Brad Cathers is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

politician. He represents the

electoral district An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polity ...

Lake Laberge Lake Laberge is a widening of the Yukon River north of Whitehorse, Yukon in Canada. It is fifty kilometres long and ranges from two to five kilometres wide. Its water is always very cold, and its weather often harsh and suddenly variable. Names ...

in the

Yukon Legislative Assembly The Yukon Legislative Assembly (french: Assemblée législative du Yukon) is the legislative assembly for Yukon, Canada. Unique among Canada's Provinces and territories of Canada, three territories, the Yukon Legislative Assembly is the only terri ...

on behalf of the Yukon Party. He is currently the longest-serving incumbent in the Assembly.

Political career

Cathers was first elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the general election of November 4, 2002, and re-elected in the general election of October 10, 2006. He served as Minister of Health and Social Services and Minister responsible for Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board from December 12, 2005 to July 3, 2008; as Minister responsible for Yukon Liquor Corporation and Yukon Lottery Commission from July 3, 2008 to July 6, 2009; and as Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources from July 3, 2008 to August 28, 2009. He also served as Government House Leader from December 12, 2005 to August 28, 2009. On August 28, 2009, Cathers resigned from cabinet and the government caucus to sit as an independent member over issues with then-Premier

Dennis Fentie Dennis G. Fentie (November 8, 1950 – August 30, 2019) was a Canadian politician. He was the seventh premier of Yukon and leader of the Yukon Party, serving from 2002 to 2011, as well as the MLA for Watson Lake. Before entering politics, Fe ...

. On June 29, 2011, Cathers rejoined the government caucus. On October 11, 2011, Cathers was re-elected for a third term as MLA for Lake Laberge. Cathers was sworn into Cabinet again on November 5, 2011 as Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Minister for Yukon Development Corporation and Yukon Energy Corporation, and Government House Leader. On August 5, 2013, he became Minister of Community Services, and Minister responsible for Yukon Housing Corporation, Yukon Liquor Corporation and the Yukon Lottery Commission. In a Cabinet shuffle on January 16, 2015, Cathers was made Minister of Justice, Deputy Government House Leader and, for the second time, Minister for Yukon Development Corporation and Yukon Energy.

34th Legislative Assembly

Cathers was re-elected in his riding of Lake Laberge in the 2016 Yukon election, despite the Yukon Party being swept from office by the Yukon Liberal Party. Following the defeat of former Yukon Party Deputy Premier Elaine Taylor, Cathers is now the longest-serving incumbent MLA in the Yukon Legislative Assembly. Cathers is currently a member of the Members' Services Board and the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges. He is the Yukon Party caucus critic for the Department of Justice, the Department of Finance, the Sustainable Resources Division (agriculture, forestry and land management) of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and the Protective Services Division of the Department of Community Services.

Leadership bid

On December 5, 2019, Cathers announced that he would run in the Yukon Party leadership election, which was held on May 23, 2020. He lost the election to Currie Dixon, placing second on the second ballot. Cathers was re-elected in the 2021 territorial election.

Personal life

Until early 2007, Cathers was part owner of a wilderness tour company, Cathers Wilderness Adventures. He served as the Wilderness Tourism representative on the Yukon Tourism Education Council from 2000 until his election to the Legislative Assembly in 2002. Cathers was a member of both the federal Reform Party of Canada and its successor, the Canadian Alliance.

Electoral record

Yukon general election, 2016

, - ,

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

, Alan Young , align="right", 342 , align="right", 28.5% , align="right", +12.9% , NDP , Anne Tayler , align="right", 261 , align="right", 21.8% , align="right", -10.7% , - ! align=left colspan=3, Total ! align= 1,199 ! align= 100.0% ! align= –

Yukon general election, 2011

, - , NDP , Frank Turner , align="right", 330 , align="right", 32.5% , align="right", +17.5% ,

, Mike Simon , align="right", 159 , align="right", 15.6% , align="right", -12.1% , - ! align=left colspan=3, Total ! align= 1,017 ! align= 100.0% ! align= –

Yukon general election, 2006

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, John Breen , align="right", 221 , align="right", 27.6% , align="right", +1.5% , NDP , Nina Sutherland , align="right", 120 , align="right", 15.0% , align="right", -3.0% , - ! align=left colspan=3, Total ! align= 799 ! align= 100.0% ! align= –

Yukon general election, 2002

, - ,

, Pam Buckway , align="right", 218 , align="right", 26.1% , align="right", -22.4% , NDP , Bill Commins , align="right", 150 , align="right", 18.0% , align="right", +0.8% , - ! align=left colspan=3, Total ! align=834 ! align=100.0% ! align= –

References

External links

Brad Cathers
* http://www.bradcathers.ca/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Cathers, Brad Yukon Party MLAs Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Independent MLAs in Yukon 21st-century Canadian politicians Members of the Executive Council of Yukon