Mayo (electoral district)

Mayo was an electoral district which returned an MLA to the Legislative Assembly of the Yukon Territory in Canada. It was created in 1928, at a time when it was one of three districts who elected advisors to the Yukon Territorial Council. The more contemporary, final iteration of the riding was created from an amalgamation of the riding with part of the riding of Klondike. It was abolished in 1992 when it was amalgamated with the riding of Tatchun to form the riding of Mayo-Tatchun.

Mayo
Yukon electoral district
Defunct territorial electoral district
LegislatureYukon Legislative Assembly
District abolished1992
First contested1978
Last contested1989
Demographics
Electors (1989)421
Census subdivisionsMayo, Keno, Elsa, Stewart Crossing

The district included the communities of Mayo, Keno, Elsa, and Stewart Crossing along the Silver Trail. At the time, it was one of the Yukon's nine rural ridings and was bordered by the ridings of Tatchun, Klondike, and Campbell.[1]

It was situated on the traditional territory of the Selkirk First Nation and the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun. As of 1970, the population of the electorate was 476 voters and by abolition (c. 1992) it was 421 voters.

History

Mayo was created as a district in the 1928 Yukon election at a time when representatives for the Yukon Territorial Council were being elected. The Yukon Territorial Council was the Yukon's political body prior to the creation of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. Although not a full legislature, the council acted as an advisory body to the Commissioner of the Yukon, and had the power to pass non-binding motions of legislation which would be forwarded to the Commissioner for consideration. Because the Commissioner retained executive authority,[2] empowered through Ottawa, the Yukon Territorial Council was thus not a fully democratic government. Although an elected body, its powers were significantly more constrained than those of a provincial legislative assembly.[2]

When Mayo was created in 1928, it was one of three districts with representatives on the Yukon Territorial Council along with Dawson and Whitehorse.

When partisan politics was introduced to the Yukon in the 1978 election, Mayo was one of the initial electoral districts, its communities of Mayo, Elsa, Stewart Crossing, and Keno forming the centre of much of the Yukon's mining production. Elsa at one point was the 2nd largest producer of silver in Canada and the 4th largest in the world.[3] Keno was also known for its silver and lead mining. However, in 1989 when United Keno Hill closed its mining operations in the area of Keno and Elsa, the communities essentially shut down. Keno maintains a small population of around 15-20 people, while Elsa is abandoned. Both are maintained as sites of historical significance.

Mayo is also the former seat of New Democrat MLA Piers McDonald who became Premier of the Yukon in 1996. He ran in the Whitehorse riding of McIntyre-Takhini when Mayo was dissolved into Mayo-Tatchun in 1992.

MLAs
Parliament Years Member Party
1928 1928-1931     Frank Carscallen Independent
1931 1931-1934     Thomas MacKay Independent
1934 1934-1937     Ernest Corp Independent
1937 1937-1940
1940 1940-1944     Richard Lee Independent
1944 1944-1947     Ernest Corp Independent
1947 1947-1949
1949 1949-1952
1952 1952-1955     Alex Berry Independent
1955 1955-1958     Duncan McGeachy Independent
1958 1958-1961     Ray McKamey Independent
1961 1961-1964
1964 1964-1967     Fred Southam Independent
1967 1967-1970     Jean Gordon Independent
1970 1970-1974     Ronald Rivett Independent
1974 1974-1978     Gordon McIntyre Independent
1978 1978–1982     Swede Hanson Progressive Conservative
1982 1982–1985     Piers McDonald New Democratic
1982 1985–1989
1985 1989–1992

Electoral results

1989 general election
1989 Yukon general election[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
  NDP Piers McDonald 210 62.3% +6.9%
Progressive ConservativeMike McGinnis9327.6%-12.7%
  Liberal Wilf Tuck 34 10.1% +6.1%
Total 337 100.0% –

1985 general election
1985 Yukon general election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
  NDP Piers McDonald 251 55.4% +3.1%
Progressive ConservativeKen Cooper18340.3%+1.0%
  Liberal Rob Andison 18 4.0% -4.0%
Total 453 100.0% –

1982 general election
1982 Yukon general election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
  NDP Piers McDonald 230 52.3% +29.1%
Progressive ConservativeSwede Hanson17339.3%+12.5%
  Liberal Eleanor Van Bibber 35 8.0% -16.0%
Total 440 100.0% –

1978 general election
1978 Yukon general election[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Progressive ConservativeSwede Hanson9526.8%–
  Independent David Harwood 84 23.7% –
  Liberal Gordon McIntyre 85 24.0% –
  NDP Alan H. McDiarmid 82 23.2% –
Total 354 100.0% –
  • Partisan politics introduced into the territory

1974 general election
1974 Yukon general election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
  Independent Gordon McIntyre 199 55.3% –
  Independent V.B.P. Mills 154 42.3% –
Total 360 100.0% –

1970 general election
1970 Yukon general election[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
  Independent Ronald Rivett 248 68.1% –
  Independent George Dobson 69 19.0% –
  Independent G. Jaen Gordon 46 12.6% –
Total 364 100.0% –
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References
  1. Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Yukon on the 1985 General Election (p. 10/26). Elections Yukon, 1985. Retrieved January 21, 2017
  2. Kenneth Coates and Judith Powell, The Modern North: People, Politics and the Rejection of Colonialism. Lorimer, 1999. ISBN 978-1550281200. p. 63.
  3. "Silver Trail Arae - Keno & Mayo, Yukon". Yukoninfo.com. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  4. Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Yukon on the 1989 General Election Elections Yukon, 1989. Retrieved January 21, 2017
  5. Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Yukon on the 1985 General Election Elections Yukon, 1985. Retrieved January 21, 2017
  6. Yukon Elections Board Report on the 1982 Election Elections Yukon, 1982. Retrieved January 21, 2017
  7. Yukon Elections Board Report on the 1978 Election Elections Yukon, 1978. Retrieved January 21, 2017
  8. Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on Yukon Territory Elections Held During the Year 1974 Elections Yukon, 1974. Retrieved January 21, 2017
  9. Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on Yukon Territory Elections Held During the Year 1970 Elections Yukon, 1970. Retrieved January 21, 2017
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