Friends, family remember N.W.T.’s Tony Whitford as gracious, gregarious man who loved his work [Video]

Marc Whitford remembers his brother Tony as a man who stuck to his word, was generous and tough when it mattered, and never forgot where he came from. 

Tony Whitford, a longtime politician and former N.W.T. commissioner, died on Monday at the age of 83 at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife. 

“He was just a great, great example of what I thought everybody should be,” Marc said. 

“This guy could interact with the finest leaders in the world and not even miss a beat. Like, I really envy how that man could talk to people and relate to people and how they could relate to him and how they immediately liked him.” 

Whitford was elected as an MLA in 1988 and served for 30 years in the N.W.T. legislature, including as a cabinet minister and Speaker. 

Charles Dent served as MLA with Whitford, and the two worked together closely on …