Yukon

Situated in Canada's mountainous northwest corner, the Yukon Territory covers 455,400 square kilometres.

Most of the residents of this riding live in the capital, Whitehorse. Smaller population centres include historic Dawson City, the transport hub of Watson Lake, and Haines Junction, the gateway to Kluane National Park.

Twenty-five per cent of Yukoners are aboriginal and about 10 per cent are immigrants. Just over half the population was born outside the territory.

Despite the Yukon's fabled gold rush, mining is now rare and the economy has been in the doldrums for years.

There is some oil and gas exploration and gem prospecting, but government is the major employer, along with seasonal tourism. The 2006 census shows an average family income of $86,085 and an unemployment rate of 9.4 per cent.

Population: 30,372 (2006 census; an increase of 5.9% since 2001)

Political History

Liberal Larry Bagnell made his strongest showing yet in 2006, besting the NDP's Pam Boyde once again, this time by almost 3,500 votes. This was Bagnell's third consecutive win, his second with a strong percentage of the votes.

Bagnell ousted the New Democrats in 2000, when he beat Louise Hardy by a scant 60 votes. In 2004, Bagnell increased his margin, beating Boyde by 2,508 votes.

When the NDP's Audrey McLaughlin won this seat in a 1987 byelection, she put an end to nearly three decades of Tory dominance. McLaughlin triumphed in the general election the next year and was soon named NDP leader, making her the first woman to lead a major party in Canada.

McLaughlin won again in 1993 and was succeeded in 1997 by Hardy.

• 1902 byelection - LIB
• 1904 - CON
• 1908 - LIB
• 1911-30 inclusive - CON
• 1935 - IND CON
• 1940, 1945 - CON
• 1953, 1957 - LIB
• 1957 byelection to 1984 inclusive - PC
• 1987 byelection, 1988, 1993, 1997 - NDP
• 2000, 2004, 2006 - LIB