Ed. note: this is one of a series of riding profiles the Star is publishing in the leadup to the Oct. 11 election. The series will conclude in tomorrow's edition.

Despite being a new riding, all three candidates running in Copperbelt South have experience campaigning for votes in the area.

The riding contains part of of the old Mount Lorne riding, where both the Yukon Party's Valerie Boxall and the Liberals' Colleen Wirth lost to the late Steve Cardiff of the NDP in 2006.

Meanwhile, the NDP's Lois Moorcroft is attempting to make a return to politics after having held the seat from 1992 to 2000, when the Liberals' Cynthia Tucker defeated her.

The riding includes the subdivisions of Cowley Creek, Golden Horn, McCrae, Mary Lake, Mount Sima Industrial, Pineridge, Spruce Hill, Whitehorse Copper, Wolf Creek and Wolf Creek North.

An executive assistant to the Minister of Economic Development, Boxall says she decided to run for political office after being involved in the process through her work.

"I'm at a comfortable stage in my life. I'm interested in politics after working in the office for seven years. I think it is a natural transition.”

The 46-year-old, who has lived in the territory for 25 years, says she has a great deal of respect for seniors after having been raised by her grandparents.

While talking to people on their doorsteps, the mother of two adult sons and a nine-year-old stepdaughter says the most common comment she has heard is, "Life's good.”

"People are busy working, new businesses have started up and people's children are able to find employment here and there are opportunities here for them.”

Boxall says housing is an issue she has heard a lot about while talking to voters.

"I've heard a lot about entry-level housing as opposed to social housing,” she says. "We've already announced that we are going to be opening up land to private developers in hopes of getting it out more quickly and more cheaply for people.”

Like so many other ridings in the territory, voters are also talking about the Peel watershed.

Boxall says the final report by the planning commission did not consider factors like compensation for the claims that are already in the area.

"I think we need to consider all the facts and what areas it is that are in most need of protection versus the number of claims that may be in that area,” she says. "Then come to a decision that represents all Yukoners.”

The NDP has stated it would implement the recommendations of the final report, which says that 80 per cent of the Peel watershed should be protected, with a portion that can be reviewed periodically.

Moorcroft says voters she's spoken with are frustrated that the current government has not made its stance on the Peel clear.

"Voters are very environmentally aware,” she says. "It is important to protect this unique and intact ecosystem.”

Since leaving politics, Moorcroft has been appointed to several advisory boards and committees including the Review of Yukon's Police Force 2010 Advisory Committee and three years on the Yukon Human Rights Commission.

"I've always had a passion for human rights and social justice,” she says.

Moorcroft says people's concerns are also crossing over into municipal issues such as the subdivision of lots.

"People in favour of it talk about that as a mechanism whereby their kids might be able to afford a home, others talk about the difficulties with the water table.”

She says this points to a need to have a co-operative and collaborative working relationship with the municipal government, something the NDP would create if elected.

The 56-year-old, who has spent the last 35 years in the Yukon, says the current housing crisis is "the single greatest failure of the Yukon Party government.” The government should have seen the crisis coming, she says.

"There are families with children who would like to live and work here but there is nowhere for them to live.”

"For people out here, is it housing across the continuum,” says Wirth, 56. "We realize we are very fortunate out here but people are still concerned about homelessness and the issue of affordable housing for the people around them.”

The current director of student services at Yukon College, Wirth says she is passionate about education because it gives people a power that can never be taken away.

"Investing in education across the continuum of our education is an investment in our future.”

Wirth, who worked for more than 30 years as an RN, says she is also passionate about health care and early access to appropriate services.

"Emergency and acute care is important, but it is so important to provide access early so that people do not always end up in crisis,” she says.

Voters want "accountability from their MLA and their government,” Wirth says.

The also want to maintain a strong economy while protecting the environment.

"I think people believe that we've got an incredible lifestyle out here, and want to make sure that we keep a strong economy going, diversify our economy and be sure we have this incredible environment for our children and our grandchildren.”