Longtime Yukon resident Teena Dickson has announced she is seeking the nomination to represent the Yukon Party for the Lake Laberge riding in the upcoming territorial election.

The seat has been filled by Yukon Party-turned-independent MLA Brad Cathers since 2002.

Cathers has not returned phone calls from the Star in the past week, and at this point, his intentions for the upcoming election are unclear.

Dickson said today if Cathers does decide to run for the Yukon Party again, the "people will vote and we'll go from there.

"We live in a democratic society and this is how it works,” said Dickson.

She, too, has "no idea” what Cathers' political plans are.

Cathers did say, though, he would rejoin the Yukon Party when former premier Dennis Fentie stepped down as leader. He quit the caucus in August 2009, saying Fentie was secretly discussing the possible sale of the Yukon Energy Corporation's assets.

Mike Simon, a government electrician, will run for the Liberal Party in the Lake Laberge riding, too.

No New Democrat nor Green party loyalist has announced any intention to seek those nominations.

Dickson was born in the Northwest Territories but has lived in the Whitehorse area for her whole life.

She has worked for both the municipal and territorial governments, as well as committing time to organizations and boards such as the Yukon Lottery Commission, Special Olympics, Recreation and Parks Association of Yukon, Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle and more.

Dickson and her husband, Dave, run Dickson Outfitters – a big game hunting and fishing company which has been in the Dickson family for 100 years.

As for why she's running now, Dickson said she's lived in the riding for 17 years and wants to gain a stronger voice. Instead of just thinking and talking about how we can have a better government, she said, "I want to actually do something.”

Dickson said she is running for the Yukon Party because she supports private industry and the "hardworking” agriculture industry.

"I'm really happy with Darrell (Pasloski) getting into the premier's seat,” said Dickson. "He's a team player and I am a team player.”

Because the Lake Laberge riding is made up of such a diverse group of people and interests, Dickson said a challenge will not only be representing this diversity, but physically campaigning to Laberge constituents.

"While a lot of other candidates can walk around their neighbourhood, I will literally be driving from door to door,” said Dickson. One of her biggest challenges will be time, she added.

Dickson said her top priorities are improvements to Takhini Hot Springs Road and continuing to support business owners and agriculture.

She said she knows the riding has to encourage families to enroll their children in Hidden Valley School in the MacPherson subdivision to strengthen the community.

On a territorial level, Dickson reiterated that the most important thing for her is to make sure she is representing the people in her riding.

"I want to bring the issues and challenges to the government and then bring answers back to the people,” she said.

Dickson said she supports industry, but that the government has to make sure it does so responsibly.

"I want my children to stay here and realize what an amazing place it is,” said Dickson. "We have a wonderful backyard and we need to make sure we keep that.”

Dickson also said she believes she can add more diversity to the Yukon Party, and this will, hopefully, bring more transparency to government.

The election must be called by October.

Though Cathers endorsed Pasloski in the Yukon Party's leadership race, he did not make Cathers part of the cabinet he unveiled upon being sworn into office June 11 in Dawson City.