Arthur Mitchell (Yukon politician)

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Arthur Mitchell (Yukon politician) — Short version

Arthur Mitchell is a Canadian politician from the Yukon. He was the Leader of the Official Opposition from 2006 to 2011 and served as a Liberal member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly. He represented Copperbelt from 2005 to 2011 and Copperbelt North after riding redistribution in 2011. Before politics, he worked as a real estate agent and had earlier been an assistant to Yukon Party Premier John Ostashek (1992–1996).

Personal life
- Born July 31, 1950, in New Rochelle, New York.
- Brother of television journalist Andrea Mitchell, who is married to Alan Greenspan.
- Moved to Canada in the 1970s, first running a general store in Atlin, British Columbia, before moving to Whitehorse to work as a real estate agent.
- Has served on the Yukon Worker's Compensation Health and Safety Board and the City of Whitehorse Parks and Recreation Board.

Political career
- 2002: Ran in the Whitehorse Copperbelt riding but was defeated by Haakon Arntzen of the Yukon Party.
- 2005: Won the Copperbelt by-election, entering the Yukon Legislative Assembly. Elected leader of the Yukon Liberal Party in June 2005, defeating Pat Duncan.
- 2006: Under his leadership, the Liberals gained Official Opposition status after two New Democratic Party MLAs joined the Liberal caucus; he served as Leader of the Official Opposition during the 32nd Yukon Legislative Assembly.
- 2011: After electoral boundary changes, he ran in Copperbelt North but was defeated by Currie Dixon of the Yukon Party. Mitchell resigned as Liberal leader, and the Yukon Liberal Party dropped to third party status.

Election results (highlights)
- 2005 Copperbelt by-election: Mitchell (Liberal) won and joined the legislature.
- 2006 general election: Liberal Party retained Official Opposition status with Mitchell as leader.
- 2011 general election: Mitchell lost in Copperbelt North; Liberal Party fell to third place.