SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
An emotional George Tuccaro bid farewell to MLAs in the legislative assembly on March 3.

NWT Commissioner George Tuccaro stands in the Great Hall of the legislative assembly in Yellowknife after his final official day of duty. With him is Sergeant-At-Arms Brian Thagard and his Aide-de-Camp Cpt. Melanie Parker. After six years, Tuccaro's last day as commissioner is May 10. - John McFadden/NNSL photo

Tuccaro, who became the 16th commissioner of the NWT in May 2010, will be replaced before MLAs return to the assembly in May. Tuccaro shook hands with all the leaders before giving royal assent to four bills. Tuccaro received a standing ovation before leaving the assembly floor for a final time.

He said it was a bittersweet day

"It's melancholy. You get king of emotional - best six years I've ever had. It was a perfect opportunity to say thank you to the North. It's been my life," Tuccaro said. "To be able to give back to the people has been a small token of my appreciation for what they have given me."

Tuccaro said he has no idea who his replacement will be but did give a brief outline of the job description as he sees it.

"This job is all about the people of the North. It's about the process of government and the important things that need to happen with the assent of bills and swearing in of new members of the legislative assembly and being the representative of her royal majesty."

Tuccaro said his highlights as commissioner are too numerous to mention but he did point to his encounters with the royal family.

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge coming to the NWT early in their marriage and to meet Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth in Ottawa," Tuccaro said. "Meeting a lot of wonderful people - other lieutenant governors and commissioners from the other territories and provinces as well."

Tuccaro said there is a fine line the commissioner has to walk and he cited the job's biggest challenges.

"Knowing my job and knowing where I am supposed to be and where I am not supposed to be was probably the thing that I had to learn and understand," Tuccaro said. "In this role as commissioner I am arm's length away from the politicians and never try to interfere with the political process of the North."

Tuccaro, 65, has led a remarkable life. He was born in northern Alberta and is a member of the Mikisew Cree First Nation. He had two stints as both a radio and television broadcaster with CBC North and a job with the federal government in between. He was instrumental in the promotion of aboriginal languages and cultures at CBC and was also an anchor for Northbeat, the first daily news program in the North.

In the early 1990s, Tuccaro established a NWT booking agency for Northern performing artists and organized a pan-territorial events. He retired from broadcasting in 2002 and formed a company to assist in hosting major events in the North. The home-based company grew to include workshop presentations on issues such as healthy lifestyles, grief and loss, suicide prevention and the negative fallout from residential schools.

Tuccaro is a recipient of many awards including the Canada 125 Commemorative Medal the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 2006 for Media and Communications, and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. Tuccaro was also named the first recipient of the newly created Order of the Northwest Territories.

Tuccaro and his wife, Marilyn, have been married since 1972.

His last day on the job is scheduled for May 10. His replacement will be named by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett after recommendations by the MLAs. It is not clear when a new commissioner will be announced.