Senator Nicholas Sibbeston

Appointed to the Senate by the Rt. Honourable Jean Chrétien, Senator Nick Sibbeston represents the Northwest Territories and the Senatorial Division of the Northwest Territories. He has served in the Senate of Canada since September 2, 1999.

He is currently Vice-Chair of the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples and a member of the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee. His areas of interest and specialization include Aboriginal law and human rights.

A lawyer, distinguished member of the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) Legislative Assembly and a former Premier, Senator Sibbeston has dedicated his life to public service, and particularly the needs of the aboriginal peoples of the North.

In 1970, he was elected to a four-year term on the North West Territorial Council. From 1979-91, he was elected to the N.W.T. Legislative Assembly. During his term in the Legislative Assembly, he served six years in Cabinet and two years as Premier. He represented the Government of the N.W.T. as Premier at First Ministers' conferences on the economy and a First Ministers' Conference on Aboriginal Constitutional Matters.

Since 1991, Senator Sibbeston has worked briefly for the Government of N.W.T. as a Justice Specialist and as a Public Administrator for Deh Cho Health and Social Services. He has served four years on the Canadian Human Rights Panel/Tribunal. He has also served as Cultural Advisor and Slavey language advisor for the television program North of 60.

Senator Sibbeston attended residential school in Fort Simpson, Providence, Inuvik, and Yellowknife. He graduated from Sir John Franklin High School in 1964. He attended the University of Alberta, graduating with Bachelor of Arts and Law degrees.

Senator Sibbeston and his wife Karen have six children. He was born in Fort Simpson, N.W.T. on November 21, 1943.