Nellie Cournoyea
Encyclopedia
Nellie Cournoyea, OC
(born March 4, 1940 in Aklavik, Northwest Territories
) is a former Canadian
politician, who served as the sixth Premier of the Northwest Territories
from 1991 to 1995. She was the first female premier of a Canadian territory and the second female premier in Canadian history after Rita Johnston
of British Columbia
.
Cournoyea is of mixed Norwegian
and Inupiaq heritage.
Before entering politics, Cournoyea was an announcer and station manager for CBC North
in Inuvik, and a land claims worker for the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada.
She was first elected to the territorial Legislative Assembly in 1979, representing the electoral district
of Western Arctic until it was dissolved in 1983, and then the new district of Nunakput
for the remainder of her career in politics. She served the government in a variety of cabinet positions.
On November 14, 1991, she was chosen as premier under the territory's consensus government
system, in which the premier is chosen by elected members following the general election. Cournoyea served as premier until 1995, and subsequently chose not to stand for reelection to the Legislative Assembly. She currently serves as chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.
She was a winner of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1994, and has been awarded honorary doctorates in law
from Lakehead University
, Carleton University
and the University of Toronto
.
In 2008, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
as well as inducted into the Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born March 4, 1940 in Aklavik, 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...
) is a former Canadian
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...
politician, who served as the sixth Premier of the Northwest Territories
Premier of the Northwest Territories
The Premier of the Northwest Territories is the first minister for the Northwest Territories,Canada. He or she is the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although the powers of the office are considerably less than those of a provincial premier.Unlike provincial premiers,...
from 1991 to 1995. She was the first female premier of a Canadian territory and the second female premier in Canadian history after Rita Johnston
Rita Johnston
Rita Margaret Johnston was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. Johnston became the first female premier in Canadian history when she succeeded William Vander Zalm in 1991 to become the 29th Premier of British Columbia.Much of her early life was spent running a successful trailer park in the...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Cournoyea is of mixed Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Inupiaq heritage.
Before entering politics, Cournoyea was an announcer and station manager for CBC North
CBC North
CBC North is the name for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's radio and television service in the Canadian Arctic. Originally known as the CBC Northern Service, its first operations began in 1958 with radio broadcasts including the takeover of CFYK, originally a Royal Canadian Signal...
in Inuvik, and a land claims worker for the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada.
She was first elected to the territorial Legislative Assembly in 1979, representing 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 Western Arctic until it was dissolved in 1983, and then the new district of Nunakput
Nunakput
Nunakput is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The district consists of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok.The current Member of the Legislative Assembly is Jackie Jacobson....
for the remainder of her career in politics. She served the government in a variety of cabinet positions.
On November 14, 1991, she was chosen as premier under the territory's consensus government
Consensus government
Consensus government is a form of consensus democracy government in Canada in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, as well as Nunatsiavut, an autonomous area in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
system, in which the premier is chosen by elected members following the general election. Cournoyea served as premier until 1995, and subsequently chose not to stand for reelection to the Legislative Assembly. She currently serves as chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.
She was a winner of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1994, and has been awarded honorary doctorates in law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
from Lakehead University
Lakehead University
Lakehead University is a public research university in Thunder Bay, and Orillia, Ontario, Canada.Lakehead University, shortened to 'Lakehead U', or 'LU', is non-denominational and provincially supported. It has undergraduate and graduate programs and a medical school.The school has more than 45,000...
, Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
and the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
In 2008, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
as well as inducted into the Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame.
External links
- Life and times of Nellie Cournoyea CBC.
- The Inuvialuit Land Claim NWT Historical Timeline