Willard Phelps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Willard Phelps
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|---|---|
| 2nd Premier of Yukon | |
| In office March 23, 1985 – May 28, 1985 |
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| Commissioner | Douglas Bell |
| Preceded by | Chris Pearson |
| Succeeded by | Tony Penikett |
| Legislative Assembly of Yukon | |
| In office October 19, 1992 – September 30, 1996 |
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| Preceded by | riding established |
| Succeeded by | Dave Keenan |
| Constituency | Ross River-Southern Lakes |
| Legislative Assembly of Yukon | |
| In office May 13, 1985 – October 19, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Al Falle |
| Succeeded by | riding redistributed |
| Constituency | Hootalinqua |
| Yukon Territorial Council | |
| In office October 7, 1974 – June 13, 1975 |
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| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Walt Lengerke |
| Constituency | Whitehorse Riverdale |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 23, 1941 Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Occupation | lawyer |
Willard Leroy Phelps (born October 23, 1941) is a former Yukon politician. He briefly served as the second premier of Yukon in 1985. A premier is like the leader of the government for a territory or province in Canada.
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Early Life and Education
Willard Phelps was born in 1941. His family had a history in Yukon politics. His grandfather, Willard "Deacon" Phelps, and his father, John Phelps, were both members of the Yukon Territorial Council. This council was an early form of government in the Yukon.
Willard Phelps studied law at the University of British Columbia. He earned his law degree in 1968.
Political Journey in Yukon
Phelps began his political career in 1974. He was first elected to the Yukon Territorial Council. However, his election was later cancelled in 1975. This happened because a court decided there was a problem. The government was renting space from his company, which created a conflict of interest. This meant his business interests could affect his government decisions.
Becoming Premier
Phelps did not run in the next two elections, in 1978 and 1982. But in 1985, the leader of the Progressive Conservatives, Chris Pearson, stepped down. The party chose Phelps to be their new leader.
Because he was the party leader, Willard Phelps became the second Government Leader of Yukon. This role is now called the Premier. He served from March 23 to May 28, 1985. The Yukon NDP then won the election and formed the new government.
Leader of the Opposition
After the 1985 election, Phelps became the Leader of the Opposition. This meant he led the main party that was not in power. He held this important role from 1985 until 1991.
Later, the Progressive Conservatives party changed its name to the Yukon Party. Phelps became an Independent Alliance Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). However, he still worked closely with the new Yukon Party.
Cabinet Minister Role
In 1992, the Yukon Party, led by John Ostashek, formed a government. It was a minority government, meaning they didn't have a clear majority of seats. Willard Phelps supported them and joined the government's team, called the Cabinet.
He became the Minister of Justice, Health, and Social Services. In 1994, he changed his roles. He stopped being the Minister of Justice and took on the responsibility for Education instead.
As Minister of Social Services, Phelps worked on changes to the welfare system. He also supported the idea of selling government-owned energy companies to private businesses. In March 1996, Phelps left his positions in the Cabinet. He ran for re-election later that year but did not win his seat.
Forming a New Party
In 2009, Willard Phelps started a new political group called the United Citizens Party of Yukon. He created this party to challenge the government led by Dennis Fentie. However, on May 9, 2011, Phelps resigned as the party leader. He explained that he was stepping down for health reasons and because people were losing interest in the party.
