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 contested2021
Demographics
Electors (2021)1,007
Census subdivision(s)Faro, Johnsons Crossing, Ross River, Teslin (Teslin land), Teslin (village) Teslin Post 13, Yukon, Unorganized

Boundary commission controversy

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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]

Members of the Legislative Assembly

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Assembly Years Member Party
31st  2002–2006     Dean Hassard Yukon Party
32nd  2006–2011 Marian Horne
33rd  2011–2016 Stacey Hassard
34th  2016–2021
35th  2021–Present

Election results

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2021

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2021 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon Party Stacey Hassard 362 50.77 +8.41
New Democratic George Bahm 254 35.62 +4.31
Liberal Katherine Alexander 97 13.60 -9.39
Total valid votes 713
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
Yukon Party hold Swing +2.05
Source(s)
"Unofficial Election Results 2021". Elections Yukon. Retrieved 24 April 2021.

2016

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2016 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon Party Stacey Hassard 280 42.3% -7.1%
  NDP Ken Hodgins 207 31.2% -0.8%
  Liberal Carl Sidney 152 23.0% +9.9%
Green Frank de Jong 22 3.3% +3.3%
Total 661 100.0%

2011

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2011 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon Party Stacey Hassard 275 49.4% +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

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2006 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon Party Marian Horne 241 42.1% -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

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2002 Yukon general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon Party Dean Hassard 297 46.4%
  Liberal Jim McLachlan 181 28.3%
  NDP Buzz Burgess 162 25.3%
Total 640 100.0%

References

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  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.