Brad Cathers

Brad Cathers is a Canadian politician. He represents the electoral district of Lake Laberge in the Yukon Legislative Assembly on behalf of the Yukon Party.[1] He is currently the longest-serving incumbent in the Assembly.

Brad Cathers

MLA
Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly
for Lake Laberge
Assumed office
November 4, 2002
Preceded byPam Buckway
Minister of Justice
In office
January 16, 2015 – December 3, 2016
PremierDarrell Pasloski
Preceded byDoug Graham
Succeeded byTracy McPhee
Minister of Community Services
In office
August 5, 2013 – January 16, 2015
PremierDarrell Pasloski
Preceded byElaine Taylor
Succeeded byCurrie Dixon
Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources
In office
November 5, 2011 – August 5, 2013
PremierDarrell Pasloski
Preceded byPatrick Rouble
Succeeded byScott Kent
In office
July 3, 2008 – August 28, 2009
PremierDennis Fentie
Preceded byArchie Lang
Succeeded byPatrick Rouble
Minister of Health and Social Services
In office
December 12, 2005 – July 3, 2008
PremierDennis Fentie
Preceded byPeter Jenkins
Succeeded byGlenn Hart
Personal details
Political partyYukon Party (2002-2009; 2011-present)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (2009-2011)
ResidenceLake Laberge, Yukon
OccupationPolitician

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.[2][3][4]

On June 29, 2011, Cathers rejoined the government caucus.[5]

On October 11, 2011, Cathers was re-elected for a third term as MLA for Lake Laberge.[6]

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.[7] 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.[8]

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.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11][12] He lost the election to Currie Dixon, placing second on the second ballot.[13]

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
Lake Laberge
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyBrad Cathers55846.5%-5.4%
  Liberal Alan Young 342 28.5% +12.9%
  NDP Anne Tayler 261 21.8% -10.7%
GreenJulie Anne Ames383.2%+3.2%
Total 1,199 100.0% –

Yukon general election, 2011
Lake Laberge[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyBrad Cathers52851.9%-5.4%
  NDP Frank Turner 330 32.5% +17.5%
  Liberal Mike Simon 159 15.6% -12.1%
Total 1,017 100.0% –

Yukon general election, 2006
Lake Laberge
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyBrad Cathers45857.3%+1.2%
  Liberal John Breen 221 27.6% +1.5%
  NDP Nina Sutherland 120 15.0% -3.0%
Total 799 100.0% –

Yukon general election, 2002
Lake Laberge
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyBrad Cathers46655.9%+21.6%
  Liberal Pam Buckway 218 26.1% -22.4%
  NDP Bill Commins 150 18.0% +0.8%
Total 834 100.0% –

References
  1. yukonvotes2006/riding/004/ Yukon Votes 2006: Lake Laberge. cbc.ca.
  2. "Yukon minister's resignation threatens to collapse government". The Globe and Mail. August 31, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  3. "Cathers resigns over ATCO scandal". Yukon News. August 28, 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  4. "Cathers Shocker Creates a Minority Government". Whitehorse Star. August 28, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  5. "Cathers returns to Yukon Party caucus". CBC News. 29 June 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
  6. "2011 Yukon Election Results" (PDF). Elections Yukon.
  7. "Premier taps experience in crafting cabinet". Whitehorse Star. November 7, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  8. "Ministers assume new portfolios| Government of Yukon news release". Government of Yukon. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  9. "Yukon Premier announces changes to Cabinet". Government of Yukon. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  10. Brad Cathers Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  11. Kennedy, John (6 December 2019). "Yukon Party leadership race gets second candidate". CKRW 96.1FM The Rush. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  12. "MLA Brad Cathers joins Yukon Party leadership race". CBC News. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  13. "2020 Yukon Party Leadership Election". Youtube. May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  14. John Thompson (August 1, 2011). "Brad Cathers keeps crown". Yukon News.
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