Currie Dixon (born September 2, 1985) is a Canadian politician, leader of the Yukon Party,[1] and MLA for Copperbelt North. Dixon was a cabinet minister in the government of Darrell Pasloski and is the former MLA for Copperbelt North, having served from 2011 until 2016.[2]

Currie Dixon
Leader of the Opposition
Assumed office
April 12, 2021
Preceded byStacey Hassard
Leader of the Yukon Party
Assumed office
May 23, 2020
Preceded byStacey Hassard (interim)
Minister of Economic Development
Minister of the Environment
In office
November 5, 2011 – January 16, 2015
PremierDarrell Pasloski
Preceded bySteve Nordick
John Edzerza
Succeeded byStacey Hassard
Wade Istchenko
Minister of Community Services
Minister of the Public Service Commission
In office
January 16, 2015 – December 3, 2016
PremierDarrell Pasloski
Preceded byElaine Taylor
Succeeded byJohn Streicker
Richard Mostyn
Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly
for Copperbelt North
Assumed office
April 12, 2021
Preceded byTed Adel
In office
October 11, 2011 – November 7, 2016
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byTed Adel
Personal details
BornWhitehorse, Yukon
Political partyYukon Party
Residence(s)Whitehorse, Yukon
OccupationPolitician

Early life

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Dixon was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Political career

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Dixon was elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the general election of October 11, 2011, in the newly created riding of Copperbelt North. He defeated Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell, then Leader of the Official Opposition, for the seat.

He was sworn into Cabinet on November 5, 2011, as the Minister of Environment and Minister of Economic Development. He was appointed Minister of Community Services and Minister of the Public Service Commission on January 16, 2015.[3]

He is the youngest Cabinet minister in Yukon history and among the youngest in Canadian history.[3]

On June 15, 2016, Dixon announced that he would not seek a second term as MLA of Copperbelt North.[4] The Yukon Party government was reduced to the opposition as a result of the election.

Leadership

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On December 5, 2019, Dixon announced that he would run in the Yukon Party leadership election, which will be held on May 23, 2020.[5][6] He was elected as leader of the Yukon Party on May 23, 2020, replacing Darrell Pasloski, who resigned in November 2016, and interim leader Stacey Hassard; he defeated opponents Linda Benoit and Brad Cathers in two ballots.[1]

Dixon led the party into the 2021 territorial election, the Yukon Party won 8 seats and won the popular vote overall. Dixon was personally elected in the district of Copperbelt North.[7] On April 23, the incumbent Liberals were sworn in with a minority government.[8] On April 28, the NDP announced that they had entered into a formal confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals.[9]

Aside from serving as Leader of the Official Opposition, Dixon also serves as the critic for the Executive Council Office, the Yukon Liquor Corporation, the Yukon Lottery Corporation, the Yukon Cannabis Corporation, Early Learning and Child Care, and the 2027 Canada Winter Games.

Personal life

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Dixon worked as a senior policy advisor to the Premier in the Yukon Cabinet Offices after completing university and before entering politics.[3]

Dixon holds an undergraduate degree in political science and history from Saint Francis Xavier University (2008).[10] and a graduate degree in political science from the University of Northern British Columbia (2011),[11] focusing on the relationship between the Yukon and First Nations governments in the area of education.[3]

Electoral record

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2021 Yukon general election: Copperbelt North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon Party Currie Dixon 717 51.91 +9.8
Liberal Ted Adel 346 25.05 -20.0
New Democratic Saba Javed 318 23.02 +10.2
Total valid votes 1,381
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
Yukon Party gain Swing -13.43
Source(s)
"Unofficial Election Results 2021". Elections Yukon. Retrieved 24 April 2021.

Yukon Party leadership election, 2020

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Results by ballot
Candidate Round 1 Round 2
Points % Points %
Currie Dixon 694 46.55% 752 50.44%
Brad Cathers 682 45.74% 637 42.72%
Linda Benoit 160 10.73%

Yukon general election, 2011

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Copperbelt North[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon Party Currie Dixon 520 47.8%
  Liberal Arthur Mitchell 407 37.4%
  NDP Skeeter Miller-Wright 159 14.6%
Total 1088 100.0%

References

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  1. ^ a b "2020 Yukon Party Leadership Election". Youtube. May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  2. ^ "Yukon Votes 2011 - Copperbelt North". CBC News. October 11, 2011. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Hon. Currie Dixon, MLA Copperbelt North Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  4. ^ "Yukon cabinet minister Currie Dixon won't seek re-election". CBC News. 2016-06-15. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  5. ^ Kucharuk, Tim (22 November 2019). "Yukon Party sees first leadership candidate". CKRW 96.1FM The Rush. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Currie Dixon wants to lead the Yukon Party". CBC News. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  7. ^ Windeyer, Chris (Apr 13, 2021). "With no clear winner, Yukon's election-night intrigue will linger". CBC News. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Yukon Liberals set to be sworn-in as party aims to form minority government". CTVNews. April 23, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-04-24. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  9. ^ "Yukon Liberals, NDP make deal to work together in government". CBC News. 2021-04-28. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
  10. ^ "Theses (1954 - present)". St. Francis Xavier University. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  11. ^ "Recent UNBC Grad among Youngest Cabinet Members in Canadian History". University of Northern British Columbia. Nov 10, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  12. ^ Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Yukon on the 2011 General Election Elections Yukon, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2017.