| Dennis G. Fentie | |
|---|---|
| The Hon. Dennis G. Fentie | |
| 7th Premier of the Yukon | |
| In office November 2002 – June 10, 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Pat Duncan (Liberal) |
| Succeeded by | Darrell Pasloski (Yukon Party) |
| MLA for Watson Lake | |
| In office 1996–2011 |
|
| Preceded by | John Devries |
| Succeeded by | Patti McLeod |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 8, 1950 Edmonton, Alberta |
| Political party | New Democrat → Yukon Party |
| Spouse(s) | Lorraine Nixon |
| Residence | Whitehorse, Yukon |
Dennis G. Fentie, MLA (born November 8, 1950) is a Canadian politician. He was the seventh Premier of Yukon and leader of the Yukon Party, serving from 2002 to 2011, as well as the MLA for Watson Lake.
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Fentie was born in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1962, Fentie moved to Watson Lake.[1] Prior to entering politics, Fentie was involved in a variety of economic activities in and around Watson Lake. These activities include logging, tourism, mining, trucking, and fuel distribution. Fentie has served as director of both the Association of Yukon Forests and the Watson Lake Chamber of Commerce, and the owner and former manager of Francis River Construction.
Fentie was first elected MLA for Watson Lake in the 1996 election as a member of Yukon New Democratic Party, succeeding retiring incumbent John Devries. He was re-elected in the 2000 election.
In May 2002, Fentie left the NDP, crossing the floor to sit with the Yukon Party. One month later, Fentie was selected as the next Yukon Party leader. In the 2002 election, Fentie led the Yukon Party to a majority government, defeating incumbent Premier Pat Duncan and the Liberals. The party won 12 of 18 seats available in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.
Fentie's majority government was reduced to minority government status in August 2006, when three Yukon Party MLAs resigned or chose to sit as independents. Copperbelt MLA Haakon Arntzen resigned after facing sexual assault charges and Klondike MLA Peter Jenkins was ousted after refusing to repay a government loan.[2] McIntyre-Takhini MLA John Edzerza, the only First Nations person in Fentie's cabinet, resigned in August 2006 to sit as an Independent. Edzerza would run in the next election as a member of the NDP.
With a minority government, Fentie called the 2006 election for October 6. Fentie was re-elected for a fourth time in the riding of Watson Lake and the Yukon Party was voted to a second straight majority government. The Yukon Party under Fentie's leadership won 10 of 18 seats in the legislative assembly.
After the 2002 election, it was revealed he had been convicted and spent time in prison for heroin trafficking in 1974 when he was 24 years old. During the 2002 election campaign, he made it public that he had spent time in jail for a narcotics charge but did not make the fact it was heroin public since he had received a pardon.[3][4]
| Yukon general election, 1996 | |||
| Party | Incumbent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Democratic Party | Dennis Fentie | 442 | |
| Yukon Party | Barrie Ravenhill | 249 | |
| Liberal | Dave Kalles | 106 | |
| Independent | Mickey Thomas | 40 | |
| Yukon general election, 2000 | |||
| Party | Incumbent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Democratic Party | Dennis Fentie | 434 | |
| Liberal | Isaac Wood | 312 | |
| Yukon Party | Mickey Thomas | 144 | |
| Yukon general election, 2002 | |||
| Party | Incumbent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yukon Party | Dennis Fentie | 521 | |
| New Democratic Party | Kathy Magun | 174 | |
| Liberal | Tom Cove | 130 | |
| Yukon general election, 2006 | |||
| Party | Incumbent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yukon Party | Dennis Fentie | 495 | |
| Liberal | Rick Harder | 196 | |
| New Democratic Party | Rachael Lewis | 45 | |
| Independent | Dale Robert Worsfold | 28 | |
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