Lorraine Peter facts for kids

Lorraine Peter (born Lorraine Netro on May 24, 1956) is a Canadian politician. She served in the Yukon Legislative Assembly. This is like the government for the Yukon territory. She represented the area called Vuntut Gwitchin. She was a member of the Yukon New Democratic Party. This is one of Canada's political parties.

When she first ran for election, her name was Lorraine Netro. She got married during her first year in office. After that, she used her married name, Peter, for her political work.

Lorraine Peter's Political Journey

Lorraine Peter started her political career in the year 2000. She was first elected in the Yukon election for the Old Crow area. This area is also known as Vuntut Gwitchin. She ran for the New Democrats.

She took over from another New Democrat politician, Robert Bruce. He was also the Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. In that election, the New Democrat government lost. So, Lorraine Peter joined the group called the Official Opposition. This group checks on the government.

Re-election and Important Roles

In 2002, Lorraine Peter was elected again in Vuntut Gwitchin. During her time in the 31st Legislative Assembly, she had important jobs. She was the Official Opposition critic for different government departments. These included the Departments of Environment and Justice.

She also worked with the Women's Directorate and on issues for First Nations people. She was also the Caucus Chair. This means she led meetings for her political party's members.

Leaving Politics

In the 2006 Yukon election, Lorraine Peter was not re-elected. She was defeated by Darius Elias from the Yukon Liberal Party. This was the first time the Liberals had won the Vuntut Gwitchin area.

Lorraine Peter's Personal Life and Community Work

Lorraine Peter is a Gwich'in person from Old Crow. The Gwich'in are an Indigenous group in Canada. After she left politics, she continued to serve her community.

She became a councillor and Deputy Chief for the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. A First Nation is a self-governing Indigenous community. She also joined the Board of Directors for Gwich'in Council International. This group is part of the Arctic Council. The Arctic Council works on issues in the Arctic region.