News Archives: Senator Dennis Patterson
Thursday, May 30th, 2013
Dennis Patterson (Nunavut) is a former Premier of the Northwest Territories who has dedicated his career to bettering the lives of people throughout Canada’s North. He was also a member of the charter class of students in the brand new Grande Prairie Junior College in 1966, and the first ever President of the Students’ Association of our College.
In his distinguished 16-year career as a member of the Legislative Assembly in the Northwest Territories Mr. Patterson served in many capacities including Minister of Education, Minister of Health and Social Services and Minister of Justice, culminating in his service as Premier between 1987 and 1991. During his time in public office Mr. Patterson played a key role in the settlement of the Inuvialuit final agreement and the Nunavut final land claim agreement. Mr. Patterson also served as the leader of the more than twenty-year campaign which led to the establishment of Nunavut as Canada’s newest territory in 1999. Prior to entering politics, Mr. Patterson practised law and was appointed founding Executive Director of the Legal Services Centre, Maliiganik Tukisiiniakvik Society, in Iqaluit. After serving as Premier, Mr. Patterson established a private consulting firm, was admitted to the Law Society of Nunavut in 2001 and since 2003 has been a Trustee and Chair of the Investment Committee of the Northern Property Real Estate Investment Trust. Mr. Patterson is married and has four children and two grandchildren.
He is a current member of the following Senate committee(s): Aboriginal Peoples, Fisheries and Oceans - Deputy Chair, National Security and Defence
Dennis Glen Patterson wrote, in the first ever GPJC Yearbook:
“I believe that we, the first students of Grande Prairie Junior College, have shown that a Junior College in the Peace River country can be successful – and we’ve had a good time making it so.We’ve quaffed gallons of coffee, read volumes of books, scratched pages of notes, laughed and loved, failed and triumphed, partied with abandon, and studied with fervor.We explored subjects ranging from Kreb’s Citric Acid Cycle and the structural formula for lysergic acid diethylamide to the ramifications of the French Revolution and the mysteries of Freud.Most important we had laid a basis for a structure which can only grow.At the beginning of the session our future was uncertain. Perhaps we accepted a risk in coming here.Our first year has not been without inconveniences. However, we have completed the first year with a good record.With the momentum of a successful first year and with continued optimism, determination, and confidence, Grande Prairie Junior College students can look forward to even better years ahead.” - Dennis Glen Patterson, 1966-67
GPRC is very pleased to present the Distinguished Alumni Award 2011 to Senator Dennis Patterson.