An interview with Tony Whitford – Yellowknife Community Foundation

1 April 2018

For almost everyone who has ever lived in Yellowknife, the name Tony Whitford is synonymous with our community. Though he started his career as a mechanic in Fort Smith, it is his extensive community involvement, his 12-year stint as a member of the Legislative Assembly and his role as the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that make him so recognizable – it also doesn’t hurt that you’ll also find him most mornings at Tim Hortons happily chatting with other regulars on a variety of topics.

We sat down and spoke with Tony about his late wife Elaine, how the idea for a scholarship first came up and his plans for the future.

Can you tell us a bit about Elaine, when you met and how she helped you with your education?

Whitford: Elaine originally came North in 1964 to work as a summer student in Inuvik after finishing her bachelor’s degree in social work. Before leaving, she met Bud Orange, the MP for the North who helped her secure a grant to assist with her continued studies. One of the conditions was that she must come back and work a year in the North and that debt will be forgiven.

So, in 1965, Elaine returned North, but this time to Fort Smith. I met her about a week after she arrived. A year later we got married.

When I met Elaine, I had a grade nine education, I had never finished high school, but I worked for years as a mechanic, and I was a good mechanic, too.

“Why don’t you consider going to university and get yourself a degree?” she said, “That’ll open a lot of doors for you.”

So, with that, I signed up to the University of Calgary. Through her help over those four difficult years, we pulled through and I got my bachelor’s degree which was enough to get me in the door with the government. I ended up doing a number of things I never dreamed of doing with her encouragement.

How did the idea for the scholarship first come up?

Whitford: When I went to University, unlike today, there were few such bursaries. I can’t recall which ones (if any) I may have received back in the day. I recall I didn’t qualify for most, for one reason or other.

Over the years since and as an MLA, I had opportunities to help change that. Today, I believe there are many more financial resources to tap into. I felt we could add to the pool of resources for Northern students from some unexpected monies I received, that is why we established the fund in Elaine’s Name. Mind you she couldn’t know we were going to establish a scholarship, but her thoughts and wishes were translated through me. I knew what she would have wanted; She would have wanted to continue helping Aboriginal people and Northerners advance their education and this scholarship could be part of that.

Can you tell me about why you decided to create the fund with the Yellowknife Community Foundation?

Whitford: At first, I wanted to do it on my own – I wanted the scholarship to go for 25 years and use it up a thousand dollars a year. Just have a bank account and leave the money in there.

I was encouraged not to do that but go through the Foundation.

Through the Foundation, the scholarship is part of a bigger pool and it works for you so it can give back much longer.

The compassion that the board members was tremendous. They understood what I was going through and they steered me gently towards a way of accomplishing what we wanted to do that fit within their mandate.

What would be your advice for someone considering working with the Yellowknife Community Foundation to set-up a fund?

Whitford: If you’re thinking about it, do it.

It’s a way to have something to remember your loved one or loved ones by that can help the entire community.

I mean I can give away a thousand bucks and its gone, but when the Foundation takes it the can do so much more with it and for so much longer.

Elaine’s legacy keeps on giving and it will keep on giving for a long time in her name. That’s the beauty of the scholarship.

Unbeknownst to her, that she would make a very positive and major contribution to education for Aboriginal people.

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About the Yellowknife Community Foundation

The Yellowknife Community Foundation was formed in 1993 to provide interested individuals and organizations with a means of supporting projects in our community for the enduring future. The Foundation is not singularly dedicated to any specific area of support. It embodies a simple concept – that people working together can make a difference for all. For more information: https://www.ykcf.ca/

About the Elaine (Sweet) Whitford

The Elaine (Sweet) Whitford Scholarship Fund was established to support NWT residents pursuing post-secondary studies in social work or nursing. For more information: https://www.ykcf.ca/portfolio-view/elaine-sweet-whitford-scholarship-fund/

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Impact Story - Skate North -...

The Yellowknife Small Grants Program offers micro-grants of up to $1,000 for individual residents of Yellowknife, Ndilǫ, and Dettah to bring the community together and help make it better. The first ever batch of grants was awarded in Fall 2025 to eight community members, including Forrest Doctor for his ongoing project, Skate North.

The initiative aims to make skateboarding more accessible to youth by providing safe skate spaces, equipment, and mentorship.

” I want to encourage youth to commit to their passions, take initiative, and create positive change. For me, that means creating a safe space for learners, something I didn’t have when I first started. This project is about keeping skateboarding alive in the NWT and giving our youth the support and opportunities they deserve.” – excerpt from Forrest’s proposal

Forrest used the grant to purchase helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards to give away to up-and-coming skaters. Through free prize draws, in-person outreach, and open calls on social media, Forrest was able to get gear directly into the hands of youth who need it the most.

Forrest Doctor giving away gear at the miniramp in Ndilǫ. The ramp was constructed in Spring 2026 as part of a Skate North wordworking workshop, delivered in partnership with the YKDFN Dechı̨ta Nàowo Training Center.

Matt Wolff from Rumor Boardshop in Edmonton, AB.
The skate shop is an ardent supporter and partner to the Skate North project.

Donate to the Fund

The results of this direct access model were both immediate and unexpected. Two things stand out especially. First, Forrest noticed that new skaters were able to instantly start with confidence. Having proper safety gear in place meant they were free to try things as many times as they wanted. That ability to iterate safely creates a level of early learning and progression that is invaluable.

Second, the degree of engagement from youth, families, and the larger community was uplifting. Skate North has now grown through additional volunteers, sponsors, and partners, including local schools. It shows that there is a strong demand for skateboarding and action sports overall. Now an olympic sport, the old cultural stigmas attached to skating have faded away. All that remains is a desire to get out there and rip.

Forrest partnered with Rumor Boardshop in Edmonton, AB to acquire the gear at a discounted rate. Shop rep Matt Wolff had this to say on the impact of skating and initiatives like Skate North:

“Especially in smaller communities, skateboarding can be a huge outlet for youth, not only physically, but to express themselves artistically as well. It also brings a real sense of community for people. I grew up in a small town in the middle of Alberta, and the people I skateboarded with I still have friendships with to this day.”

We can’t wait to see a new generation of skaters come up and grow the local scene in the North. Keep rolling.