For for the first time in Yukon historyMore women than men were elected to the Territorial Legislative Assembly.
This week's votes elected 11 women and one nonbinary MLA, representing 57 percent of the Legislature, according to Elections Yukon.
Lindsay Bramwell, Interim Executive Director, Equal Voice – a charitable organization dedicated to improving gender representation in Canadian politics – said the result was a “pleasant surprise”.
“This is an amazing result,” she said. “We are thrilled to see Yukon leading the way in Canada.”
Bramwell said the milestone reflected how northern communities valued local leadership regardless of gender.
“It’s a testament to people knowing their neighbors, choosing the best community leaders for them, and supporting the people who will best serve them in those positions.”
Bramwell said similar progress had been made in other jurisdictions, including British Columbia, where women surpassed 50 per cent representation in the 2024 provincial elections.And Northwest Territories that achieved gender parity after 2019 elections.
During the campaign Yukon also saw most women participate in the election campaign in at least a decade. Twenty-seven women and one mixed gender stood for their constituencies, for a total of 46 percent.
Bramwell added that more women in power could lead to stronger policies.
“Having women at the decision-making table is critical to ensuring that policies reflect the interests of all.”
Women's NGOs need more funding, MLAs say
Yvonne Clarke was re-elected Monday night as the Yukon Party MP. this time for another trip through Whistle Bend North. She said she was proud to be a member of the territory's first majority-female legislature.
“It’s really good,” she said. “I'm so happy that I can continue my work – and that this is the majority. It's the icing on the cake.”
Clarke, who chaired the Yukon Women's Advisory Council and sat on the leadership committee of Commonwealth women parliamentarians, said she hopes to continue promoting gender equality now that she is part of the government. She noted that other provincial and territorial legislatures are offering child care support to MLAs.
She also called for increased funding for NGOs under the Yukon Women's Coalition. group of organizations advocating to improve women's health care and other policies that support women and combat poverty and violence against women.
Linda Moen, the elected NDP MLA for Mountainview, has previously worked with the coalition and the RCMP. Together for safety the group is a collaboration between Whitehorse women's groups and the Whitehorse RCMP. She agrees that funding is needed.
“I know that every year they struggle to get enough funding to keep this coalition group going,” Moen said.
Women are still less likely to run
Research shows that women are still more likely than men to believe they are not qualified to hold elected office, Bramwell said. As a result, they need more support and encouragement from leaders and their own communities to meet this challenge.
She says the territory's election results are a testament to the support and endorsement candidates received from all Yukoners.
“It's the hard work of many people in the Yukon who continue to advocate for women, ask women to run and give credit to women and people of color for wanting to put their names forward,” Bramwell said.
Clarke welcomed the support she received from party leader Curry Dixon and called on other leaders to do the same.
“When there's a woman who wants to run, you go up to that woman and you talk to her, they can say no three times. And so you have to be patient and you just have to keep going and asking them,” Clark said.
She said she would like to see leaders and MLAs talking to high school students about what they do and what it means to run for public office.
“Please consider running. It's fun and you can make a difference,” Clark said.
Moen, who was also a councilor for the Kwanlin Dun First Nation before her election, said she had deep support from her community and her party during the campaign.
“My family and friends have been very supportive,” she said. “And I can't say enough about Kate White and the Yukon NDP and all the volunteers and canvassers who came out and helped. It's been just a great trip.”
“We have every right to come to these spaces”
Maughan said the results also send a strong message to Indigenous women across the country.
“I am an Indigenous person and I am sending a clear message to all of Canada that we have every right to come to these places.”
She said Indigenous women have long held leadership roles in their communities.
“We are a matriarchal society among our First Nations,” she said. “Women are often the leaders, the backbone of society.”
On election night at NDP headquarters, Moen remembered Margaret Commodore, four-time Yukon MLA: telling her how Moena's grandmother, a community leader in her own right, supported the Commodore.
“She said, 'Where is Sophie Smarsh's granddaughter?' And I said, “It's me.” She said, “Your grandmother was one of the first to support me.” It was a really beautiful moment,” Moen said. “It shows how Indigenous women support other Indigenous women in leadership.”
Moen says he hopes this will inspire the next generation to see leadership as something that is within their reach.
