Ryan Leef
{{short description|Canadian politician}}
{{For|the American football player|Ryan Leaf}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Ryan Leef
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| riding = Yukon
| parliament = Canadian
| term_start = May 2, 2011
| term_end = August 4, 2015
| predecessor = Larry Bagnell
| successor = Larry Bagnell
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|12|28}}
| birth_place = Ontario, Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| profession =
| party = Conservative
| residence = Whitehorse, Yukon
| footnotes =
| spouse = |
}}
Ryan Leef (born December 28, 1973) is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Yukon in the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the Conservative Party from 2011 to 2015.
Early life
Born in Ontario in 1973,{{Cite web |url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=60514108-42f1-4c93-8209-8b417587800c&Section=FederalExperience&Language=E |title=PARLINFO - Parliamentarian File - Federal Experience - LEEF, Ryan, B.A. |access-date=2015-05-27 |archive-date=2015-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528033723/http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=60514108-42f1-4c93-8209-8b417587800c&Section=FederalExperience&Language=E |url-status=live }} Leef grew up in Dawson City, Yukon. He has overseen prisoners as an assistant superintendent at Whitehorse Correctional Centre which was his most recent employment prior to politics. He is also a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a Wildlife Officer and an investigator for Yukon Department of Justice. He has also fought in the cage as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. He is a strong supporter and advocate of the sport.{{Cite news|url = https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/972239--yukon-politicians-far-from-pure-as-driven-snow|title = Yukon politicians far from pure as driven snow|newspaper = The Toronto Star|date = 9 April 2011|access-date = 11 September 2017|archive-date = 3 May 2011|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110503205202/http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/972239--yukon-politicians-far-from-pure-as-driven-snow|url-status = live|last1 = Watson|first1 = Paul}}
Leef's family moved to the Yukon in 1984 and he has subsequently lived in many communities throughout the territory. Leef lives in Whitehorse and has one son, Aaron.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ryanleef.ca/about.html |title=Ryanleef.ca |access-date=2014-01-15 |archive-date=2014-01-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116130401/http://www.ryanleef.ca/about.html |url-status=live }}
Political career
Leef was first elected in May 2011 federal election. He was appointed to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Ocean and the Standing Committee on Natural resources.{{Cite web|url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/committeebusiness/CommitteeMembership.aspx?Cmte=RNNR&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1|title = RNNR – Members – House of Commons of Canada}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/committeebusiness/CommitteeMembership.aspx?Cmte=FOPO&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=2|title=FOPO – Members – House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2014-01-15|archive-date=2014-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116141834/http://www.parl.gc.ca/committeebusiness/CommitteeMembership.aspx?Cmte=FOPO&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=2|url-status=live}} He joined the Canada-Germany, Canada-United States, and Canada-Philippines interparliamentary groups and chaired the Canada-Australia-New Zealand Parliamentary Friendship Group.{{Cite web|url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/IIA/Default.aspx?DCId=4&DTId=1&P=other_interparliamentary_groups&Language=E|title=Friendship Groups – Interparliamentary Activities – Diplomacy – Parliament of Canada|access-date=2014-01-15|archive-date=2014-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116141836/http://www.parl.gc.ca/IIA/Default.aspx?DCId=4&DTId=1&P=other_interparliamentary_groups&Language=E|url-status=live}} Leef also chaired the Northern Caucus and the MMA Caucus, co-chairs the Hunting and Angling Caucus and sits on BC/Yukon, Outdoor and National Caucuses.
Leef was noted in national media when he claimed that the polar bear population had increased dramatically. His position was refuted by polar bear researchers and according to one scientist was based on a report prepared by "professional climate change deniers."{{Cite web|url = http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/30/ryan-leef-polar-bear-yukon-conservative_n_3186209.html|title = Tory MP Slammed for Polar Bear Letter|date = 30 April 2013|access-date = 22 May 2013|archive-date = 30 May 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130530191359/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/30/ryan-leef-polar-bear-yukon-conservative_n_3186209.html|url-status = live}}{{Cite web|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/04/30/conservative-mp-accused-of-peddling-bogus-information-on-polar-bears/|title = Latest Breaking News, Headlines & Updates | National Post}}
Leef was defeated in 2015 by former MP Larry Bagnell, after serving just one term as a member of parliament, with Leef garnering 24% of ballots and Bagnell garnering 53.6% of the vote,{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/results-in-yukon-election-2015-1.3275005 |title=Liberal Larry Bagnell wins Yukon federal election - North - CBC News |access-date=2016-04-01 |archive-date=2016-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322204246/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/results-in-yukon-election-2015-1.3275005 |url-status=live }} despite Leef spending more than twice as much as Bagnell on the campaign.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-conservatives-spent-far-more-than-rivals-in-federal-election-1.3515690 |title=Yukon Conservatives spent far more than rivals in federal election - North - CBC News |access-date=2016-04-01 |archive-date=2016-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413111348/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-conservatives-spent-far-more-than-rivals-in-federal-election-1.3515690 |url-status=live }}
Philanthropy
Throughout his political career Leef endeavoured on many philanthropic projects under the banner of Inspiration Unlimited, including his "Border to Border Trek" across Yukon. The trek will see Leef running across the three Yukon borders over the course of three summers. Leef has already successfully completed his 1,200-kilometre journey from the northernmost point of the territory to British Columbia.
In October 2012, Leef ran in the Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon to raise money for the Canadian Diabetes Association.{{cite web|last=Mccullouch|first=Sandra|title=The Times Colonist – Yukon's lone mp to run for diabetes|url=http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Yukon+lone+diabetes/7354942/story.html|work=The Times Colonist|access-date=October 6, 2012}}
Using his background as a Department of Justice defense tactics instructor {{Cite web|url=http://inspirationyk.ca/lil.html|title=Inspiration Unlimited|access-date=2014-01-15|archive-date=2013-06-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621034739/http://www.inspirationyk.ca/lil.html|url-status=live}} Leef has led "Leaders in Life Mixed Martial Arts Against Bullying" clinics. He also hosted a chilli cook off in 2012{{Cite web|url=http://inspirationyk.ca/chili.html|title=Inspiration Unlimited|access-date=2014-01-15|archive-date=2013-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623034114/http://www.inspirationyk.ca/chili.html|url-status=live}} to benefit the Whitehorse Food Bank as well as a women's self-defence workshop to benefit the Yukon White Ribbon Campaign.
Controversy
Leef has had a few brushes with the law, and one conviction.{{Cite web|url = https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/04/09/yukon_politicians_far_from_pure_as_driven_snow.html|title = Yukon politicians far from pure as driven snow|website = Toronto Star|date = 9 April 2011|access-date = 11 September 2017|archive-date = 21 August 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170821211508/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/04/09/yukon_politicians_far_from_pure_as_driven_snow.html|url-status = live}} In 2007, he was found to have declared that a thinhorn sheep, which was shot by a Colorado trophy hunter he was guiding at the time, was shot in an area where it had not, in fact, been shot. The trial judge did not convict Leef, as he stated it was likely a careless mistake, however, the Yukon Supreme Court found that the trial judge had erred. It overturned the acquittal and found Leef guilty of making a false statement on the export form. In the same incident, Leef was charged by Conservation Officers with transporting the same sheep on an ATV in an area where ATVs were not allowed, but the judge found that the Crown had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Leef had in fact used an ATV at the time. These charges occurred during the time that Leef was also employed as a Conservation Officer for the Yukon Territory.{{Cite web|url = http://yukon-news.com/news/park-officers-charged-for-off-duty-wildlife-breach|title = Park officers charged for off duty wildlife breach|date = 28 August 2008|access-date = 1 April 2016|archive-date = 25 March 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160325090451/http://yukon-news.com/news/park-officers-charged-for-off-duty-wildlife-breach|url-status = live}}
In addition, during Leef's 2015 campaign to be re-elected, he performed a citizen's arrest on a civilian who he caught defacing some campaign signs of his, at night, during a rainstorm.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ryan-leef-yukon-conservative-candidate-handcuffs-puts-vandal-under-citizen-arrest-1.3213676 |title=Ryan Leef, Yukon Conservative candidate, handcuffs, puts vandal under citizen arrest - North - CBC News |access-date=2016-04-01 |archive-date=2016-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413121909/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ryan-leef-yukon-conservative-candidate-handcuffs-puts-vandal-under-citizen-arrest-1.3213676 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url = http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/04/ryan-leef-sign-vandal-arrest_n_8090910.html|title = Yukon RCMP Politely Scold Tory Candidate for Citizen's Arrest|date = 4 September 2015|access-date = 1 April 2016|archive-date = 15 April 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160415185309/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/04/ryan-leef-sign-vandal-arrest_n_8090910.html|url-status = live}}
Electoral history
{{2025 Canadian federal election/Yukon}}
{{2015 Canadian federal election/Yukon}}
{{2011 Canadian federal election/Yukon}}