On August 28, 2009, Cathers resigned from cabinet and the government caucus to sit as an independent member over issues with then-Premier Dennis Fentie.

[6] Cathers was sworn into Cabinet again on November 5, 2011 as Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Minister for Yukon Development Corporation and Yukon Energy Corporation, and Government House Leader.

He is the Yukon Party Official Opposition Critic for Health and Social Services, Finance, Justice, Agriculture, and Democratic Institutions.

[11] On December 5, 2019, Cathers announced that he would run in the Yukon Party leadership election, which was held on May 23, 2020.

Cathers was a member of both the federal Reform Party of Canada and its successor, the Canadian Alliance.