Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories

The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories The speakership has changed many times from 1876 to 1888 the presiding officer of the assembly was the Lieutenant-Governor of the Northwest Territories, however Members of the Legislative Assembly would also elect one of their own to act as Chairman. Elected members held the Speakership from 1888 until 1905. The Deputy Commissioner of the Territories became Speaker and held that role from 1921 until 1975 when it was returned to the elected members.

Speakers and Presiding Officers

Lieutenant-Governors serving as Presiding Officer of the Council of the North-West Territories (1876-1888)

• David Laird (October 7, 1876 - December 3, 1881)
• Edgar Dewdney (December 3, 1881 - July 1, 1888)

Speakers of the North-West Legislative Assembly (1888-1905)

• Herbert Charles Wilson (1888-1891)
• James Hamilton Ross (1891-1894)
• John Betts (1894-1898)
• William Eakin (1898-1902)
• Archibald Gillis (1902-1905)

Deputy Commissioners serving as Presiding Officer of the 2nd Council of the Northwest Territories (1921-1975)

• Roy A. Gibson (June 16, 1921 - October 3, 1950)
• Frank J. G. Cunningham (June 26, 1951 - April 10, 1957)
• Wilfred G. Brown (April 10, 1957 - July 23, 1965)
• Stuart Milton Hodgson (August 1, 1965 - March 1, 1967)
• John Havelock Parker (March 2, 1967 - April 30, 1975) (continued as Deputy Commissioner until April 14, 1979)

Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories (since 1975)

• David Searle (May 1, 1975 - November 13, 1979)
• Robert H. MacQuarrie (November 13, 1979 - October 22, 1980)
• Donald Morton Stewart (October 22, 1980 - November 12, 1987)
• Red Pedersen (November 12, 1987 - October 18, 1989)
• Richard Nerysoo (October 19, 1989 - November 13, 1991)
• Michael Ballantyne (November 13, 1991 - November 10, 1993)
• Jeannie Marie-Jewell (November 13, 1993 - December 15, 1994)
• Brian Lewis (Acting) (December 15, 1994 - February 15, 1995)
• Samuel Gargan (February 15, 1995 - January 18, 2000)
• Tony Whitford (January 19, 2000 - December 11, 2003)
• David Krutko (December 11, 2003 - June 1, 2004)
• Paul Delorey (June 1, 2004 - October 3, 2011)
• Jackie Jacobson October 3, 2011 - 2015)
• Jackson Lafferty (2015-present)