The premier of the Northwest Territories is a title given to the head of government in the Northwest Territories of Canada when the territory is using an elected system of responsible government. Throughout its history, the territory has been governed by various combinations of locally elected governments and administrators appointed by the government of Canada.

Upon creation, the Northwest Territories were governed by the lieutenant governor of Manitoba, a representative of the federal government and Queen Victoria, for the newly created province of Manitoba. Six years later in 1876, the territory was given its own lieutenant governor, separate from that of Manitoba.[1] These lieutenant governors presided over an assembly with members both elected and appointed by the federal government. Before 1888, the territory required electoral districts with an area of 3,000 km2 (1,200 sq mi) to contain at least 1,000 people. When this quota was met, a by-election was held to elect a member to replace an appointed one.

The Northwest Territories held its first general elections to the North-West Legislative Assembly in 1888 when it considered the population to be sufficient.[2] After this election, the chairman of the assembly's executive committee (analogous to a cabinet) assumed the role of head of government.[3] From 1897 to 1905, the chairman used the title "premier", the same title used by the heads of government in the Canadian provinces.[4]

In 1905, the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta were created from the most populous regions of the Northwest Territories. With a much lower population, powers of the territory's head of government reverted to a federal and Crown representative appointed by the prime minister of Canada, this time with the title Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.[1] Beginning in 1951, and increasingly in 1967, powers were transferred back to an elected assembly. In 1980, the head of this assembly regained the title of premier, and in 1985 the became chair of the Executive Council and full head of government.

Because the Northwest Territories has a consensus government, the premier is elected by, and from, the members of the Legislative Assembly, and are not divided into parties.[5] This list contains only those government leaders who governed under an elected system of responsible government. For the heads of government before and in between these times, see commissioner of the Northwest Territories.

Premiers of the Northwest Territories

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Electoral mandates
(Assembly) 		Political party Parliamentary
seat 		Ref.
Chairman of the Lt. Governor's Advisory Council
— Robert Brett
(1851–1929) 		30 June 1888
–
7 November 1891 		1888 election (1st NW Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Red Deer


Chairman of the Executive Committee
— Frederick Haultain
(1857–1942) 		7 November 1891
–
7 October 1897 		1891 election (2nd NW Leg.)⁠

1894 election (3rd NW Leg.)

Non-partisan MLA for Macleod


Premiers of the Northwest Territories
1 Frederick Haultain
(1857–1942) 		7 October 1897
–
24 August 1905 		1898 election (4th NW Leg.)⁠

1902 election (5th NW Leg.)

Liberal–Conservative MLA for Macleod


See commissioner of the Northwest Territories for the heads of government between 1905 and 1980.
2 George Braden[N 1]
(1949–2015) 		16 June 1980
–
12 January 1984 		Appointment (9th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Yellowknife North


3 Richard Nerysoo[N 1]
(b. 1953) 		12 January 1984
–
5 November 1985 		1983 election (10th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Mackenzie Delta


4 Nick Sibbeston[N 1]
(b. 1943) 		5 November 1985
–
12 November 1987 		Appointment (10th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Deh Cho Gah


5 Dennis Patterson[N 1]
(b. 1948) 		12 November 1987
–
14 November 1991 		1987 election (11th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Iqaluit


6 Nellie Cournoyea[N 1]
(b. 1940) 		14 November 1991
–
22 November 1995 		1991 election (12th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Nunakput


7 Don Morin
(b. 1954) 		22 November 1995
–
26 November 1998 		1995 election (13th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Tu Nedhe


acting Goo Arlooktoo
(1963–2002) 		26 November 1998
–
10 December 1998 		Appointment (13th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Baffin South [6]
8 Jim Antoine
(b. 1949) 		10 December 1998
–
17 January 2000 		Appointment (13th Leg.)⁠

1999 election (14th Leg.)

Non-partisan MLA for Nahendeh


9 Stephen Kakfwi
(b. 1950) 		17 January 2000
–
10 December 2003 		Appointment (14th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Sahtu


10 Joe Handley
(b. 1943) 		10 December 2003
–
19 October 2007 		2003 election (15th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Weledeh


11 Floyd Roland
(b. 1961) 		19 October 2007
–
26 October 2011 		2007 election (16th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Inuvik Boot Lake


12 Bob McLeod
(b. 1952) 		26 October 2011
–
24 October 2019 		2011 election (17th Leg.)⁠

2015 election (18th Leg.)

Non-partisan MLA for Yellowknife South


13 Caroline Cochrane
(b. 1960) 		24 October 2019
–
8 December 2023 		2019 election (19th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Range Lake


14 R. J. Simpson
(b. 1980) 		8 December 2023
–
incumbent 		2023 election (20th Leg.) Non-partisan MLA for Hay River North


  1. Before 1994, the position was officially known as Government Leader; however, the territory has retroactively applied the title of Premier.

See also

References

General
Specific
  1. "The Northwest Territories". Library and Archives Canada. May 2, 2005. Archived from the original on June 21, 2008.
  2. Thomas, Lewis Herbert (1978). The Struggle for Responsible Government in the North-West Territories, 1870-97. University of Toronto Press. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-8020-2287-5.
  3. "The Honourable Dr. Robert G. Brett, 1915-25". Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008.
  4. "The North-West Territories (1870–1905)" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada.
  5. "Election of the Speaker, Premier, and Ministers". Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. November 6, 2012.
  6. "New premier on horizon". NNSL. November 30, 1998. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014.