The commissioner of the Northwest Territories () is the Government of Canada's representative in the Northwest Territories. Similar in certain functions to a lieutenant governor, the commissioner swears in the members of the legislative assembly, swears in members of the executive council, assents to bills, opens sessions of the legislative assembly, and signs other government documents such as Orders in Council.
Earlier commissioners were mostly deputy minister in various ministries. Initially, Commissioners had nearly absolute authority. However, over time, their powers were curtailed, and in 1967 the Carrothers report resulted in the creation of an elected Legislative Assembly.
In the 1970s, the Assembly gained more powers, and in 1980 responsible government was granted, with the Executive Council being accountable to the Legislative Assembly, fully adopting the Westminster system. The Northwest Territories is one of two jurisdictions with a nonpartisan consensus government system.
The introduction of responsible government resulted in the Commissioner's role becoming more akin to the Lieutenant Governor of a province—a politically aloof guarantor of the function of the parliamentary system akin to a head of state. However, commissioners remain appointed by the Government of Canada, and are not a vice-regal representative for the territory—the territories’ government is not an exercise of inherent sovereignty, but rather of devolution under the aegis of the federal Crown.
The commissioner represents the federal government and must follow any instructions of the Cabinet or the relevant federal minister, currently the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. In practice, however, since 1980, the Commissioner has largely bowed to the decisions of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council.
Commissioners of the NWT
From To Name 24 August 1905 27 September 1918 Frederick D. White 27 September 1918 31 March 1931 William Wallace Cory 31 March 1931 1 May 1934 Hugh H. Rowatt 1 May 1934 3 December 1936 vacant (Roy A. Gibson acting) 3 December 1936 14 January 1947 Charles Camsell 14 January 1947 14 November 1950 Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside 14 November 1950 15 November 1953 Hugh Andrew Young 15 November 1953 12 July 1963 Robert Gordon Robertson 12 July 1963 2 March 1967 Bent Gestur Sivertz 2 March 1967 15 April 1979 Stuart Milton Hodgson 15 April 1979 2 October 1989 John Havelock Parker 2 October 1989 16 January 1995 Daniel L. Norris 16 January 1995 26 March 1999 Helen Maksagak 26 March 1999 31 March 2000 Daniel Joseph Marion 31 March 2000 7 April 2005 Glenna Hansen 29 April 2005 28 May 2010 Tony Whitford 28 May 2010 10 May 2016George Tuccaro 10 May 2016 18 September 2017vacant (Gerald W. Kisoun acting) 18 September 2017 14 May 2024Margaret M. Thom14 May 2024IncumbentGerald Kisoun
Deputy commissioners
See also Lieutenant-Governors of Northwest Territories (1869–1905)
References
External links Office of the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories (NWT) Official Handbook for Commissioners of the Territories (Canada)