Introduction
Sidney Alexander "Sandy" Silver (born October 15, 1969) is a Canadian politician, the ninth and current Premier of Yukon since 2016. He was first elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the 2011 election, and was re-elected in 2016. He represents the electoral district of Klondike and is Leader of the Yukon Liberal Party.
Political career
33rd Assembly
Silver was first elected on October 11, 2011, defeating incumbent Yukon Party Cabinet minister Steve Nordick in the rural Yukon riding of Klondike. It was the only gain for the Yukon Liberal Party that election, which saw its caucus reduced to two seats (Silver and Darius Elias) and its leader, Arthur Mitchell defeated.
As a member of the assembly, Sandy Silver sat on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, the Standing Committee on Appointments to Major Government Board and Committees, and the Members’ Services Board. He also served on the Select Committee on Whistle-blower Protection and the Select Committee Regarding the Risks and Benefits of Hydraulic Fracturing.
On August 17, 2012, Silver became interim leader of the Yukon Liberal Party following the resignation of Darius Elias, who quit the Liberals to sit as an Independent and leaving Silver as the lone Liberal MLA in the legislative assembly. Elias would later cross the floor to sit with the governing Yukon Party.
Silver became the permanent leader of the Yukon Liberal Party by acclamation in February 2014.
34th Assembly
Silver led the Liberals to a majority government on November 7, 2016, taking his party from his single seat in the legislature to 11/19. It was also his party's strongest-ever showing in rural Yukon, where the Liberals took 4/8 seats. Silver himself won the most votes and the highest share of support than any other candidate on election night. His party had campaigned on a platform that advocated for economic diversification, environmental protection, and improving First Nations relations.
His governing Liberals officially replaced the Yukon Party government on December 3, 2016. Silver appointed the territory's second-ever gender-balanced Cabinet and assumed the portfolios of Minister of Finance and Minister of the Executive Council Office, in addition to Premier. He is currently also a member of the Members' Services Board.
Personal life
Originally from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Silver has lived in Dawson City since 1998. Prior to his election to the Legislative Assembly, he was a high school math teacher at Robert Service School in Dawson. He holds degrees in math and psychology from St. Francis Xavier University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Maine.
Electoral record
Yukon general election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Sandy Silver | 687 | 59.1% | +10.3% | |
| Yukon Party | Brad Whitelaw | 365 | 31.4% | -5.8% | |
| NDP | Jay Farr | 111 | 9.5% | -4.0% | |
| Total | 1,163 | 100.0% | – | ||
Yukon general election, 2011
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Sandy Silver | 530 | 48.8% | +34.1% | |
| Yukon Party | Steve Nordick | 404 | 37.2% | -7.9% | |
| NDP | Jorn Meir | 147 | 13.5% | -19.6% | |
| Total | 1,085 | 100.0% | – | ||