Darius Mortimer Elias (March 17, 1972 – February 17, 2021) was 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. He represented the rural
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 ...
electoral district
An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...
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 ...
from 2006–2016 as a member of both the
Yukon Liberal Party
The Yukon Liberal Party () is a political party in the territory of Yukon, Canada. The party is not organizationally linked to the federal Liberal Party of Canada in any official manner.
History
After twenty years as a minor party, the Yukon Libe ...
and 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 ...
.
He later served as Deputy Chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. He resigned from that position June 12, 2020. Elias died February 17, 2021, at the age of 48.
Political career
32nd Legislative Assembly
Elias defeated two-term incumbent
New Democrat
New Democrats may refer to:
* New Democratic Party, a social democratic party in Canada
* New Democrats (United States), the ideological centrist faction of the Democratic Party
** New Democrat Coalition, the related caucus in the United States H ...
Lorraine Peter in the
Old Crow
Old Crow is a low-priced brand of Kentucky-made straight bourbon whiskey distilled by Suntory Global Spirits, which also produces Jim Beam and several other brands of whiskey. The current Old Crow product uses the same mash bill and yeast as ...
riding of Vuntut Gwitchin in
2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, ending the New Democrat's ten-year hold on the riding. His win marked the Yukon Liberals' first election win in that riding. Elias served as Official Opposition caucus chair, as well as Liberal critic for the Environment, Tourism and Culture, and the Women's Directorate portfolios.
33rd Legislative Assembly
Elias was re-elected in the 2011 election, but that election saw the Yukon Liberals reduced to just two rural seats and third party status. Yukon Liberal leader Arthur Mitchell was defeated in his re-election campaign and resigned on election night. As the only Liberal MLA with experience (the other being then-rookie MLA
Sandy Silver
Sidney Alexander "Sandy" Silver (born October 15, 1969) is a Canadian politician, who served as the ninth premier of Yukon from 2016 to 2023. He was first elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the 2011 election, and was re-elected in 201 ...
), Elias became interim leader of the party.
On August 17, 2012, Elias resigned from the post of interim Liberal leader and from the party caucus to sit as an
Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
MLA. Eleven months later, on July 8, 2013, Elias crossed the floor to join the caucus of the governing
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 ...
. The move was controversial not only in that a former party leader defected; Elias' defection also granted the Yukon Party a majority on the Select Committee on Hydraulic Fracturing, which was struck to examine the role of fracking in the Yukon.
In 2014, he was fined $1,000 for refusing a breathalyzer test and using a cellphone while driving. His license was temporarily suspended and he publicly admitted to having an alcohol problem.
Elias was appointed Government House Leader and Caucus Chair of the Yukon Party caucus in 2015. Following the sudden resignation of David Laxton, Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, in May 2016, Elias briefly assumed the position of Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly when his predecessor, Patti McLeod, became Speaker.
He announced his intention to seek re-election in the 2016 election, but was defeated by Liberal candidate Pauline Frost by seven votes.
Personal life
Elias had a diploma in renewable resources management and was a former Vuntut National Park warden.
He was the son of Vuntut Gwitchin chief and former New Democrat MLA
Norma Kassi
Norma Kassi (born April 10, 1954) is a native Gwich'in from Yukon Territory, Canada, and a former member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly and former chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.Liberals construct their shadow cabinet ''Whitehorse Star'' (October 25, 2006).
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Yukon general election, 2006
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, Darius Elias
, align="right", 65
, align="right", 45.8%
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, NDP
,
Lorraine Peter
Lorraine Peter, (née Netro; May 24, 1956) is a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Vuntut Gwitchin in the Yukon Legislative Assembly from 2000 to 2006. She was a member of the Yukon New Democratic Party.
She origin ...