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Tom Butters, 5-term N.W.T. MLA and founder of Inuvik Drum, dies at 89

Tom Butters, 5-term N.W.T. MLA and founder of Inuvik Drum, dies at 89

Tom Butters, an Order of Canada recipient who founded the Inuvik Drum newspaper and served as an MLA for 21 years, died March 2 in Duncan, B.C. at the age of 89.

According to his son, Ian Butters, who still lives in Inuvik, Tom was "a man of his word, and a man of honour. And I think a lot of people around here would echo that," he says.

Tom came North to pan for gold in the 1950s, settling in the Yukon. His family arrived in the Northwest Territories in 1959, in Baker Lake, before settling in Inuvik in 1962.

"He was what was called a northern services officer, which was sort of a representative of the federal government in small Northern communities," says Ian.

"When he first came to Inuvik, he managed the rehab centre that sits next door to the library. There were lots of people in the community then recovering from tuberculosis treatments in Alberta."

Butters then became the region's regional director for the federal government, before making a turn into journalism, purchasing a printing press and establishing the Inuvik Drum newspaper in 1965.

"That was quite a surprise," says Ian.

"He left his position as the senior government guy, and established the Inuvik Drum... where he was the original editor, publisher, writer, photographer. The only thing he didn't do was distribution."

5 terms as MLA

Exposed to a wide variety of local issues as Inuvik's first community journalist, Butters' career then turned to politics. He served a term in Inuvik town council before running in the 1970 territorial election, where he was elected MLA of what was then the Western Arctic riding.

Butters was re-elected in 1975 to represent the newly established Inuvik riding, and served five terms total in the legislature, retiring from politics in 1991. He remains one of four MLAs to serve five terms, along with Ludy Pudluk and current MLAs Jane Groenewegen and Michael Miltenberger.

Notably, Butters served as the territory's finance minister when the Northern Residents Deduction was introduced.

"He was the finance minister that sort of persuaded the federal government that they should consider giving a higher tax break for residents of the North," says Ian.

"And I remember that a lot of people thought it was a crazy thing to pursue. That has put a lot of money in a lot of pockets over the years."

During his time in politics, Ian says Tom's greatest legacy was his ability to stay grounded in his adopted home of Inuvik.

"When he got up to be a minister, he didn't forget the people who put him there, and who he worked for," says Ian.

"He would come back to town, and the people he would talk to and associate with were from all walks of life. Tradespeople, blue collar people, cab drivers... That's how he took the pulse of Inuvik.

"These people knew that when they spoke to him, he was listening."

In 1994, Butters was awarded the Order of Canada in recognition of his "major role in the evolution of representative government in the North."

In accordance with his wishes, there will be no funeral.