Marian Horne says she is upset that a new Yukon Party candidate is trying to snatch her seat in Pelly-Nisutlin for the coming election.

Stacey Hassard announced last Friday at a constituency meeting he will seek the Yukon Party nomination for Horne's riding.

Hassard is the brother of former Yukon Party MLA Dean Hassard, who represented Pelly-Nisutlin from 2002 to 2006.

The new candidate, who recently sold his store, the Nisutlin Trading Post, said on several occasions he would not enter the political arena, Horne told the Star this morning.

"What I'm most upset about is that the candidate waited until the last minute,” said Horne.

"He asked for special concession and was given extra time to go out and campaign.”

The first-term MLA said she feels betrayed by her riding association.

"This would make sense if I had not been doing my job, but I have been,” said Horne. "The reason I was given was that I have not been going to the Village of Teslin (council) meetings, which is not true.”

The MLA and Justice Minister said Hassard told her he is running because he has "time on his hands.”

Horne said she does not believe this is the whole truth.

When Hassard was asked several months ago by another political party whether he would run in the election, he said, "How many ways can I say no?”

He was unavailable for comment this morning.

"I hope my record will speak for itself,” said Horne.

"I hope (party members) choose a candidate with a five-year track record. I've brought issues like violence against women, FASD and improvements to the correctional systems to the national front. I'd like to see these things through.”

Yukon Party members in Pelly-Nisutlin will choose a candidate Friday by a phone and walk-in vote process.

Longtime area resident Carol Geddes is seeking the NDP nomination for the same riding, while the Liberal party does not yet have a candidate

lined up.

Jim Kenyon, the two-term MLA for Porter Creek North, is also being challenged for his spot as Yukon Party candidate by veteran city councillor

Doug Graham.

Graham, who served as a territorial Conservative cabinet minister in the late 1970s and early 1980s, had originally said he would seek a Liberal nomination for the coming election, which Premier Darrell Pasloski must call by October.

Yukon Party members will make their choice by voting at the Church of the Northern Apostles from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today.

New Democrats, Liberals announce more potential candidates ... see pages 4, 5.

By Nadine Sander-Green

Star Reporter