Geraldine Van Bibber

Geraldine Van Bibber CM (born July 3, 1951) is a Canadian politician representing the Yukon electoral district of Porter Creek North as a member of the Yukon Party. She was elected as part of the 2016 Yukon election.

Geraldine van Bibber CM MLA
15th Commissioner of Yukon
In office December 1, 2005 – December 17, 2010
Prime Minister	Paul Martin Stephen Harper
Premier	Dennis Fentie
Preceded by	Jack Cable
Succeeded by	Doug Phillips
Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly for Porter Creek North
Incumbent
Assumed office November 7, 2016
Preceded by	Doug Graham
Chancellor of Yukon College
In office December 10, 2012 – September 22, 2016
Premier	Darrell Pasloski
Preceded by	Rolfe Hougen
Succeeded by	Piers McDonald
Personal details
Born	July 3, 1951 Dawson City, Yukon
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Yukon Party
Spouse(s)	Pat Van Bibber
Residence	Whitehorse, Yukon
Profession	appointed official, businesswoman

Van Bibber is a former Commissioner of the Yukon Territory[1] and a member of the Gwichʼin First Nation. She has also served as Chancellor of Yukon College[2] and Administrator of the Yukon.

Prior to being appointed to office, Van Bibber worked for the Yukon Department of Finance. She was also instrumental in the formation of the Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association, as a private tour operator.[3]

Political career

Van Bibber announced her intention to seek the Yukon Party nomination in its stronghold riding of Porter Creek North in the 2016 Yukon election, which had been vacated after the incumbent Yukon Party representative, Doug Graham, announced his retirement. Although highly unusual for a former Commissioner to run for elected office - given the position's non-partisan nature - she was not the Yukon's first Commissioner to later seek elected office, and was already serving in a partisan role at the time as Senior Advisor to the Premier in the Yukon Party Cabinet Offices.[4] She was elected to the Yukon Legislature for the riding of Porter Creek North on November 7, 2016.

Van Bibber is currently a member of the Standing Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Standing Committee on Appointments to Major Government Boards and Committees. She is also the Yukon Party caucus critic for the Department of Education, the Aboriginal relations branch of the Executive Council Office, and the Department of Tourism and Culture.[5]

Honours

Van Bibber was appointed a Commander of the Order of St. John in 2006[6] and was appointed as a member of the Order of Canada - one of Canada's highest civilian honours - in 2016.[7] Her citation into the Order of Canada recognizes her "role in making the territory a travel-destination by coordinating its tourism industry and broadening awareness of its unique Indigenous cultures.[8]"

Van Bibber is also a recipient of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.[9]

Electoral record

2016 general election

Porter Creek North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Yukon Party	Geraldine Van Bibber	435	44.0%	-5.8%
	Liberal	Eileen Melnychuk	372	37.6%	+27.4%
	New Democratic	Francis van Kessel	145	14.7%	-16.8%
	Green	Mike Ivens	37	3.7%	-4.9%
Total			989	100.0%

References

1. "Lieutenant Governors and Territorial Commissioners". Retrieved 8 December 2016.
2. http://www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/news/post/geraldine_van_bibber_named_yukon_colleges_new_chancellor
3. Geraldine Van Bibber Yukon Party Caucus. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
4. Geraldine Van Bibber Yukon Party Caucus. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
5. Geraldine Van Bibber Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
6. Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 141, No. 17 Archived May 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
7. "Olympians, jurists, researchers among 113 new appointments to Order of Canada". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
8. Geraldine Van Bibber, C.M. The Governor General of Canada. February 17, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2017
9. Geraldine Van Bibber The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved March 5, 2017

External links

• Commissioner of the Yukon website