Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Monday, July 9, 2007

ENTERPRISE - For over 20 years, Scotty Edgerton has specialized in helping numerous native and non-native communities in Western and Northern Canada get their finances under control.

Scotty Edgerton, pictured with his dog Bobby, is the senior administrative officer with the Settlement of Enterprise. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Since January, his latest job is as senior administrative officer (SAO) with Enterprise.

When he first heard about the job in the settlement, Edgerton, who was working in Nunavut at the time, recalled thinking it would be a wonderful opportunity.

"It's on the road and I really like Enterprise," he said.

His three goals in Enterprise - which he notes has lots of money in the bank - are to help eliminate an annual deficit, create more infrastructure and move from settlement to hamlet status.

The 65-year-old is also thinking about retiring in Enterprise when his work is done.

Edgerton said he really enjoys living in the North.

"I like the people," he said. "It doesn't matter what you do, you're all equal. Everybody is equal in the North."

In addition, he enjoys experiencing the different cultures of the North.

Born in Saskatchewan, Edgerton's first full-time job in community management was with a Cree band in Lac La Ronge, Sask., when he was in his mid-40s. An accountant by trade, he was helping friends with their taxes and one of them suggested the band needed help with their books.

Edgerton had also studied human resources and marketing at the University of Saskatchewan and Mount Royal University College in Calgary.

From his 20s to his early 40s, Edgerton owned and operated a number of businesses - such as a backhoe service and a welding operation - and was also a farmer and rancher.

"I had a real variety of lifestyles," he said.

Edgerton also worked as a welder at a potash mine in Saskatchewan and was a journeyman printer at the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix newspaper.

"I think what made me do all these assorted ventures was my father wanted me to become a teacher and my duty in life was not to become a teacher," he said, noting his father and other members of his family taught school.

Aside from his varied occupations, Edgerton - a father of three grown children - has also studied writing, owns a sailboat in British Columbia, rides a motorcycle, likes to paint, and is an incessant reader.

"I want to learn 'til I die," he said.

Edgerton's first job in the NWT was as SAO of Deninoo Community Council in Fort Resolution.

Just before coming North, he was managing a Haida band in British Columbia.

"I was getting sick of the weather," he recalled, and was looking for a place with more sun when a friend suggested he look to the North.

After about two years in Fort Resolution, he worked for five years managing the community council in Taloyoak (Spence Bay), Nunavut.

For the past 16 years, Edgerton has been accompanied at work by his dog, Bobby.

"This is his fifth office," he noted.

Edgerton has been taking Bobby to work since he noticed the pet helped reduce stress and tension at a native band office where he once worked.

"A dog has a way of diffusing some of that action," he said.

These days, Edgerton is recovering from heart bypass surgery.

Currently, he is on sick leave, but is slowly getting back to work, he said. "I'm happy to get on with life again."