Currie Dixon (born September 2, 1985) is a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

politician, leader of the

Yukon Party The Yukon Party, formerly the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party, is a conservative political party in Yukon, Canada. History The Yukon Progressive Conservative Party was founded in April 1978. Long time Yukon legislator Hilda Watson was ...

, and MLA for Copperbelt North. Dixon was a cabinet minister in the government of Darrell Pasloski and is the former MLA for Copperbelt North, having served from 2011 until 2016.

Early life

Dixon was born and raised in

Whitehorse Whitehorse () is the capital of Yukon, and the largest city in Northern Canada. It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1426 (Historic Mile 918) on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas ...

Yukon Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...

Political career

Dixon was elected to the

Yukon Legislative Assembly The Yukon Legislative Assembly () is the legislative assembly for Yukon, Canada. Unique among Canada's three territories, the Yukon Legislative Assembly is the only territorial legislature which is organized along political party lines. In contr ...

in the general election of October 11, 2011, in the newly created riding of Copperbelt North. He defeated Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell, then Leader of the Official Opposition, for the seat. He was sworn into Cabinet on November 5, 2011, as the Minister of Environment and Minister of Economic Development. He was appointed Minister of Community Services and Minister of the Public Service Commission on January 16, 2015.Hon. Currie Dixon, MLA Copperbelt North
Yukon Legislative Assembly. Retrieved January 22, 2017. He is the youngest Cabinet minister in Yukon history and among the youngest in Canadian history. On June 15, 2016, Dixon announced that he would not seek a second term as MLA of Copperbelt North. The Yukon Party government was reduced to the opposition as a result of the election.

Leadership

On December 5, 2019, Dixon announced that he would run in the Yukon Party

leadership election A leadership election is a political contest held in various countries by which the members of a political party determine who will be the leader of their party. Generally, any political party can determine its own rules governing how and when a ...

, which will be held on May 23, 2020. He was elected as leader of the Yukon Party on May 23, 2020, replacing Darrell Pasloski, who resigned in November 2016, and interim leader Stacey Hassard; he defeated opponents Linda Benoit and Brad Cathers in two ballots. Dixon led the party into the 2021 territorial election, the Yukon Party won 8 seats and won the popular vote overall. Dixon was personally elected in the district of Copperbelt North. On April 23, the incumbent Liberals were sworn in with a

minority government A minority government, minority cabinet, minority administration, or a minority parliament is a government and cabinet formed in a parliamentary system when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in ...

. On April 28, the NDP announced that they had entered into a formal

confidence and supply In parliamentary system, parliamentary democracies based on the Westminster system, confidence and supply is an arrangement under which a minority government (one which does not control a majority in the legislature) receives the support of one ...

agreement with the Liberals. Aside from serving as Leader of the Official Opposition, Dixon also serves as the critic for the Executive Council Office, the Yukon Liquor Corporation, the Yukon Lottery Corporation, the Yukon Cannabis Corporation, Early Learning and Child Care, and the 2027 Canada Winter Games.

Personal life

Dixon worked as a senior policy advisor to the

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

in the Yukon Cabinet Offices after completing university and before entering politics. Dixon holds an undergraduate degree in political science and history from

Saint Francis Xavier University St. Francis Xavier University is a public undergraduate liberal arts university located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a member of the Maple League, a group of primarily undergraduate universities in Eastern Canada. History St. Franc ...

(2008). and a graduate degree in political science from the

University of Northern British Columbia The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is a university serving the northern region of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The main campus is located in Prince George, with additional campuses located in Prince Rupert, Terrace, ...

(2011), focusing on the relationship between the Yukon and First Nations governments in the area of education.

Electoral record

Yukon Party leadership election, 2020

Yukon general election, 2011

, - , - , Liberal , Arthur Mitchell , align="right", 407 , align="right", 37.4% , align="right", – , - , NDP , Skeeter Miller-Wright , align="right", 159 , align="right", 14.6% , align="right", – , - ! align=left colspan=3, Total ! align= 1088 ! align= 100.0% ! align= –

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dixon, Currie Yukon Party MLAs Living people Politicians from Whitehorse 21st-century members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly Yukon political party leaders 1985 births