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Councillors undecided on election plans

Municipal vote set for Oct. 21
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A man walks passed the polling place sign at city hall in Whitehorse on Oct. 18, 2018. While Whitehorse Mayor Dan Curtis is now setting his sights on the upcoming territorial election, other members of council are still pondering their election plans for the coming year. (Crystal Schick/Yukon News file)

While Whitehorse Mayor Dan Curtis has set his sights on the upcoming territorial election, other members of council are still pondering their election plans for the coming year.

Curtis recently announced his plans to seek the Liberal nomination for the Whitehorse Centre riding in the territorial election that must be called before Nov. 18.

This is also an election year for municipalities in the Yukon, with municipal voters set to head to the polls Oct. 21.

And while the mayor has made his hopes of heading to the legislative assembly public, his fellow council members say they are still giving their plans some thought.

Reached by phone, Jan. 20 and 21 all six councillors said they have not yet decided on their plans for the votes — whether they will run and if they do what position they would seek.

“I’m definitely going to give it some thought,” Coun. Laura Cabott, who was elected to her first term of council in 2018, said, noting that she is “absolutely enjoying my role on council.”

She noted right now though she is largely focused on her immediate work as a councillor as well as in her role as chair for the Yukon Environmental Socio-economic Assessment Board.

Similarly, Coun. Steve Roddick, who was also elected to his first term in the last election, commented that he’s still weighing his options.

Meanwhile, Coun. Jocelyn Curteanu, who was first elected to council in 2012, said for now “it’s business as usual” for her.

Other veteran councillors — Jan Stick, Dan Boyd and Samson Hartland — said they are also undecided at this point.

While Boyd commented that it’s “way too early” for him to make a decision and Stick, who has also served as an NDP MLA, commented that she has had a number of other things on the go, Hartland said there are discussions happening with his family about his plans for the year.

As he noted, seeking office also means sacrifices for his family so it’s important such decisions are made as a family.

“There’s lots of discussions happening,” he said.

Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com



Stephanie Waddell

About the Author: Stephanie Waddell

I joined Black Press in 2019 as a reporter for the Yukon News, becoming editor in February 2023.
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