A Yukon Party insider who worked in the cabinet office under former Yukon Party premiers Dennis Fentie and Darrell Pasloski, and ran for party leader in 2020, wants the party’s nomination to represent Whistle Bend South as MLA.
That’s according to a press release the Yukon Party issued on June 5 announcing that Linda Benoit is seeking nomination for the riding .
Benoit has political and private-sector experience, as noted in the release.
The release describes Benoit as a “private sector advocate, committed volunteer and local businessperson” who was born in Faro. For the past six years, she has worked as a finance and health and safety manager for a local construction company while running her own part-time bookkeeping business.
Benoit volunteers with the Yukon Contractors’ Association and Equal Voice, a charity dedicated to improving gender representation in Canadian politics.
She is quoted in the release saying she keeps hearing about housing, affordability and contracting, construction and building challenges.
“Representing Yukoners is a natural next step in serving my community and the territory,” she said.
In early 2020, the News reported Benoit had served as the party’s treasurer, official agent and president. Benoit went up against now-Leader Currie Dixon and MLA Brad Cathers in a leadership contest that year. She was the first female leadership candidate for the party, according to the News' reporting.
“I am very proud to join Currie Dixon and the rest of the Yukon Party team to work together and make the Yukon a better place to live, work, and raise a family,” she said.
The territory's general elections haven't been called yet, although the Yukon Liberal Party will be holding a leadership convention June 19 to elect its new leader, before Yukoners go to mark their ballots in territory-wide elections for MLAs.
Territorial polls must be held on or before Nov. 3.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
