011.
- ^ "Yukon NDP MLA killed in crash". CBC News. July 6, 2011.
- ^ Thomson, John (August 12, 2011). "Green shoots grow slow". Yukon News. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ Sander-Green, Nadine (September 9, 2011). "Yukon First Nations Party established". Whitehorse Daily Star. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
- ^ "Yukon's Fentie looks ahead to life after politics". CBC News. May 31, 2011.
- ^ John Thompson (July 6, 2011). "Archie Lang to leave politics". Yukon News.
- ^ "Long-time Yukon Speaker won't run in upcoming territorial election". iPolitics.ca. June 27, 2011.