Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take the opportunity today to say thank you, on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories and all the people of the Northwest Territories, to Mr. Tony Whitford who has successfully completed...
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...his term as Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.
The way the Territory is governed has evolved considerably during Mr. Whitford’s lifetime and he has been present to witness much of it. When Mr. Whitford was born in Fort Smith, the NWT was still being governed out of Ottawa by federal bureaucrats. That began to change with the relocation of the Commissioner to Yellowknife in 1967. Mr. Whitford served as executive assistant to John Parker, the second Commissioner to call the NWT home and the one who was to preside over the establishment of fully responsible government in the NWT. As Speaker of the 14th Legislative Assembly, Mr. Whitford guided the first post-division Assembly of the Northwest Territories helping to adapt old rules, traditions and conventions to a new Assembly and new situation.
In between, Mr. Whitford served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, participating in the debates and decisions that shaped how the NWT was governed during the 11th and 12th Assemblies. As a Member of the Executive Council, Mr. Whitford also served as Minister of Health and Social Services, Safety and Public Services and Transportation. While not a Member of the 13th Assembly, Mr. Whitford continued his long association with this House as Sergeant-at-Arms.
Mr. Whitford was appointed as Deputy Commissioner in 2004 and became Commissioner of the NWT in April 2005. During his time as Commissioner, he has worked hard to be the people’s Commissioner. He made it a priority to travel to every NWT community to meet and hear from the people he represented. As a tireless promoter of education, spring would usually find him speaking at graduation ceremonies across the NWT. Throughout his time as Commissioner, Mr. Whitford never hesitated to represent the government and the people of the Northwest Territories at countless official ceremonies and public functions.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Whitford’s time as Commissioner was a culmination of a lifetime of public service and as an example to where hard work and dedication can take a person. Northern born and raised, Mr. Whitford has risen to the highest office in the Northwest Territories through his commitment to his fellow Northerners and his community. Whether it was performing weddings, serving as a Justice of the Peace, sitting as an MLA, presiding over the Rotary Bike Auction or presiding over this House, the one constant has been Mr. Whitford’s dedication to public service. As we say thank you to him for his service to us as Commissioner, I am sure that this time will not be the last we will hear of Mr. Whitford. While the office he holds may change from time to time, the one thing not likely to change is his desire to contribute to his community and to the Territory. I’m sure he’s already thinking of what’s next -- as he likes to say, “Have gavel will travel.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.
