SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Mayor Gord Van Tighem retired from his first career ten years ago, but hasn't stopped since.

The 61-year-old former banker was elected to his fourth term in office Monday night with more than 73 per cent of the vote.

On election day, Gord Van Tighem said every day of his service as mayor is part of his evaluation, and he's looking forward to a fourth term. - Elizabeth McMillan/NNSL photo

As he enters his tenth year as mayor of Yellowknife, Van Tighem is looking toward creating sustainable projects. Far from being tired, he says he's ready to adapt to whatever challenges come up.

Van Tighem has a tiny paper that reads "the will of the people is the best law" taped to his office door. Found in a fortune cookie, the message may be words to live by. He says one of his goals is always "involving the community in the discussion and determining where they want to go."

Over the course of his political career, he says he's become personally invested in the issues that affect Yellowknife. When he entered the political arena in 2000, Van Tighem had an army of 200 volunteers, ranging from former colleagues to seniors and school-aged youth. Two acclaimed elections followed but with challenges from Bryan Sutherland and John Westergreen, Van Tighem had to break out the campaign pins again this fall.

"It's so much easier," he said when asked if he would have preferred to have been acclaimed again.

"The difference to me is that every day you're doing this job is part of your evaluation," he said. "If you did good then they'll keep you."

Van Tighem speaks with pride of the role he played in bringing groups together to plan the Multiplex, the SideDoor Youth Centre, and the fieldhouse recreational facility now under construction.

"As far as a legacy, I came in here with statements about, well - those reports aren't going to sit on the shelf. By and large they haven't," he said.

Born in Calgary, Van Tighem went to the University of Manitoba, where he studied psychology and Canadian Studies. He first came to the NWT in the 1970s while working for the Bank of Montreal. He officially moved to Yellowknife in 1992 when he became the senior territorial banking manager. The city has become a home base for Van Tighem and his wife, Carole, who have lived in the same house since they moved here.

For his next term, Van Tighem is looking forward to creating a base for environmental studies and pushing for an NWT Science and Technology Park in Yellowknife. He wants to create a base for long-term employment in Yellowknife.

"Yellowknife as a community has no geographical historical reason for existing," he said. "We saw in the mid-nineties that if the government decides to cut back and the gold mines go away, you're in trouble."

He said building a permanent facility for scientists and students to study the North would create jobs and strengthen the city.

"It gives you something that depends on the North. You've got a growth industry," said Van Tighem. "It diversifies the economy."

With his Oct. 19 victory leaving no question of the public's support, Van Tighem said running for a fifth term will depend on two things - his wife's permission, and how things go in year three.

"So much can change from year to year," he said. "Right now I've still got lots of eagerness and enthusiasm, but I've also got grandchildren who don't live here. Who knows."