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What does Premier Joe Handley want for Christmas?

Philippe Morin
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Dec 18/06) - Joe Handley has worked many different jobs in his life.

He's been a janitor in an apartment building, been a construction worker, has served elected office since 1999 and, of course, has been the NWT's Premier for the past three years.
NNSL Photo/graphic

NWT Premier Joe Handley says being premier is a travelling job, which makes him spend nearly half his time living in hotels and eating in restaurants. - Philippe Morin/NNSL photo

And while the rewards of the Premiership are great, he said it's also a demanding job.

Handley said he spends about half his time living in hotels, eating restaurant food with a haphazard schedule.

"The job is sort of undefined," he said with a laugh.

"Some days I get up at 5:30 in the morning, I get to bed by 11 or 12 and I deal with phone calls during that whole period."

But Handley is not complaining.

Thanks to his personal organizers - people like principal secretary Rick Bargery, who makes sure he always has someone to meet -- he said he's able to squeeze in several meetings on an average day.

"Because of my schedule, I have to rely on other people to keep me organized," he said.

But after the day is done, Handley said he sometimes gets a little quiet time, to finish e-mails on his laptop computer in the hotel room - perhaps eating something from the local take-out.

"There's too many restaurants, but that's often all time will allow," he said.

So if you want to surprise Joe Handley this Christmas, it might be as simple as inviting him to a slow-paced, home-cooked meal.

Let's just hope his assistants can book him the time.