“I’m really proud of being the first Inuvialuit speaker and that’s always going to be a feather in my hat,” said Jackie Jacobson as his official portrait was unveiled at the legislature.
In front of his family, former premiers and current MLAs, Jacobson – the territory’s speaker of the House from 2011 to 2015 – revealed a portrait painted by artist Graeme Shaw.
Jacobson served as Nunakput’s MLA from 2007 to 2015 and again from 2019 to 2023.
By tradition, speakers are honoured with a portrait hung at the legislature.
“We do this for a reason. Our current members now, keep doing the good work that you’re doing,” Jacobson told the crowd for Wednesday’s ceremony.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“I know it’s tough some days, and you want to beat your head up against one of the posts” – he indicated the pillars that hold up the legislative building’s roof – “but everything’s going to be OK.”
Paying tribute to Jacobson, current Speaker of the House Shane Thompson said he had known Jacobson since the 1980s, first meeting him through hockey.
“On the ice, Jackie was a hard worker, and he took that work ethic into his personal life. But he was also a gentleman on and off the ice, and he had a lot of good respect for Elders and our youth,” said Thompson.
“You can see even in his non-political career, he does those things.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“I can tell you, your mom was very proud of you when you were younger,” Thompson told Jacobson, “and then she was very proud of you when you became a member [of the legislature].”
Jacobson’s portrait will remain in the Great Hall this week before being moved to the Speakers’ Hallway where other former speakers’ portraits are on display.
