Esau Schafer facts for kids

Esau Albert Schafer was born on January 16, 1952. He is a Canadian politician from the Yukon. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Vuntut Gwitchin area in 1996. He was a member of the Yukon Party.

Who is Esau Schafer?

Esau Schafer was born in Johnston Creek Township, Yukon. He became known for his work in politics. He represented the people of Vuntut Gwitchin. This is a special area in the Yukon that elects its own representative.

Becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly

Esau Schafer first became an MLA in early 1996. This happened during a special election called a by-election. A by-election is held when a political seat becomes empty between regular elections. This particular by-election was held after the previous MLA, Johnny Abel, passed away in 1995.

Later in 1996, a regular election was held across the Yukon. This is called a general election. In this election, Esau Schafer ran against Robert Bruce from the New Democrat party. They both received exactly 69 votes, which meant they were tied!

To decide the winner, Robert Bruce's name was chosen by drawing it from a hat. Esau Schafer did not agree with this result. He took the matter to court. The court decided that the election results should be cancelled. So, another by-election was held. In this new election, Robert Bruce won with more votes.

Serving the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation

Even after his time as an MLA, Esau Schafer continued to serve his community. Since 2003, he has been a member of the council for the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. This means he helps make important decisions for his community.