Margaret Thom

The Honourable
Margaret Thom
DStJ ONWT
Thom in 2019
Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
In office
September 18, 2017 – May 14, 2024
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
PremierBob McLeod
Caroline Cochrane
R.J. Simpson
Preceded byGerald W. Kisoun (acting)
Succeeded byGerald W. Kisoun
Personal details
Born1951 (age 74–75)[citation needed]
Fort Providence, Northwest Territories
SpouseJim Thom
Children4
OccupationCounsellor

Margaret M. Thom DStJ ONWT (born 1951[citation needed]) is a Canadian politician, who was the commissioner of the Northwest Territories. She previously served as the deputy commissioner of the Northwest Territories, Canada, from June 2, 2005, until October 2011. In June 2022 she was appointed to a second term.

Thom was born and raised in Fort Providence in an Indigenous family and worked a number of jobs before enrolling in a counselling program at Aurora College during the 1990s, subsequently becoming a counsellor at Deh Gáh School in Fort Providence.

Thom is a member of the NWT Education Hall of Fame and has been awarded the Territorial Wise Woman Award.

Honours and Arms

Ribbon bars of Margaret Thom
Appointments
Country Date Appointment Post-nominal letters
 Canada2012Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
 Canada2017Dame of Justice of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (Vice Prior of the Order in the Northwest Territories)D.StJ
 Northwest Territories2017Order of the Northwest TerritoriesONWT
 Canada 2024 King Charles III Coronation Medal

Coat of arms

Thom was granted a coat of arms through Grant of Arms and Supporters, with differences to Tina Marie Gargan, Melanie Georgette Thom-Gargan, Lee Maria Thom and Tamara Rosalie Thom-Field, on May 15, 2019.

Coat of arms of Margaret Thom
Granted
2019
Crest
A bald eagle wings displayed Sable each charged with a mountain avens flower proper, its head Argent, beaked, legged and holding in the dexter claw a lightning flash Or, standing on a closed book bound Gules its edge fesswise Argent.
Escutcheon
Sable a tepee issuant from base Argent its staves Or its interior Gules charged with a campfire Or.
Supporters
Dexter a moose cow sinister a moose calf Or both supporting a braid of sweetgrass and standing on a grassy mount proper;
Motto
NEZŲ TS’ĘNDA

References

  1. ↑ "GNWT - Commissioner - Biography".
  2. ↑ ORDERS IN COUNCIL
  3. ↑ "Prime Minister announces reappointment of the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories". pm.gc.ca (Press release). 23 June 2022.
  4. ↑ Margaret Thom perfect 'role model' fit for N.W.T. commissioner, leaders say
  5. ↑ "PM names Margaret Thom as new commissioner of the NWT". toronto.citynews.ca. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  6. ↑ "Recipients of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal". Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  7. ↑ "Governor General hosts inaugural presentation of King Charles III Coronation Medal". Governor General of Canada. 6 May 2024.
  8. ↑ General, The Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Thom, Margaret [Individual]". reg.gg.ca. Retrieved 14 February 2020.