Quick Facts
| Intro | Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly |
| Is | Politician |
| From | Canada |
| Field | Politics |
| Gender | male |
Biography
Scott Kent is a Canadian politician, who was elected to in the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the 2000, 2011 and 2016 Yukon elections. He currently represents the Whitehorse electoral district of Copperbelt South as a member of the Yukon Party caucus.
Political career
Kent was first elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly as MLA for Riverside on April 17, 2000, for the Yukon Liberal Party as part of the short-lived government of Premier Pat Duncan. He was appointed to the Executive Council (Cabinet) on June 12, 2001, as Minister of Economic Development, later acquiring responsibility for the Department of Infrastructure, the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and the Yukon Development Corporation/Yukon Energy Corporation. He was also the Minister responsible for Youth. His riding of Riverside was dissolved in 2002, and he was defeated by Archie Lang of the Yukon Party when he sought re-election later than year in the newly created riding of Porter Creek Centre.
In 2011, Kent joined the Yukon Party. He was elected in the riding of Riverdale North, which included part of his former riding of Riverside, in that year's election. He was appointed again to Cabinet on November 5, 2011, serving as Minister of Education, Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation, Minister responsible for the Yukon Liquor Corporation (including the Yukon Lottery Commission), Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation and Yukon Energy Corporation, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, and Minister of Highways and Public Works. During his time Minister of Education, his department drew criticism for its handling of the Catholic school system's stance on homosexuality, which came to light in a school document which labeled homosexual urges a "disorder" and homosexual acts an "intrinsic moral evil.". Kent was later moved out of the education portfolio in August 2013.
Kent again sought re-election in 2016, but in the riding of Copperbelt South. Kent received criticism for moving out of his riding, and then for not seeking re-election in his current riding and then seeking re-election in a riding that was different than the one he was moving to. Nonetheless, though the Yukon Party was defeated in the election, Kent was elected in Copperbelt South, defeating popular Whitehorse city councillor and Liberal candidate Jocelyn Curteanu by just 24 votes.
He is currently the Yukon Party caucus critic for the Department of Community Services, the Department of Economic Development, and the Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources Division of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. He is also the Official Opposition House Leader.
Personal life
Outside of politics, Kent has worked in a family-owned business and for a number of organizations, including the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB), the Yukon Chamber of Mines, the Klondike Placer Miners Association, and the Yukon Hospital Foundation.
Electoral record
2016 general election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yukon Party | Scott Kent | 449 | 36.9% | -4.8% | |
| Liberal | Jocelyn Curteanu | 425 | 34.9% | +18.6% | |
| NDP | Lois Moorcroft | 397 | 27.2% | -14.8% | |
| Green | Philippe LeBlond | 12 | 1.0% | +1.0% | |
| Total | 1217 | 100.0% | |||
2011 general election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yukon Party | Scott Kent | 366 | 37.1% | -6.9% | |
| New Democratic | Peter Lesniak | 296 | 30.0% | +12.4% | |
| Liberal | Christie Richardson | 289 | 29.3% | -9.0% | |
| Green | Kristina Calhoun | 35 | 3.5% | +3.5% | |
| Total | 986 | 100.0% | – | ||
2002 general election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yukon Party | Archie Lang | 399 | 51.6% | – | |
| Liberal | Scott Kent | 312 | 40.3% | – | |
| NDP | Judi Johnny | 63 | 8.1% | – | |
| Total | 774 | 100.0% | – | ||
2000 general election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Scott Kent | 359 | 54.3% | +15.4% | |
| NDP | Jasbir Randhawa | 202 | 30.6% | -7.2% | |
| Yukon Party | Michael Weinert | 100 | 15.1% | -8.2% | |
| Total | 661 | 100.0% | |||
