Whitehorse, YT – Liberal Brendan Hanley has secured a second term as Yukon’s Member of Parliament.
With 104 of 105 polls reporting, Hanley captured 52.8 percent of the vote – 11,687 ballots – well ahead of Conservative Ryan Leef’s 38.7 percent or 8,573 votes. NDP’s Katherine McCallum finished third with 6.4 percent and Green candidate Gabrielle Dupont trailed with just over 2 percent.
“I’m really honoured and humbled to have earned the trust of Yukoners once again,” Hanley told a room full of supporters at Tony’s Pasta and Seafood House last night.
In his victory speech, Hanley pledged to work across party lines to tackle key issues including climate change, U.S. trade tensions, the rising cost of living, and access to health care. He also committed to staying accessible to all Yukoners regardless of how they voted.
“I can’t wait to get back to Ottawa to meet my colleagues – old and new – and to work with the Mark Carney team,” said Hanley. “There’s so much to do and little time to waste.”
The result marks a significant turnaround for the Liberals after weeks of polling showed the Conservatives holding a 25-point lead. That trend reversed following former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation and Carney’s rise to party leadership.
“A few months ago, a win seemed like a distant prospect for either myself or our party,” said Hanley. “How dramatically circumstances have changed over the past few months.”
Leef, who served as Yukon MP from 2011 to 2015, conceded defeat and arrived in person to congratulate Hanley on his re-election.
