Fort Simpson (Aug 01/03) - After a courageous battle with cancer, Bill Laferte died peacefully at home on July 26. He leaves behind a spouse, Christina Holman, and 12 children. He was 72 years-old.

Bill Laferte, the Metis Rambler, made many friends in his lifetime. Laferte passed away at home on July 26. - photo courtesy of Wayne Williams

Laferte was MLA for the Mackenzie-Liard constituency from 1975-79. Tom Butters was a fellow MLA and the two became good friends.

"He was a figure that was larger than life -- a Northern Metis who was extremely proud of his dual heritage," said Butters. "He was a philosopher, too... he spoke a lot so there was a lot of chaff in with the wheat. But the gold was there and it was well worth contemplating and keeping for yourself."

Like Butters, George Tuccaro met Laferte through the legislative assembly.

"Bill has always been at the forefront in Metis issues... a lot of us think the world of Bill and his family," said Tuccaro, a former CBC radio host, adding that he could always rely on Laferte for historical perspective.

"He had a lot of knowledge of the Mackenzie River and communities down the Mackenzie River, who lived there and who the Metis were that helped to open up the country," Tuccaro said, noting that Laferte chronicled his perspective in his award-winning newspaper column, the Metis Rambler.

"It was his way of passing on information to other people," said Tuccaro.

Laferte served seven years in the military, rising to the rank of sergeant with the army corps of engineers. He was assigned to duty during the Suez Canal crisis and the Korean War in the 1950s.

"He served (his country) with pride and he served with distinction," Butters added. "He was also proud to be Canadian."

Determined to attain benefits for Metis veterans and their families, Laferte became a Northern representative for the National Metis Veterans Association in 2002. He also sat on the NWT Senior Society's board.

With Laferte's death, Minnie Letcher lost not only a friend but a dance partner who was very fond of fiddle music.

"He taught me some steps," Letcher said. "I really enjoyed doing the old-time dances with him."

His funeral was scheduled to be held in Fort Simpson yesterday.