Scott Kent
Canadian politician
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Scott Kent is a Canadian politician, who was elected to in the Yukon Legislative Assembly in the 2000, 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2025 Yukon elections . He currently represents the Whitehorse electoral district of Copperbelt South as a member of the Yukon Party caucus.
Mike Pemberton (Yukon Housing Corporation)
Scott Kent | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Education and Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation | |
| Assumed office November 22, 2025 | |
| Premier | Currie Dixon |
| Preceded by | Jeanie McLean (Education) Mike Pemberton (Yukon Housing Corporation) |
| Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly for Copperbelt South | |
| Assumed office November 7, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Lois Moorcroft |
| Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources | |
| In office August 5, 2013 – December 3, 2016 | |
| Premier | Darrell Pasloski |
| Preceded by | Brad Cathers |
| Succeeded by | Ranj Pillai |
| In office April 2, 2002 – November 30, 2002 | |
| Premier | Pat Duncan |
| Preceded by | ? |
| Succeeded by | Archie Lang |
| Minister of Highways and Public Works | |
| In office January 16, 2015 – December 3, 2016 | |
| Premier | Darrell Pasloski |
| Preceded by | Wade Istchenko |
| Succeeded by | Richard Mostyn |
| Minister of Education | |
| In office November 5, 2011 – August 5, 2013 | |
| Premier | Darrell Pasloski |
| Preceded by | Patrick Rouble |
| Succeeded by | Elaine Taylor |
| Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly for Riverdale North | |
| In office October 11, 2011 – November 7, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Ted Staffen |
| Succeeded by | Nils Clarke |
| Minister of Economic Development | |
| In office June 12, 2001 – April 2, 2002 | |
| Premier | Pat Duncan |
| Preceded by | Pat Duncan |
| Succeeded by | Office dissolved |
| Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly for Riverside | |
| In office April 17, 2000 – November 4, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Jack Cable |
| Succeeded by | Constituency dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Yukon Party (2011-present) Yukon Liberal Party (2000-2002) |
Political career
30th Legislative Assembly
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. Kent served as Deputy Chair of Committee of the Whole from June 5, 2000 to June 12, 2001. He was appointed to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges during the 30th Legislative Assembly.
In June 2001, Kent was appointed to the Executive Council (Cabinet) as Minister of Economic Development. He later acquired 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.[1] Kent's riding of Riverside was dissolved prior to the 2002 election, and he opted to run for re-election in the newly created riding of Porter Creek Centre. However, he was defeated by Archie Lang of the Yukon Party.
33rd Legislative Assembly
Kent re-entered territorial politics in 2011, when he 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.[2] 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.".[3] Kent was later moved out of the education portfolio in August 2013.[4]
Kent also served on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges and the Standing Committee on Appointments to Major Government Boards and Committees during the 33rd Legislative Assembly.[5]
34th Legislative Assembly
Kent once again sought re-election in 2016, but this time 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.[6] Nonetheless, although the Yukon Party was defeated in the general 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 Education, 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. Kent is currently a member of the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges.[7]
35th Legislative Assembly
In the 35th Legislature of Yukon, Kent served as the Official Opposition House Leader and the critic for Education and for Energy, Mines and Resources.
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.[8]
Electoral record
2025 general election
| 2025 Yukon general election: Copperbelt South | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Yukon Party | Scott Kent | 787 | 66.47 | +11.13 | ||||
| New Democratic | Robin Reid-Fraser | 337 | 28.46 | +6.13 | ||||
| Liberal | Derek Yap | 60 | 5.07 | –17.26 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 1,184 | |||||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | 57.28 | |||||||
| Eligible voters | 2,067 | |||||||
| Yukon Party hold | Swing | +2.50 | ||||||
Source(s) | ||||||||
2021 general election
| 2021 Yukon general election: Copperbelt South | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Yukon Party | Scott Kent | 726 | 56.98 | +20.1 | ||||
| New Democratic | Kaori Torigai | 289 | 22.68 | -4.5% | ||||
| Liberal | Sheila Robertson | 259 | 20.32 | -14.6% | ||||
| Total valid votes | 1,274 | |||||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | ||||||||
| Eligible voters | ||||||||
| Yukon Party hold | Swing | +18.33 | ||||||
Source(s) | ||||||||
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[9] | 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% | |||