Todd Hardy
Encyclopedia
Todd Hardy was a Canadian
politician, and former Leader of the Yukon New Democratic Party
. He has also served as Leader of the Opposition in the Yukon Legislative Assembly
from 2002 to 2006.
Hardy was a carpenter
by trade and was business agent of local 2499 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
before being elected to the Yukon Legislative Assembly
. He taught karate
and also volunteered as a minor hockey
coach, coaching one of the Yukon's teams to the Arctic Winter Games
and the Canada Winter Games. He was married to Louise Hardy
, the Yukon's former federal Member of Parliament.
for the riding of Whitehorse Centre
in the 1996 Yukon general election
and was narrowly defeated in the 2000 election
. Hardy was one of the founders of Habitat for Humanity in the Yukon. He became leader of the Yukon NDP in 2002 and won his Whitehorse Centre seat in the general election held that year.
In August 2006, Hardy was sent to Vancouver
for leukemia
treatment. Hardy fought the 2006 general election from his hospital bed through near daily telephone conferences with local reporters and the NDP candidates. He returned to Whitehorse just a week before the vote and still managed to win his seat. His party, however, though leading in the polls for months going into the election was reduced to three seats and third party status.
Hardy maintained his seat in the legislature and title of leader despite frequent trips out of the territory for continued monitoring and treatment during the spring sitting in 2007. He continued in his duties until the 2010 spring sitting, when his surprised his colleagues by sitting in the legislature despite his illness.
Citing his ongoing health issues, he announced on February 5, 2009 his intent to resign as party leader. This took effect on September 26, 2009, when Elizabeth Hanson
was acclaimed as the new leader.
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, and former Leader 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...
. He has also served as Leader of the Opposition 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...
from 2002 to 2006.
Hardy was a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
by trade and was business agent of local 2499 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is one of the largest building trades union in the United States. One of the unions that formed the American Federation of Labor in 1886, it left the AFL-CIO in 2001.-Early years:...
before being elected to 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...
. He taught karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and also volunteered as a minor hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
coach, coaching one of the Yukon's teams to the Arctic Winter Games
Arctic Winter Games
The Arctic Winter Games is an international biennial celebration of circumpolar sports and culture.-Background:The Arctic Winter Games were founded in 1969 under the leadership of Governor Walter J. Hickel of Alaska, Stuart M. Hodgson, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, and Yukon...
and the Canada Winter Games. He was married to Louise Hardy
Louise Hardy
Louise Frances Hardy was a Canadian New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for the riding of Yukon from 1997 to 2000...
, the Yukon's former federal Member of Parliament.
Political career
He was first elected to the Yukon Legislative AssemblyYukon 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...
for the riding of Whitehorse Centre
Whitehorse Centre
Whitehorse Centre is an electoral district which returns a member to the Legislative Assembly of the Yukon Territory in Canada.The current MLA is Elizabeth Hanson, who is the leader of the Yukon New Democratic Party....
in the 1996 Yukon general 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...
and was narrowly defeated in the 2000 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...
. Hardy was one of the founders of Habitat for Humanity in the Yukon. He became leader of the Yukon NDP in 2002 and won his Whitehorse Centre seat in the general election held that year.
In August 2006, Hardy was sent to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
for leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
treatment. Hardy fought the 2006 general election from his hospital bed through near daily telephone conferences with local reporters and the NDP candidates. He returned to Whitehorse just a week before the vote and still managed to win his seat. His party, however, though leading in the polls for months going into the election was reduced to three seats and third party status.
Hardy maintained his seat in the legislature and title of leader despite frequent trips out of the territory for continued monitoring and treatment during the spring sitting in 2007. He continued in his duties until the 2010 spring sitting, when his surprised his colleagues by sitting in the legislature despite his illness.
Citing his ongoing health issues, he announced on February 5, 2009 his intent to resign as party leader. This took effect on September 26, 2009, when Elizabeth Hanson
Elizabeth Hanson
Elizabeth Hanson is a territorial politician from the Yukon, Canada. She is the leader of the Yukon New Democratic Party and has held the position since September 26, 2009. On December 13, 2010 she was elected MLA for Whitehorse Centre.-Early life:...
was acclaimed as the new leader.