Currie Dixon

Currie Dixon is a Canadian politician and the leader of the Yukon Party,[1] who was a cabinet minister in the government of Darrell Pasloski and is the former MLA for Copperbelt North, having been elected in the 2011 election.[2]

Currie Dixon
Leader of the Yukon Party
Assumed office
May 23, 2020
Preceded byStacey Hassard (interim)
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
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
Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly
for Copperbelt North
In office
October 11, 2011 – November 7, 2016
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byTed Adel
Personal details
Political partyYukon Party
ResidenceWhitehorse, Yukon
OccupationPolitician

Political career

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.[4]

On June 15, 2016, Dixon announced that he would not seek a second term as MLA of Copperbelt North.[5] The Yukon Party government was reduced to opposition as a result of the election.

Leadership bid

On December 5, 2019, Dixon announced that he would run in the Yukon Party leadership election, which will be held on May 23, 2020.[6][7] 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]

Personal life

Dixon worked as a senior policy advisor to the Premier in the Yukon Cabinet Offices after completing university and before entering politics.[8]

He holds an undergraduate degree in political science and history from Saint Francis Xavier University (2008) and a graduate degree in political science from the University of Northern British Columbia (2011), focusing on the relationship between the Yukon and First Nations governments in the area of education.[9]

He was born and raised in Whitehorse.

Electoral record

Yukon Party leadership election, 2020
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
Copperbelt North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Yukon PartyCurrie Dixon52047.8%–
     Liberal Arthur Mitchell 407 37.4% –
     NDP Skeeter Miller-Wright 159 14.6% –
Total 1088 100.0% –

References
  1. "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. Hon. Currie Dixon, MLA Copperbelt North Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  4. Hon. Currie Dixon, MLA Copperbelt North Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  5. "Yukon cabinet minister Currie Dixon won't seek re-election". CBC News. 2016-06-15. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  6. Kucharuk, Tim (22 November 2019). "Yukon Party sees first leadership candidate". CKRW 96.1FM The Rush. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  7. "Currie Dixon wants to lead the Yukon Party". CBC News. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  8. Hon. Currie Dixon, MLA Copperbelt North Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  9. Hon. Currie Dixon, MLA Copperbelt North Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  10. Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Yukon on the 2011 General Election Elections Yukon, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
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