Lois Moorcroft
Encyclopedia
Lois Moorcroft is a Canadian
politician, who represented the electoral district
s of Mount Lorne
from 1992 to 2000, and Copperbelt South since 2011, in the Yukon Legislative Assembly
. She is a member of the Yukon New Democratic Party
.
She was born in Oshawa
, Ontario
, and studied history at Trent University
in Peterborough
before moving to the Yukon.
Prior to becoming a politician, Moorcroft served as an instructor at Yukon College
's Whitehorse
campus. She also served on the Yukon Employment Standards Board, the Yukon Electoral District Boundaries Commission and has held positions on the boards of the Yukon College Employees Union and the Yukon Federation of Labour
. In the 1992 Yukon election
, Moorcroft was successful in her attempt to enter politics in the seat of Mount Lorne
. A strong feminist activist, her campaign platform was built on pay equality for women and fighting against violations of the Canadian Human Rights Act
.
After a successful term in government fighting for female equality, Moorcroft sought reelection in the 1996 Yukon election
, gaining 33.2% of the votes, compared with Liberal Party
candidate Ken Taylor, with 20.5%. During her second term, Moorcroft managed to obtain the positions of Minister for Justice, Education and the Women's Directorate.
In the 2000 Yukon provincial election
, Moorcroft again contested the seat of Mount Lorne but lost it to Liberal Party candidate Cynthia Tucker, 36% to 27%. Tucker only served for one term in Mount Lorne until she was replaced in 2002 by Steve Cardiff
. She continues to advocate for women and First Nations
rights.
In April 2006 Moorcroft was appointed to the Yukon Human Rights Commission.
In Jume 2011 she announced that she was running as the NDP candidate in the Copperbelt South riding in the 2011 election. She won on election night by a margin of just three votes over Yukon Party
candidate Valerie Boxall; her victory was confirmed in a recount.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician, who represented the electoral district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
s of Mount Lorne
Mount Lorne (electoral district)
Mount Lorne is a former electoral district which returns a member to the Legislative Assembly of the Yukon Territory in Canada....
from 1992 to 2000, and Copperbelt South since 2011, in the Yukon Legislative Assembly
Yukon Legislative Assembly
-History:From 1900 to 1978, the elected legislative body in the Yukon was the Yukon Territorial Council, a ten-member body which did not act as the primary government, but was a non-partisan advisory body to the Commissioner of the Yukon...
. She is a member of the Yukon New Democratic Party
Yukon New Democratic Party
The Yukon New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Yukon territory of Canada.The Yukon NDP first formed the government of the territory under the leadership of Tony Penikett from 1985 to 1992, and under the leadership of Piers McDonald from 1996 to 2000. The party's...
.
She was born in Oshawa
Oshawa
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and studied history at Trent University
Trent University
Trent University is a liberal arts and science-oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.The enabling legislation is the Trent University Act, 1962-63. The University was founded through the efforts of a citizens' committee interested in creating a...
in Peterborough
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
before moving to the Yukon.
Prior to becoming a politician, Moorcroft served as an instructor at Yukon College
Yukon College
Yukon College is a community college in the Canadian territory of Yukon. Its main campus is in Whitehorse, Yukon. The college was founded in 1983, replacing the Yukon Vocational and Technical Training Centre, which had been in operation since the 1960s...
's Whitehorse
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
campus. She also served on the Yukon Employment Standards Board, the Yukon Electoral District Boundaries Commission and has held positions on the boards of the Yukon College Employees Union and the Yukon Federation of Labour
Yukon Federation of Labour
The Yukon Federation of Labour is the Yukon trade union federation of the Canadian Labour Congress . Although the Yukon is not, strictly speaking, a province, the CLC has recognized the YFL as a provincial federation of labour with the same standing as those of the ten Canadian provinces.The YFL...
. In the 1992 Yukon election
Yukon general election, 1992
The 1992 Yukon general election was held on October 19, 1992 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the territory of Yukon, Canada. It was won by the Yukon Party.-Results by party:-Yukon Votes 1992:...
, Moorcroft was successful in her attempt to enter politics in the seat of Mount Lorne
Mount Lorne (electoral district)
Mount Lorne is a former electoral district which returns a member to the Legislative Assembly of the Yukon Territory in Canada....
. A strong feminist activist, her campaign platform was built on pay equality for women and fighting against violations of the Canadian Human Rights Act
Canadian Human Rights Act
The Canadian Human Rights Act is a statute originally passed by the Parliament of Canada in 1977 with the express goal of extending the law to ensure equal opportunity to individuals who may be victims of discriminatory practices based on a set prohibited grounds such as gender, disability, or...
.
After a successful term in government fighting for female equality, Moorcroft sought reelection in the 1996 Yukon election
Yukon general election, 1996
The 1996 Yukon general election was held on September 30, 1996 to elect the seventeen members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly in Yukon Territory, Canada. The governing Yukon Party, a conservative party, was defeated by the social democratic Yukon New Democratic Party . The NDP formed the...
, gaining 33.2% of the votes, compared with Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
candidate Ken Taylor, with 20.5%. During her second term, Moorcroft managed to obtain the positions of Minister for Justice, Education and the Women's Directorate.
In the 2000 Yukon provincial election
Yukon general election, 2000
The Yukon general election of 2000 was held on April 17, 2000 to elect members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the Yukon Territory in Canada...
, Moorcroft again contested the seat of Mount Lorne but lost it to Liberal Party candidate Cynthia Tucker, 36% to 27%. Tucker only served for one term in Mount Lorne until she was replaced in 2002 by Steve Cardiff
Steve Cardiff
Steve Cardiff was a Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Mount Lorne in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.-Political career:He was first elected to the Yukon legislature in the 2002 general election and re-elected in 2006...
. She continues to advocate for women and First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
rights.
In April 2006 Moorcroft was appointed to the Yukon Human Rights Commission.
In Jume 2011 she announced that she was running as the NDP candidate in the Copperbelt South riding in the 2011 election. She won on election night by a margin of just three votes over Yukon Party
Yukon Party
The Yukon Party , is a conservative political party in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It was previously known as the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party.-Declining fortunes:...
candidate Valerie Boxall; her victory was confirmed in a recount.