Darius Elias facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Darius Elias
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| Leader of the Yukon Liberal Party (Interim) |
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| In office 2011–2012 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Mitchell |
| Succeeded by | Sandy Silver |
| MLA for Vuntut Gwitchin | |
| In office 2006–2016 |
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| Preceded by | Lorraine Peter |
| Succeeded by | Pauline Frost |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 17, 1972 |
| Died | February 17, 2021 (aged 48) Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada |
| Political party | Yukon Party (since July 8, 2013) |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal (2006–2012) Independent (2012–2013) |
Darius Mortimer Elias (born March 17, 1972 – died February 17, 2021) was a Canadian politician from the Yukon. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the area called Vuntut Gwitchin. He served as an MLA from 2006 to 2016. During his time, he was part of both the Yukon Liberal Party and the Yukon Party.
After his time as an MLA, he became the Deputy Chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. He stepped down from this role in June 2020. Darius Elias passed away on February 17, 2021, at 48 years old.
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Darius Elias's Political Journey
Darius Elias started his political career in 2006. He won the election in the Vuntut Gwitchin area. This was a big win for the Yukon Liberal Party in that area. As an MLA, he helped lead the Official Opposition. He also worked on issues like the environment and tourism.
Leading the Liberals
In the 2011 election, Darius Elias was re-elected. However, his party, the Yukon Liberals, lost many seats. Their leader, Arthur Mitchell, also lost his seat. Because Darius Elias was the most experienced Liberal MLA left, he became the temporary leader of the party.
Changing Political Parties
In August 2012, Darius Elias decided to leave the Liberal Party. He became an Independent MLA, meaning he did not belong to any party. About a year later, in July 2013, he joined the Yukon Party. This was a big change because he had been a leader of another party.
After joining the Yukon Party, he took on new roles. In 2015, he became the Government House Leader. He also became the Caucus Chair for the Yukon Party. A caucus is a group of members from the same political party. In 2016, he briefly served as the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. The Speaker is like the referee in the assembly.
Darius Elias tried to be re-elected in 2016. But he lost by a very small number of votes to Pauline Frost.
About His Life
Darius Elias had a diploma in managing natural resources. He used to work as a park warden for Vuntut National Park. His mother, Norma Kassi, was also a well-known leader. She was a chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and a former MLA herself.
