Richard Nerysoo

Richard Nerysoo (born: ) is a territorial level politician from Northwest Territories, Canada. He was a member of the Northwest Territories Legislature from 1979 to 1995 and briefly served as the third Premier and Speaker of the territories.

Political career

Nerysoo served a long career as Member of the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories (MLA). He was first elected in the 1979 Northwest Territories general election in the Mackenzie Delta electoral district becoming the youngest MLA in the history of the territories.

Nerysoo was re-elected in the 1983 Northwest Territories general election. He was elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve as the third premier of Northwest Territories. His election as Speaker made him the first Aboriginal in Canada to serve the role. He served as the government leader for a year until 1985. He was re-elected in the 1987 Northwest Territories general election.

History would be made by Nerysoo again when he was elected to be the first Aboriginal Speaker of the Assembly. He would be elected Speaker on October 19, 1989 and serve in that role until November 13, 1991. He was re-elected to a fourth term in the 1991 Northwest Territories general election. Nerysoo was defeated by candidate David Krutko in the 1995 Northwest Territories general election.

He currently serves as a member on the Gwich'in Tribal Council.

External links

* [http://www.firstnationsdrum.com/Sum2001/NAAA-Nerysoo.htm Native Aboriginal Achivment Awards: article on Richard Nerysoo]
* [http://www.gwichin.nt.ca/GTCBusinessDevelopment/businessDevelopmentLetterSearchResult.asp?Letter=N Gwich'in Tribal Council]
* [http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca/visitorinfo/factsheets/speaker.html Northwest Territories speakers 1975 to present]