Home > Willard Phelps

When the Progressive Conservatives became the Yukon Party Phelps became an independent MLA but sat in the new party's caucus.

When John Ostashek's Yukon Party took power in 1992 with a minority government, Phelps lent his support and became minister of justice, health and social services. In 1994 he dropped the justice portfolio and picked up responsibility for education. In his responsibilites for social services, Phelps instituted welfare reform hiring private investigators to look into welfare recipients. He also argued for the privatization of the government owned energy concern. Phelps resigned his cabinet positions in March 1996 after it was revealed that he called a senior native chief a liar and maligned members of the Carcross Area Advisory Planning Committee in a drunken argument. Phelps ran for re-election but lost his seat in the fall election.