Pat Duncan

Infobox Premier


name = Hon. Pat Duncan
caption =
birth_date =birth date and age|1960|04|8
birth_place = Edmonton, Alberta
residence = Whitehorse, Yukon
death_date =
death_place =
order = 6th Premier of the Yukon
term_start = June 5, 2000
term_end = November 5, 2002
predecessor = Piers McDonald (New Democratic)
successor = Dennis Fentie (Yukon Party)
party = Yukon Liberal Party
religion =
spouse = Daryl Berube

Pat Duncan (born April 8, 1960) was a Liberal politician in the Yukon, Canada, elected from 1996-2006. Duncan served as leader of the Yukon Liberal Party from 1998-2005 and served as Premier of Yukon from 2000 until 2002. Duncan was the first Liberal premier of the Yukon and the first female premier in the Yukon, and only the second woman in Canadian history to win the premiership of a province or territory through a general election.

Life before politics

Prior to getting into elected politics, Duncan, who was born in Edmonton, Alberta in 1960. Duncan was moved with her family to Whitehorse, Yukon in 1964 [Yukon Premier Pat Duncan - http://canadaonline.about.com/od/premiers/p/patduncan.htm] . Duncan graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.

Professional background

Prior to entering politics, Duncan was a small business owner. She also served as Executive Director of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce. In the mid-1980s, Duncan served as a Special Assistant to Progressive Conservative Deputy Prime Minister Erik Nielsen. Duncan remained in this position until Nielsen's retirement in 1987 [ Canadian Encyclopedia - http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009631] .

Yukon politics

Duncan was first elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the 1996 general election. Duncan was elected as a Liberal to represent the Porter Creek South riding, a riding located in Whitehorse. In the 1996 general election, Piers McDonald (New Democratic Party) won a majority government. Duncan was one of three Liberals elected. Liberal leader at the time, Ken Taylor, was unsuccessful in winning his Mount Lorne riding.

In 1998, Duncan was elected leader of the Yukon Liberal Party. From 1998-2000, Duncan served as the Leader of the Official Opposition in the legislature. In the 2000 general election Duncan lead the Yukon Liberal Party to a majority government, defeating New Democratic incumbent Piers McDonald. The Liberals were elected in 10 ridings and received 42.7% of the popular vote. Early in 2002, the Liberal majority was reduced to a minority after the defection of three Liberal Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). The catalyst for the defections was reported to be the heavy-handed and secretive leadership style of Duncan [2002 Yukoners Vote for a Majority (CBC News) - http://www.cbc.ca/yukonvotes2006/features/feature6-2002-results.html] .

On October 4, 2002, only two years into Duncan's five year term, she called a general election for November 4, 2002. The rationale for the election was to achieve certainty in the legislature, however many Yukoners were angered at the quick election [2002 Yukoners Vote for a Majority (CBC News) - http://www.cbc.ca/yukonvotes2006/features/feature6-2002-results.html] . The Yukon Liberals were reduced to only one seat after the election - Duncan's South Porter Creek riding. Yukon Party leader Dennis Fentie, a former NDP MLA, lead his new party to victory. The Liberals were reduced to third party stauts with Duncan as the sole Liberal MLA.

At the 2005 Yukon Liberal Party leadership convention, Duncan was defeated by Arthur Mitchell by a margin of 357 votes to 303. Citing health concerns, did not seek re-election in the 2006 general election.

Election results

1996 general election

References