Pelly-Nisutlin

Pelly-Nisutlin is an electoral district which returns a member (known as an MLA) to the Legislative Assembly of the Yukon Territory in Canada. It was created in 2002 out of the districts of Faro and Ross River-Southern Lakes. The riding includes the communities of Teslin, Faro, Ross River, Little Salmon, and Johnsons Crossing. It encompasses the traditional territory of the Teslin Tlingit Council and the Ross River Dena Council of the Kaska Dena. Pelly-Nisutlin is bordered by the rural ridings of Mayo-Tatchun, Lake Laberge, Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes, and Watson Lake.

Pelly-Nisutlin
Yukon electoral district
Boundaries of Pelly-Nisutlin
Territorial electoral district
LegislatureYukon Legislative Assembly
MLA
 
 
 
Stacey Hassard
Yukon Party
First contested2002
Last contested2016
Demographics
Electors (2016)752
Census subdivision(s)Faro, Johnsons Crossing, Ross River, Teslin (Teslin land), Teslin (village) Teslin Post 13, Yukon, Unorganized

The current MLA is Stacey Hassard, interim leader of the opposition Yukon Party. He was first elected on October 11, 2011. It was formerly represented by his brother, Dean Hassard, also of the Yukon Party, from 2002-2006.

Boundary Commission Controversy

Yukon electoral boundaries are examined by a commission every ten years to determine whether they should be adjusted. When Pelly-Nisutlin was created, it drew criticism from the Village of Teslin and the Teslin Tlingit Council, which argued that it should not be part of the same riding as Ross River and Faro, but rather Carcross and Tagish. There was concern not only that the MLA representing the district would face challenges representing and travelling to the communities of such a vast area (Faro is better accessed through Whitehorse), but also because there were greater commonalities between the Teslin Tlingit Council and the Carcross/Tagish First Nation.[1]

Accordingly, the commission considered dismantling the electoral district and redistributing it into neighbouring districts, but rejected the option as it would create a greater imbalance between rural and urban seats in the Yukon. It also rejected the suggestion that Teslin form its own riding, since it was seen as too small in population. The report concluded: "while we acknowledge that the relationship of the Teslin area to the remainder of the electoral district is somewhat of an anomaly, we are unable to propose a justifiable solution other than to retain the district within its current boundaries."[2]

MLAs

Parliament Years Member Party
2002 2002–2006     Dean Hassard Yukon Party
2006 2006–2011 Marian Horne
2011 2011–2016 Stacey Hassard
2016 2016–present

Election results

2016 general election

2016 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyStacey Hassard28042.3%-7.1%
  NDP Ken Hodgins 207 31.2% -0.8%
  Liberal Carl Sidney 152 23.0% +9.9%
GreenFrank de Jong223.3%+3.3%
Total 661 100.0%

2011 general election

2011 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyStacey Hassard27549.4%+7.3%
  NDP Carol Geddes[3] 178 32.0% +6.5%
  Liberal Carl Sidney 73 13.1% -12.3%
  Independent Elvis Presley 31 5.5% -1.5%
Total 557 100.0%

2006 general election

2006 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyMarian Horne24142.1%-4.3%
  NDP Gwen Wally 146 25.5% +0.2%
  Liberal Hammond Dick 145 25.4% -2.9%
  Independent Elvis Aaron Presley ("Tagish" Elvis) 40 7.0% +7.0%
Total 572 100.0%

2002 general election

2002 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyDean Hassard29746.4%
  Liberal Jim McLachlan 181 28.3%
  NDP Buzz Burgess 162 25.3%
Total 640 100.0%

References

  1. Yukon Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report (2008) Elections Yukon, p. 16-17.
  2. Yukon Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report (2008) Elections Yukon, p. 16-17.
  3. "Territorial Election 2011". Yukon NDP. June 17, 2011. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
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