Nellie Cournoyea

Nellie Cournoyea
Nellie Cournoyea in Inuvik, 2006
6th Premier of the Northwest Territories
In office 1991–1995
Preceded by	Dennis Patterson
Succeeded by	Don Morin
MLA for Western Arctic
In office 1979–1983
Preceded by	John Steen
Succeeded by	riding dissolved
MLA for Nunakput
In office 1983–1995
Preceded by	new district
Succeeded by	Vince Steen
Personal details
Born	March 4, 1940 (1940-03-04) (age 71) Aklavik, Northwest Territories
Political party	non-partisan consensus government

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^[1] as well as inducted into the Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame.^[2]

See also

• Notable Aboriginal people of Canada

References

1. ^ "Governor General Announces New Appointments to the Order of Canada". http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=5601. 
2. ^ "Inuit Congratulate Nellie Cournoyea For Induction into Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame". Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. February 19, 2008. http://www.itk.ca/media-centre/media-releases/inuit-congratulate-nellie-cournoyea-induction-aboriginal-business-hall-f. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 

External links

• Life and times of Nellie Cournoyea CBC.
• The Inuvialuit Land Claim NWT Historical Timeline

Persondata
Name	Cournoyea, Nellie
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 4, 1940
Place of birth	Aklavik, Northwest Territories
Date of death
Place of death