This fonds consists of approximately 10.52 meters of textual material, 153 black and white and colour photographs, 52 audiocassettes, 2 CDs (SDII format), one 16 mm film, a Umatic videocassette, 12 maps, 5 oversized textual documents and two scrolls. This material was either collected or generated by the Office of the Commissioner.
The bulk of the textual material is dated between 1960-1980 and consists of Commissioner Hodgson's chronos; Commissioner Parker's chronos; Senior Executive Secretary and later Deputy Commissioner Robert S. Pilot's chronos; reports from Commissioner Hodgson's and Commissioner Parker's Tours throughout the Northwest Territories, and correspondence between Federal Cabinet Ministers and the Commissioners' of the Northwest Territories. There are also files containing memorabilia such as cards, travel brochures, commemorative programs, invitations and certificates. In addition, there are administrative records, subject files, correspondence, minutes of meetings, organizational charts and reports relating to economic development, financial services, personnel, housing and constitutional development, labour standards and relations, administration of justice, as well as the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline and a proposed Great Slave National Park. As well, this fonds contains portions of Commissioners Norris' and Maksagak's chronos for 1991-1995, Commissioners Hansen's and Whitford's chronos for 2005-2006, and files from the NWT Coordinating Committee from 1988-1990. The fonds also contains files related to the Royal Visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1994. Furthermore, there are files relating to the Polaris Mine Project and the operation and administration of the community of Port Burwell. The fonds also includes files relating to the administration of the Commissioner's Awards program (1968-2006).
The photographs are dated between 1961-1979 and document official functions, Commissioner's Tours of the north, dignitary visits and Centennial Celebrations. An additional six photographs show the Commissioner's Awards medal, medallion, and rosette.
The audiocassettes contain sound recordings of Hamlet Council meetings, Town Council meetings, public meetings and speeches made by Commissioner Hodgson. The two CDs contain recordings of meetings held in 1978 between Commissioner Stuart M. Hodgson, Chief Alex Arrowmaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, Thomas A. Butters and R. Whitford, concerning the development for Snare Lakes.
The 16 mm film documents the 1977 visit of His Royal Highness Prince Andrew to the Northwest Territories. The film was entitled "Journey to the Top of Canada." There is a copy of this film in Umatic format.
The scrolls are dated between 1972-1973; the first scroll proclaims the transfer of land from the Yukon to the Northwest Territories and the second scroll establishes the aforementioned parcel of land to be the Norah Willis Michener Game Preserve. There are also two newsletters from the NWT Pavilion at Expo '86 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The oversized textual documents are a 12x22" certificate commemorating the laying of a cairn by Prince Andrew at Cape Columbia, NWT on July 12, 1977, a 10x15" certificate commemorating the laying of a cairn by Princess Margaret of the Netherlands on Beechey Island in June 1978, and two posters advertising the Commissioner's Awards programs.
12 maps and one oversized zoning schedule were donated via the Legislative Assembly Library from the Office of the Commissioner. The maps mainly detail town plans of Hay River, Inuvik, and Yellowknife during 1965-1973.
Northwest Territories. Office of the Commissioner (1870-present)