Feminist, First Nation activist and former territorial minister Lois Moorcroft is returning to politics.
To a crowd of nearly 40 supporters, Moorcroft announced she’ll seek a seat in the upcoming territorial election.
“I feel like I never left politics,” she said with Yukon’s New Democratic Party leader Liz Hanson on her left and NDP MLA for Mount Lorne Steve Cardiff on her right.
However, Moorcroft will not challenge Cardiff for her old riding. She will be running in Copperbelt South, a new riding carved out of the current Copperbelt and Mount Lorne ridings. It starts at Mount Sima Road and continues on until the Carcross cutoff, through to golden horn and the South Alaska Highway to the Yukon River bridge. It contains the same neighbourhoods she represented from 1992 to 2000.
Cardiff will seek the adjacent riding of Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes.
It shouldn’t be surprising to hear the former Justice minister pledge to bring social, economic, political and environmental justice to the territory.
“Without environmental justice, we will no longer have a planet that supports life,” said Moorcroft.
She wants the Peel Watershed protected.
“Yukon government must work with the mining community, the federal government and Yukon First Nations to protect the Peel Watershed,” she said. “We can not replace what we destroy.”
Food security, local agriculture and stronger local economies are Moorcroft’s economic justice goals.
“Social and political justice means that all of us have dignity,” she said. “A place to live, food to eat, safe drinking water, good health and an education and the ability to participate in government.”
And the women’s and First Nations’ organizations Moorcroft has worked for since leaving office more than a decade ago will not suffer by her career choice, she said.
“I think I could do a lot to advance the interest of the groups and communities that I’ve worked with as a member of the legislative assembly,” she said. “I also know that there’s great strength within those communities of people who are doing lots of good work.”
Moorcroft will be up against Liberal Colleen Wirth for her seat. The Yukon Party has yet to nominate a candidate for the Copperbelt South riding. (Roxanne Stasyszyn)