Keith Peterson
Encyclopedia
Alan Keith Peterson was born in Whitehorse
, Yukon
, Canada
and lives in Cambridge Bay
, Nunavut
. He is currently the Member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA) for the electoral district
of Cambridge Bay
having won the seat in the 2004 Nunavut election
.
Peterson has resided permanently in Cambridge Bay since 1973. Peterson attended F.H. Collins Secondary school in Whitehorse and graduated from Sir John Franklin High School
in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce
degree from the University of Alberta
in Edmonton
.
Before becoming a MLA in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
Peterson was a two-term Mayor of Cambridge Bay, between January 2000 and December 2003. From March 2000 until December 2003 he served as the Kitikmeot
Director on the Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM). He was subsequently elected by the Nunavut mayors as Vice-President, and then President of the NAM. He has been involved with municipal governments since first being elected in 1984 serving as either a Councillor or as Deputy Mayor.
In 1991, Peterson was instrumental in establishing and managing the Kitikmeot Regional Community Economic Development Organization, an Inuit
community economic development
organization (CEDO). This organization later became the Kitikmeot Economic Development Commission. The organization helps Kitikmeot Inuit and communities with business and training initiatives. In 1994 the Nunavut Inuit CEDO's created the Nunavut CEDO to represent them on pan-territorial and national CEDO issues. Keith played a key role in establishing the Nunavut CEDO and managed this organization until 2002.
In 1991, Peterson was appointed to the Kitikmeot Corporation board of directors and served as Secretary-Treasurer and Director until 2002. The Kitikmeot Corporation is the wholly owned Inuit Birthright development corporation of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. They invest land claims payments in business ventures to create economic wealth for Kitikmeot Inuit. From 1991 until 2004 Keith provided political, social and business advice to the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. He was the KIA's lead negotiator for Benefits Agreements with Northwest Territories and Nunavut based mines, including Echo Bay Mines
(Lupin Mine
), Tahera Diamonds (Jericho Diamond Mine
), Miramar Gold Mine (until he was elected MLA), BHP Ekati
(Ekati Diamond Mine
), and Diavik Diamond Mine
.
During the 1980s Peterson was employed by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) in the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, delivering government business programs and services to individuals and businesses in the Kitikmeot. His knowledge and background experience lead to him being appointed to the NWT Business Credit Corporation for six years ending in 1999 when Nunavut was created.
He is a past Chairman of the Kitikmeot Law Centre; he was an Appeals Chairman for the GNWT and Union of Northern Workers; and is a former President of Local X007 for the Kitikmeot.
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
, Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and lives in Cambridge Bay
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut
Cambridge Bay, named for Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, is a hamlet located in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, Canada...
, Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
. He is currently the Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(MLA) for the electoral district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Cambridge Bay
Cambridge Bay (electoral district)
Cambridge Bay is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada.The riding, which consists of the communities of Bathurst Inlet, Cambridge Bay and Umingmaktok, came into existence for the first Nunavut general election...
having won the seat in the 2004 Nunavut election
Nunavut general election, 2004
The Canadian territory of Nunavut conducted its second general election on February 16, 2004, to elect the 19 members of the Legislative Assembly.Premier Paul Okalik asked for the five-year-old territory's first parliament to be dissolved on January 16....
.
Peterson has resided permanently in Cambridge Bay since 1973. Peterson attended F.H. Collins Secondary school in Whitehorse and graduated from Sir John Franklin High School
École Sir John Franklin High School
École Sir John Franklin High School is a high school in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, operated by Yellowknife Education District No. 1...
in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
degree from the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
.
Before becoming a MLA in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada, is located in Iqaluit, and is the territory's parliament.The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, on 7 October 2002, during her Golden Jubilee tour of Canada...
Peterson was a two-term Mayor of Cambridge Bay, between January 2000 and December 2003. From March 2000 until December 2003 he served as the Kitikmeot
Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut
Kitikmeot Region is an administrative region of Nunavut, Canada. It consists of the southern and eastern parts of Victoria Island with the adjacent part of the mainland as far as the Boothia Peninsula, together with King William Island and the southern portion of Prince of Wales Island...
Director on the Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM). He was subsequently elected by the Nunavut mayors as Vice-President, and then President of the NAM. He has been involved with municipal governments since first being elected in 1984 serving as either a Councillor or as Deputy Mayor.
In 1991, Peterson was instrumental in establishing and managing the Kitikmeot Regional Community Economic Development Organization, an Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
community economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
organization (CEDO). This organization later became the Kitikmeot Economic Development Commission. The organization helps Kitikmeot Inuit and communities with business and training initiatives. In 1994 the Nunavut Inuit CEDO's created the Nunavut CEDO to represent them on pan-territorial and national CEDO issues. Keith played a key role in establishing the Nunavut CEDO and managed this organization until 2002.
In 1991, Peterson was appointed to the Kitikmeot Corporation board of directors and served as Secretary-Treasurer and Director until 2002. The Kitikmeot Corporation is the wholly owned Inuit Birthright development corporation of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. They invest land claims payments in business ventures to create economic wealth for Kitikmeot Inuit. From 1991 until 2004 Keith provided political, social and business advice to the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. He was the KIA's lead negotiator for Benefits Agreements with Northwest Territories and Nunavut based mines, including Echo Bay Mines
Echo Bay Mines Limited
The Echo Bay Mines Limited company was organized in 1964 to develop a silver deposit at Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories, which became known as the Echo Bay Mine. The company leased the old Port Radium settlement from Eldorado Mining and Refining Limited and used the old camp and mill to...
(Lupin Mine
Lupin Mine
Lupin Mine was a gold mine in Nunavut Territory, Canada. It opened in 1982 and was originally owned and operated by Echo Bay Mines Limited, who in 2003 became a fully owned subsidiary of Kinross Gold Corporation....
), Tahera Diamonds (Jericho Diamond Mine
Jericho Diamond Mine
The Jericho Diamond Mine is a dormant diamond mine located in Canada's Nunavut territory. Jericho is Nunavut’s first and only diamond mine. It is located northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and is accessible by air all year and by winter road from Yellowknife...
), Miramar Gold Mine (until he was elected MLA), BHP Ekati
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
(Ekati Diamond Mine
Ekati Diamond Mine
The EKATI Diamond Mine is Canada's first surface and underground diamond mine. It is located north-east of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and about south of the Arctic circle, near Lac de Gras. EKATI is a joint venture between BHP Billiton Canada Inc...
), and Diavik Diamond Mine
Diavik Diamond Mine
The Diavik Diamond Mine is a diamond mine in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, about north of Yellowknife.It has become an important part of the regional economy, employing 700, grossing C$100 million in sales, and producing 8 million carats of diamonds annually...
.
During the 1980s Peterson was employed by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) in the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, delivering government business programs and services to individuals and businesses in the Kitikmeot. His knowledge and background experience lead to him being appointed to the NWT Business Credit Corporation for six years ending in 1999 when Nunavut was created.
He is a past Chairman of the Kitikmeot Law Centre; he was an Appeals Chairman for the GNWT and Union of Northern Workers; and is a former President of Local X007 for the Kitikmeot.