Mr. Speaker, the North lost one of the true pioneers of governance in the NWT with the passing of Tom Butters. Tom served in the Legislative Assembly from 1970 to 1991. As one of the longest serving MLAs in the North, his respectful and steady approach was admired by those who served with him.
The flags outside the Legislative Assembly have been lowered to half-mast today out of respect for Tom Butters and all he did for the people of the Northwest Territories.
Born in Vancouver, BC, in 1925, Mr. Butters moved North in 1947. He was a prospector in the Yukon and worked on the Alaska Highway with the Department of National Defence before joining the federal Department of Northern Affairs and Natural Resources as a northern services officer in Ottawa, Churchill and Baker Lake.
He moved to Inuvik in 1961 and became regional administrator in 1963. He left the government two years later to establish the local weekly newspaper, the Drum
– now the Inuvik Drum – to serve the
Inuvik area, and he established a travel business in the Western Arctic. Tom also served a term on Inuvik town council, where he was deputy mayor, before running in the 1970 territorial election.
Tom Butters was elected five times by the people of Inuvik and served in 13 different ministerial portfolios including:
Minister of Natural and Cultural Affairs
Minister of Economic Development and Tourism
Minister of Social Services
Minister of Health
Minister of Education, Justice and Public
Services
Minister of the Public Utilities Board
Minister of Finance
Minister of Government Services
Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources
Secretariat
Minister of Housing Corporation
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs
It was during his time as Finance Minister that Tom took on the responsibility for the GNWT finances. Until that time the Commissioner, appointed by Ottawa, had controlled the financial portfolio. Tom worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition. Notably it was during his tenure as Minister that the northern residents tax deduction was introduced.
Tom was a hard worker and famous for his early breakfast meetings, something that appears to be a necessary characteristic for any Finance Minister. He was a very good listener and a fair man. He was soft-
spoken, open to others’ ideas and treated
everyone with respect.
It is fitting, and certainly no coincidence, that such a man played a key part in the independence of the Northwest Territories. This earned him membership in the Order of Canada in 1994.
Mr. Speaker, I invite Members to join me in thanking Tom Butters for all he contributed to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, for the legacy he left every one of us, even those who never met him. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
