Don Branigan

Donald W. Branigan (1933 – June 27, 1999) was a Canadian politician and medical doctor, best known as a former mayor of Whitehorse, Yukon. As a medical doctor, he was also noted for his frequent legal conflicts with medical licensing bodies opposed to his use of holistic medical practices such as acupuncture.

Background Born in Loverna, Saskatchewan, Branigan trained as a medical doctor at the University of Alberta. Practicing as a rural family doctor, he was mayor of the town of Manning, Alberta, In 1985, the council revoked his license to practice medicine, although it was reinstated a month later.

Politics He ran three times for election to the Yukon Territorial Council, losing in the 1970 election to Norman Chamberlist and in the 1974 election to Willard Phelps. He filed a petition against Phelps' election on conflict of interest grounds, which resulted in Phelps' election being voided in 1975. He then ran in the by-election to succeed Phelps, but lost to Walt Lengerke.

He served as mayor of Whitehorse from 1979 to 1982, and from 1984 to 1991. and the 1993 election, and as an independent candidate in the 1997 election. He did not win any of the elections to the higher offices.

Upon his retirement as a medical doctor, he moved to Carcross where he died on June 27, 1999, after collapsing from a heart attack.