Dennis Fentie
Encyclopedia
Dennis G. Fentie, MLA
(born November 8, 1950) is a Canadian
politician
. He was the seventh Premier of Yukon
and leader of the Yukon Party
, serving from 2002 to 2011, as well as the MLA
for Watson Lake.
, Alberta
. In 1962, Fentie moved to Watson Lake
. Prior to entering politics, Fentie was involved in a variety of economic activities in and around Watson Lake. These activities include logging, tourism, mining, trucking, and fuel distribution. Fentie has served as director of both the Association of Yukon Forests and the Watson Lake Chamber of Commerce, and the owner and former manager of Francis River Construction.
as a member of Yukon New Democratic Party
, succeeding retiring incumbent John Devries
. He was re-elected in the 2000 election
.
. One month later, Fentie was selected as the next Yukon Party leader. In the 2002 election, Fentie led the Yukon Party to a majority government, defeating incumbent Premier Pat Duncan
and the Liberals
. The party won 12 of 18 seats available in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.
Fentie's majority government was reduced to minority government status in August 2006, when three Yukon Party MLAs resigned or chose to sit as independents. Copperbelt MLA Haakon Arntzen
resigned after facing sexual assault charges and Klondike MLA Peter Jenkins
was ousted after refusing to repay a government loan. McIntyre-Takhini MLA John Edzerza
, the only First Nations person in Fentie's cabinet, resigned in August 2006 to sit as an Independent. Edzerza would run in the next election as a member of the NDP.
With a minority government, Fentie called the 2006 election
for October 6. Fentie was re-elected for a fourth time in the riding of Watson Lake and the Yukon Party was voted to a second straight majority government. The Yukon Party under Fentie's leadership won 10 of 18 seats in the legislative assembly.
.
Yukon Legislative Assembly
-History:From 1900 to 1978, the elected legislative body in the Yukon was the Yukon Territorial Council, a ten-member body which did not act as the primary government, but was a non-partisan advisory body to the Commissioner of the Yukon...
(born November 8, 1950) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the seventh Premier of Yukon
Premier of Yukon
The Premier of Yukon is the first minister for the Canadian territory of Yukon. They are the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although their powers are considerably smaller than that of a provincial premier.From 1978 to 1990 and from 1992 to 1996, the term Government...
and leader of the Yukon Party
Yukon Party
The Yukon Party , is a conservative political party in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It was previously known as the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party.-Declining fortunes:...
, serving from 2002 to 2011, as well as the MLA
Yukon Legislative Assembly
-History:From 1900 to 1978, the elected legislative body in the Yukon was the Yukon Territorial Council, a ten-member body which did not act as the primary government, but was a non-partisan advisory body to the Commissioner of the Yukon...
for Watson Lake.
Background
Fentie was born in EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. In 1962, Fentie moved to Watson Lake
Watson Lake, Yukon
Watson Lake is a town at historical mile 635 on the Alaska Highway in the southeastern Yukon close to the British Columbia border. Population in December 2004 was 1,547 ....
. Prior to entering politics, Fentie was involved in a variety of economic activities in and around Watson Lake. These activities include logging, tourism, mining, trucking, and fuel distribution. Fentie has served as director of both the Association of Yukon Forests and the Watson Lake Chamber of Commerce, and the owner and former manager of Francis River Construction.
NDP
Fentie was first elected MLA for Watson Lake in the 1996 electionYukon general election, 1996
The 1996 Yukon general election was held on September 30, 1996 to elect the seventeen members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly in Yukon Territory, Canada. The governing Yukon Party, a conservative party, was defeated by the social democratic Yukon New Democratic Party . The NDP formed the...
as a member of Yukon New Democratic Party
Yukon New Democratic Party
The Yukon New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Yukon territory of Canada.The Yukon NDP first formed the government of the territory under the leadership of Tony Penikett from 1985 to 1992, and under the leadership of Piers McDonald from 1996 to 2000. The party's...
, succeeding retiring incumbent John Devries
John Devries (Yukon politician)
John Devries is a former political figure in the Yukon, Canada. He represented Watson Lake in the Yukon Legislative Assembly from 1989 to 1996 as a member of the Yukon Party....
. He was re-elected in the 2000 election
Yukon general election, 2000
The Yukon general election of 2000 was held on April 17, 2000 to elect members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the Yukon Territory in Canada...
.
Yukon Party
In May 2002, Fentie left the NDP, crossing the floor to sit with the Yukon PartyYukon Party
The Yukon Party , is a conservative political party in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It was previously known as the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party.-Declining fortunes:...
. One month later, Fentie was selected as the next Yukon Party leader. In the 2002 election, Fentie led the Yukon Party to a majority government, defeating incumbent Premier Pat Duncan
Pat Duncan
Pat Duncan is a former politician in the Yukon, Canada. Duncan served as leader of the Yukon Liberal Party from 1998 to 2005 and as the sixth Premier of Yukon from 2000 until 2002...
and the Liberals
Yukon Liberal Party
The Yukon Liberal Party is a political party in the Yukon Territory in Canada.Arthur Mitchell is the Leader of the Yukon Liberal Party.-History:...
. The party won 12 of 18 seats available in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.
Fentie's majority government was reduced to minority government status in August 2006, when three Yukon Party MLAs resigned or chose to sit as independents. Copperbelt MLA Haakon Arntzen
Haakon Arntzen
Haakon Arntzen is a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Copperbelt in the Yukon Legislative Assembly as a member of the Yukon Party....
resigned after facing sexual assault charges and Klondike MLA Peter Jenkins
Peter Jenkins
Peter Jenkins may refer to:*Peter Jenkins , British diplomat*Peter Jenkins , British journalist*Peter Jenkins , Canadian politician...
was ousted after refusing to repay a government loan. McIntyre-Takhini MLA John Edzerza
John Edzerza
John Edzerza was a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of McIntyre-Takhini in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.-Political career:...
, the only First Nations person in Fentie's cabinet, resigned in August 2006 to sit as an Independent. Edzerza would run in the next election as a member of the NDP.
With a minority government, Fentie called the 2006 election
Yukon general election, 2006
The 36th Yukon general election was held on October 10, 2006, in Yukon, Canada, to elect members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. The Premier of Yukon asked the territorial Commissioner for a dissolution of the Assembly on September 8, 2006...
for October 6. Fentie was re-elected for a fourth time in the riding of Watson Lake and the Yukon Party was voted to a second straight majority government. The Yukon Party under Fentie's leadership won 10 of 18 seats in the legislative assembly.
Controversy
After the 2002 election, it was revealed he had been convicted and spent time in prison for heroin trafficking in 1974 when he was 24 years old. During the 2002 election campaign, he made it public that he had spent time in jail for a narcotics charge but did not make the fact it was heroin public since he had received a pardonPardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
.
Election results
| Yukon general election, 1996 Yukon general election, 1996 The 1996 Yukon general election was held on September 30, 1996 to elect the seventeen members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly in Yukon Territory, Canada. The governing Yukon Party, a conservative party, was defeated by the social democratic Yukon New Democratic Party . The NDP formed the... |
|||
| Party | Incumbent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Democratic Party Yukon New Democratic Party The Yukon New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Yukon territory of Canada.The Yukon NDP first formed the government of the territory under the leadership of Tony Penikett from 1985 to 1992, and under the leadership of Piers McDonald from 1996 to 2000. The party's... |
Dennis Fentie | 442 | |
| Yukon Party Yukon Party The Yukon Party , is a conservative political party in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It was previously known as the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party.-Declining fortunes:... |
Barrie Ravenhill | 249 | |
| Liberal Yukon Liberal Party The Yukon Liberal Party is a political party in the Yukon Territory in Canada.Arthur Mitchell is the Leader of the Yukon Liberal Party.-History:... |
Dave Kalles | 106 | |
| Independent | Mickey Thomas | 40 | |
| Yukon general election, 2000 Yukon general election, 2000 The Yukon general election of 2000 was held on April 17, 2000 to elect members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the Yukon Territory in Canada... |
|||
| Party | Incumbent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Democratic Party Yukon New Democratic Party The Yukon New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Yukon territory of Canada.The Yukon NDP first formed the government of the territory under the leadership of Tony Penikett from 1985 to 1992, and under the leadership of Piers McDonald from 1996 to 2000. The party's... |
Dennis Fentie | 434 | |
| Liberal Yukon Liberal Party The Yukon Liberal Party is a political party in the Yukon Territory in Canada.Arthur Mitchell is the Leader of the Yukon Liberal Party.-History:... |
Isaac Wood | 312 | |
| Yukon Party Yukon Party The Yukon Party , is a conservative political party in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It was previously known as the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party.-Declining fortunes:... |
Mickey Thomas | 144 | |
| Yukon general election, 2002 | |||
| Party | Incumbent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yukon Party Yukon Party The Yukon Party , is a conservative political party in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It was previously known as the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party.-Declining fortunes:... |
Dennis Fentie | 521 | |
| New Democratic Party Yukon New Democratic Party The Yukon New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Yukon territory of Canada.The Yukon NDP first formed the government of the territory under the leadership of Tony Penikett from 1985 to 1992, and under the leadership of Piers McDonald from 1996 to 2000. The party's... |
Kathy Magun | 174 | |
| Liberal Yukon Liberal Party The Yukon Liberal Party is a political party in the Yukon Territory in Canada.Arthur Mitchell is the Leader of the Yukon Liberal Party.-History:... |
Tom Cove | 130 | |
| Yukon general election, 2006 Yukon general election, 2006 The 36th Yukon general election was held on October 10, 2006, in Yukon, Canada, to elect members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. The Premier of Yukon asked the territorial Commissioner for a dissolution of the Assembly on September 8, 2006... |
|||
| Party | Incumbent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yukon Party Yukon Party The Yukon Party , is a conservative political party in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It was previously known as the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party.-Declining fortunes:... |
Dennis Fentie | 495 | |
| Liberal Yukon Liberal Party The Yukon Liberal Party is a political party in the Yukon Territory in Canada.Arthur Mitchell is the Leader of the Yukon Liberal Party.-History:... |
Rick Harder | 196 | |
| New Democratic Party Yukon New Democratic Party The Yukon New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Yukon territory of Canada.The Yukon NDP first formed the government of the territory under the leadership of Tony Penikett from 1985 to 1992, and under the leadership of Piers McDonald from 1996 to 2000. The party's... |
Rachael Lewis | 45 | |
| Independent | Dale Robert Worsfold | 28 | |