Photo by Whitehorse Star
Yukon Party MLA Yvonne Clarke
MLA endorses Laking for council
Yvonne Clarke, the Yukon Party MLA for Porter Creek Centre, has endorsed Ted Laking in his efforts to represent Whitehorse residents and businesses on city council in the Oct. 21 election.
Yvonne Clarke, the Yukon Party MLA for Porter Creek Centre, has endorsed Ted Laking in his efforts to represent Whitehorse residents and businesses on city council in the Oct. 21 election.
“I’m so very proud and excited to support Ted Laking in his bid for Whitehorse city council,” Clarke said Tuesday.
“Ted is a genuine, down-to-Earth soul who understands that our city is becoming increasingly unaffordable and he’s dedicated to doing something to address it.
“Ted will be a strong voice on city council for families and all Whitehorse residents as he is committed to helping people.”
Laking has taken a leave of absence from his job as the Yukon Party’s chief of staff.
Clarke made history last April as the territory’s first Filipino elected to the legislative assembly.
“I’m confident Ted will be a strong representative for our city as we address issues such as traffic and much-needed infrastructure improvements,” added Clarke.
“From improvements to school zones or fighting to get the Whistle Bend pond fixed, I know Ted will work hard on behalf of all residents with integrity and dedication to families.”
Laking announced his candidacy on Sept. 9. He grew up in Whitehorse and is raising his young family in Whistle Bend.
There are three mayoral candidates and 17 people running for a council seat in the election.
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Comments (32)
Up 9 Down 14
Memorable on Oct 4, 2021 at 2:19 am
She says Ted was the so called 'Yukon Party's' chief of staff. Let's not forget the well oiled machine she's recommending took some three (3) years to come up with someone who needed a job and become leader. They stumbled for that entire time with the Hazzard blurting out falsehoods. Chief of staff alright, what staff?
Up 30 Down 14
TMYK on Oct 1, 2021 at 10:58 am
This isn't anything new. Cabott was the President of the Yukon Liberal Party. She's their chosen replacement for Curtis. The NDP are running an unofficial slate to replace Stick and Roddick. There is a ton of overlap between the municipal and Territorial politicians..
Up 16 Down 4
Memorable on Oct 1, 2021 at 7:24 am
Let's not forget that this MLA was endorsed by Groucho of all people so I figure she must be Cabinet material.
Up 23 Down 1
North_of_60 on Sep 30, 2021 at 11:45 pm
"The last person to trust with power is someone who is dying to have it. The best person to wield power is someone who is reluctant to do so, but who will do it for a while as a civic duty. That is why term limits should make it impossible to have a whole career in politics." -Thomas Sowell
Up 50 Down 11
WBender on Sep 30, 2021 at 12:55 pm
Clarke doesn’t even live in her own riding.
The Whistlebend pond has been an issue and long as WB has been here. One of the first things she did as MLA was to send a poorly written letter to COW about the state of the pond. “See guys! I share your concerns!”
A few weeks later, again on social media she claimed to have singled handedly ‘fixed’ the pond. Clearly she hadn’t seen it in person because literally no work had been done.
Awkward and embarrassing. She took down her post and then in a pathetic attempt to ‘revise history’ claimed to be still working on it.
Yvonne, do your job. Don’t chirp from the sidelines telling others how to do theirs.
And don’t use your office to sway the municipal election vote.
Up 40 Down 9
Observer on Sep 30, 2021 at 11:29 am
Also, who is paying for all those huge signs for Laking all over town, on the highway? Seems like a heavy investment for a councillor position on WH City Council?
Up 35 Down 8
Nathan Living on Sep 29, 2021 at 6:58 pm
Clarke's endorsement is inappropriate.
Let's judge Ted Laking on his campaign for council. Ted may be a great candidate, let's hear from him.
Up 35 Down 17
Pokemeinthearm on Sep 29, 2021 at 4:41 pm
@Keep Blatant Partisan Politics out of City Council!
Remember when Dan Curtis tried to be an MLA for the Yukon Liberal Party and then went back to his mayor job after he lost?
Pepperidge Farm remembers.
Up 32 Down 22
Rolf on Sep 29, 2021 at 4:39 pm
This is an absolute outrage. The so called, 'Yukon Party' attempting to apply a coup of the civic core which has always been largely non-partisan. How cheap.
Up 33 Down 15
Dan Davidson on Sep 29, 2021 at 4:10 pm
Sitting politicians endorsing candidates for other levels of government is usually a bad idea, but her leader, Dixon, set the tone for this recently.
Up 38 Down 13
Resist the Parties on Sep 29, 2021 at 3:34 pm
We really must vote to stop all these party poltical attempts to take over Council before they get out of hand.
Sorry Ted your friend has done you no favours here at all.
Up 33 Down 5
Resident on Sep 29, 2021 at 3:01 pm
We need to trust that Council will leave the clan colours at the door and work for us regardless of who forms government.
When candidates are getting direct endorsements from MLAs, we drop all pretense that Council works for everyone. Political parties or wards will tear this city apart, we can't afford either.
I don't like any of the parties, they're all douchebags gunning for that sweet pension. I have more respect for council who aren't lining their retirement by serving. Political aspirations aside...
Up 46 Down 11
Charlie's Aunt on Sep 29, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Clarke was elected as an MLA and as such she should keep her beak out of COW elections. If she thought she would gain him votes, the reality is her stupidity may have the opposite effect.
Up 18 Down 15
Bill on Sep 29, 2021 at 1:29 pm
For goodness sake if you don't think that council is not politically polarized then I am prepared to give you a great deal on the purchase of the Teslin Bridge. Of course it is. So what? None of us are able to stop any candidate for council running and espousing their political beliefs. Nor are we and should not be in a position to limit candidates from being endorsed by anyone. That is part of the democratic process - getting endorsements, garnering support, etc.. To lament that one should not do this is feathering your own nest for your own purposes. Curtis never hid his affiliation with the Liberals and nor have several other councillors over the years/decades. You don't like it - don't vote for them. Furthermore I find it distasteful that you would use this platform to smear a candidate for what they believe. Oh, and I could care less if you even like me or not!
The only hope we have is that those elected are able to leave their political ideologies outside chambers. Even that is wishful thinking and highly unlikely to occur. It is what it is.
Up 40 Down 20
David Dixon on Sep 29, 2021 at 1:01 pm
Yvonne Clarke as a former Whitehorse councillor you did nothing to create more affordable homes to buy in Whitehorse. As a Yukon Party candidate what have you personally done to help create more affordable homes to buy in Whitehorse? The answer is NOTHING!!!!!
Up 26 Down 20
Jim on Sep 29, 2021 at 8:26 am
@Resident, I for one look forward to having a council and mayor that do more than just rubber stamp YTG and City administration policies. We had a Liberal mayor for years. How much good has that done?
Up 28 Down 7
Yukoner on Sep 29, 2021 at 8:18 am
Woah.. slow news cycle or is this a paid promotion?
Up 39 Down 8
No parties on Sep 29, 2021 at 12:04 am
Stick to attempting to learn your own job before directing others. Ted is going to fix traffic is he.
How, exactly?
Up 31 Down 10
Chris Fox on Sep 28, 2021 at 9:19 pm
SOOOOO
Will Self-Serving Jonas Smith be running for the mayor position ?
Up 23 Down 7
Bob Nevin on Sep 28, 2021 at 9:17 pm
PFFFT !
I only vote for fiercely independent council and mayor candidates.
WH City Council is always the best "opposition party" vis-a-vis the bozo efforts of the territory government.
Up 56 Down 12
Junior on Sep 28, 2021 at 8:03 pm
Hey Yvonne, do you think that high of yourself that you think your endorsement matters? More important, why are you interfering in City election processes, your an MLA, focus on that job and respect our democratic processes.
Up 47 Down 9
Keep Blatant Partisan Politics out of City Council! on Sep 28, 2021 at 8:03 pm
Yukon Party MLA endorses Yukon Party Chief of Staff. What a bombshell!!
On a more serious note, we all know that many councilors and mayors have had political affiliations but it at least wasn't as blatant as this. I can't recall sitting MLAs ever endorsing municipal candidates in this way. Laking's big signs everywhere even have the Yukon Party colors, the only thing missing is the logo.
Can we now expect Liberal and NDP MLAs to endorse candidates affiliated with them as well? Michelle Friesen who is running for council, ran for the NDP in the last election and Jocelyn Curteanu ran for the Liberals before, so all is fair game now that the Yukon Party is pushing for partisan politics within city council.
Please don't vote for anyone that you know is directly affiliated with any of the political parties! Let's keep partisan politics out of the city chambers.
Up 34 Down 13
Observer on Sep 28, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Has anyone noticed Ted's campaign signs are even the same as the so called Yukon Party? Can't see how having him on Council is going to help the City, when all he will be doing is trying to undermine the territorial government.
Up 33 Down 13
Olav on Sep 28, 2021 at 6:47 pm
Who cares.
I am disappointed the Star would make this a headline article.
Up 41 Down 9
Politico on Sep 28, 2021 at 6:02 pm
I always thought candidates for city office tended to keep their political affiliations quiet to keep partisan politics out of the mix. Seems the Yukon Party no longer wants that. Shows me whom I am not voting for!
Up 34 Down 8
YT on Sep 28, 2021 at 5:50 pm
So, another political apparatchik. Has he actually ever done anything?
Yes, I know he’s been around party politics forever, but what about actually doing something? Working with people of other viewpoints?
I’d rather vote for someone who’s actually worked for a living in the real world not in a politically vacuum.
Up 19 Down 18
Max Mack on Sep 28, 2021 at 5:49 pm
@Resident
Have you been paying any attention at all to the political affiliations and - predominately left-leaning, so-called "progressive" - power blocs that have been so evident on the current council?
Where have you been?
Up 35 Down 12
BnR on Sep 28, 2021 at 5:43 pm
The YPs chief of staff? What sort of skills and education are required for that besides a pulse?
Sounds like another Jonas.
Up 50 Down 10
This is a thing? on Sep 28, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Has it always been a thing to turn municipal elections into partisan politics? Seems like an immature move on behalf of Clarke, and possibly costly to Laking. I would think it far wiser to keep party politics out of municipal issues, no?
Up 42 Down 14
Captain Obvious on Sep 28, 2021 at 5:07 pm
She's been an MLA for 5 minutes and already believes she can influence the masses? Ego alert, here folks! And why does she endorse a fellow party member and not a sister filipino? Party over Country is exactly what we don't want.
Up 23 Down 25
Wilf Carter on Sep 28, 2021 at 4:49 pm
It already is: look at Curtis, and some of the other councilors. Mostly liberal or NDP.
Up 90 Down 63
Resident on Sep 28, 2021 at 4:01 pm
City council has enough problems. Don't turn it into a proxy battleground for territorial politics. I don't want to have to worry about s**tfights between council and cabinet over party affiliation.