Hassard ran for the Yukon Party in the newly created riding of Pelly-Nisutlin in the snap election of 2002.
Hassard beat McLachlan comfortably and joined the government of Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie, who defeated the incumbent Liberals.
After Hassard decided to move his family to Whitehorse permanently, he chose to stand as the Yukon Party's candidate in the Whitehorse riding of Porter Creek South in the 2006 territorial election.
Prior to his election to the legislature, Hassard was a businessman and municipal councilor in Teslin, Yukon.
He is the brother of current Pelly-Nisutlin MLA Stacey Hassard, a former Cabinet minister, who is the incumbent Leader of the Opposition in the Yukon.