Lois Moorcroft

Moorcroft was narrowly elected in the 1992 Yukon election as the representative for Mount Lorne for New Democrats. Moorcroft had campaigned on pay equality for women and the importance of the Canadian Human Rights Act.[2][3][4]

In that election, however, the government of New Democrat leader Tony Penikett was defeated and reduced to Official Opposition status by a coalition of Yukon Party and Independent MLAs. As an opposition member, Moorcroft served on the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections, and Privileges.[5]

Moorcroft was re-elected comfortably in the 1996 Yukon election, defeating Yukon Liberal leader Ken Taylor in her riding of Mount Lorne. The New Democrats, now led by Piers McDonald, formed a majority government.[6] Moorcroft was appointed Minister of Justice, Minister of Education, and Minister responsible for the Women's Directorate in the McDonald government.[7] It was during Moorcroft's tenure as Education minister that the community school in Old Crow burned down for the second time in 20 years.[8]

Moorcroft was defeated in the 2000 Yukon election by Liberal candidate Cynthia Tucker, when the Yukon Liberal Party swept the City of Whitehorse to form a majority government.

After a decade outside politics, Moorcroft announced her intent to seek the New Democrat nomination during the 2011 Yukon election in the newly constituted riding of Copperbelt South, which included much of her former riding of Mount Lorne. Moorcroft was narrowly successful, defeating Yukon Party candidate Val Boxall by just three votes. Her victory was confirmed in a recount.[9]

Moorcroft joined the New Democrats under leader Liz Hanson in forming Official Opposition during the 33rd Legislative Assembly and served as opposition critic for Justice, Highways and Public Works, and Advanced Education. She was also caucus whip.[10]

During the 33rd Legislative Assembly, Moorcroft took a stance against the Yukon Government's proposal to invest $200 million twinning the Alaska Highway through Whitehorse and opposed any fracking in the territory as a member of the Select Committee on Hydraulic Fracturing. Moorcroft also successfully put forward a motion, adopted unanimously, to make territorial campgrounds more successful.[11]

Moorcroft was once again defeated when seeking re-election, this time in the 2016 Yukon general election. She finished a distant third behind Yukon Party Cabinet minister Scott Kent and Liberal candidate and city councillor Jocelyn Curteanu. Moorcroft was one of four New Democrats to lose their seats on election night as part of the party's worst showing since 1978.