Yellowknife (Dec 06/06) - After an eight year hiatus, the NWT will begin awarding its highest honour again to deserving citizens.

The Commissioner's Award has been bestowed 194 times since its inception in 1967. NWT Commissioner Tony Whitford wants to recognize acts of bravery and commitment to public service through sport, arts and volunteerism in the North.

NWT Commissioner Tony Whitford shows off the Commissioner's Award medal. For the first time since 1999, Whitford plans to bestow the honour on NWT residents who have shown bravery or made other worthwhile contributions to society. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

"It's not something we have a quota on," Whitford explained of the honour's absence from the public eye since 1999, the last year it was awarded. "I'm really excited about getting it going again and hopefully by February we can have the first awards ceremony during my tenure."

With no fixed number of awards presented annually and no timeline for presentations, Whitford said anyone wishing to nominate someone can do so at any time by writing his office with detailed information on the candidate and why they deserve the award, and have a second supporter of the nomination sign the letter.

Notable past winners include former Native Women's Association of Canada President Bertha Allen, Olympians Sharon and Shirley Firth and former NWT Commissioner Ben Sivertz, the award's first recipient in 1967.

Whitford, a former cabinet minister and speaker of the legislative assembly, was appointed commissioner in 2005.

Among duties that include signing bills, opening and closing sessions of the legislative assembly and swearing in new MLAs and cabinet ministers, Whitford said he most enjoys visiting with youth and promoting literacy.

"It's one of those things that comes along once in a lifetime," he said of being named commissioner. "And I really like to spend time with the kids at school, take books written by Northerners for them and tell the young people the importance of staying in school."

Despite being the official representative of the Northwest Territories, Whitford has maintained his down-to-earth blue-jeans-and-flannel-jumper style which complements his relaxed attitude, synonymous with Northern living. Never too busy to chat over coffee or lend a helping hand, the commissioner arrived late to his Yellowknifer interview, because he was helping an elder get settled in her new apartment.