Environment Minister John Edzerza is in Vancouver General Hospital dealing with an undisclosed illness, cabinet spokeswoman Brianne Young said Monday afternoon.

Young said the minister and his family are requesting that no details be released regarding the nature of his illness.

Deputy premier Elaine Taylor has taken over Edzerza's duties while he's out of the office.

New Premier Darrell Pasloski will also pitch in when Taylor is unavailable, Young said.

Edzerza has served almost nine years in elected office, having first been elected as a Yukon Party MLA to represent the McIntyre-Takhini riding in 2002, when the party swept Pat Duncan's 2 1/2-year-old Liberal regime out of office.

Edzerza left the cabinet at one point to sit as an independent and later as a New Democrat, before rejoining the governing party's caucus at then-premier Dennis Fentie's invitation.