Joe Handley
Joseph "Joe" L. Handley, MLA (born August 9, 1943), is a former teacher, politician and civil servant and was the tenth premier of the Northwest Territories. Early life Handley was born in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan in 1943. Prior to moving to the Northwest Territories in 1985, he worked as an educator. Handley joined the Northwest Territories government and served as Deputy Minister in a wide number of portfolios including Deputy Minister of Education, Deputy Minister for the Departments of Renewable Resources, the NWT Housing Corporation, Transportation and Resources, Wildlife, and Economic Development. He left his career as a Deputy Minister to run for election in 1999. Electoral career Handley ran for election to the Northwest Territories Legislature in the electoral district of Weledeh in the 1999 Northwest Territories general election. He easily defeated incumbent MLA Roy Erasmus. In his first term in office he became Minister of Finance, Chairman of the Financial Management Board, Minister Responsible for the Workers Compensation Board, Minister of Transportation, and Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Handley was returned to his seat by acclamation, running unopposed in the 2003 territorial election. After the assembly convened to pick a new Premier following the retirement