Elizabeth Hanson

Elizabeth (Liz) Hanson
Leader of Official Opposition of Yukon
Incumbent
Assumed office October 11, 2011
Preceded by	Arthur Mitchell
Leader of the Yukon New Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office September 26, 2009
Preceded by	Todd Hardy
Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Yukon
Incumbent
Assumed office December 13, 2010
Preceded by	Todd Hardy
Constituency	Whitehorse Centre
Personal details
Born	1957 Edmonton, Alberta
Political party	New Democrat
Residence(s)	Whitehorse, Yukon
Occupation	social worker

Elizabeth (Liz) Hanson is a Canadian politician from the Yukon. She has been the leader of the Yukon New Democratic Party since September 26, 2009, and represents the electoral district of Whitehorse Centre in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.

Early life

Prior to attending university, Hanson's resume included involvement with high school student council, youth groups and community social action/justice movements including organizing committee(s) Miles for Millions, Arusha Cross Cultural Centre. Hanson attended the University of Calgary and obtained degrees in political science and social work.

After graduating university, Hanson took a job as a social worker in Souris, Prince Edward Island.

In Yukon, Hanson first worked as a regional social worker for the Department of Indian and Inuit Affairs, with a region that spanned from Old Crow, Yukon to Good Hope Lake, British Columbia. She subsequently worked for INAC in Nanaimo, British Columbia and in Ottawa, returning to Yukon in 1989 to lead a federal self-government negotiations team.

She served as Yukon Director of Land Claims and Indian Government for the federal government until 2003, when she became the regional director general of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada in the Yukon, charged with reorganizing the department's regional presence to reflect the federal presence "post land claims and devolution". She retired from this position in 2007.

Hanson and her family completed a federal interchange to Canberra, Australia, with the Aboriginal and Torres Islander Commission.

Political career

After her retirement from INAC, Hanson became actively involved with the Yukon New Democratic Party and became president of the party.

On September 26, 2009, Hanson was acclaimed as leader of the Yukon NDP. Following the death of Todd Hardy on July 28, 2010, Hanson won the resulting by-election on December 13, 2010 in Whitehorse Centre. She retained her seat in Whitehorse Centre in the 2011 election, leading the YNDP from third party status to Official Opposition.

External links

• Yukon NDP