OTTAWA – George Cooper and the Honourable Joseph Handley have been named to the board of directors of the CBC/Radio-Canada, it was announced Friday by Canadian Heritage.
Handley is the retired Premier of the Northwest Territories, a position he occupied from 2003 to 2007. Throughout his political career in the Northwest Territories, he held many positions, including Minister of Finance; Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development; and Minister of Aboriginal and Intergovernmental Affairs and Housing.
Before entering politics, Handley was Deputy Minister for the Government of Northwest Territories. A teacher by profession, he also helped shape public and post-secondary education throughout Western Canada and helped develop Canada’s first completely First Nations school system.
He received the 2008 National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Excellence in Politics.
Cooper is a senior partner in the law firm McInnes Cooper in Halifax and serves as chair of its board of directors. He has been involved in a number of academic and professional activities, including serving on the boards of Black Bull Resources, the Canadian National Railway, and the University of King’s College in Halifax.
Cooper has supported and promoted post-secondary education in Canada as managing trustee of the Killam Trusts. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and a former Member of Parliament.
