Willie Adams (politician) facts for kids
Willie Adams OC is an important Inuit politician from Canada. He was a member of the Senate of Canada, which is like a special part of the Canadian Parliament, for many years. He was born on June 22, 1934.
A Life in Public Service
Willie Adams was born in a place called Kuujjuaq in Nunavik, which is a large Inuit community in northern Quebec. He went to school at mission schools in Northern Quebec. After school, he became an electrician. He was very good at business and later owned several companies across Canada.
Mr. Adams was involved in his community from a young age. He was the chairman of the local council in Rankin Inlet for two terms. In 1970, he became a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. This assembly helps make laws for the Northwest Territories.
In 1977, Pierre Trudeau, who was the Prime Minister of Canada at the time, wanted an Inuk person to join the Senate of Canada. The Senate is a group of people who review laws and speak for different parts of Canada. The Prime Minister sent a minister named Warren Allmand to talk to Mr. Adams.
At first, Willie Adams joked that he didn't even know what the Senate was! But when he found out the job paid much more than his electrician's salary, he decided to take the chance. On April 5, 1977, he was officially made a Senator for the Northwest Territories. This was done by Jules Léger, who was the Governor General of Canada (the King's representative in Canada) at the time. Mr. Adams was part of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Senator Adams was very interested in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. This agreement helped create the new territory of Nunavut in 1999. When Nunavut became a territory, he became a Senator for Nunavut.
In 2009, Willie Adams retired from the Senate because he reached the age of 75. At that time, he had served for over 32 years. He was the longest-serving Senator at that moment. Canadian Senators are chosen by the Governor General on the Prime Minister's advice, not by public elections.
Business Ventures
Willie Adams also had a successful career in business. By 1997, he had started several companies. These included Kudlik Electric Ltd. and Kudlik Construction Ltd. He also owned the Nanuq Inn in Rankin Inlet. Another one of his companies was Umingmak Expediting Ltd. in Ottawa. He was also the president of Polar Bear Cave Investments. This company owned the Nanuq Inn until it closed in 2003.
Personal Life
Willie Adams married his wife, Mary, in the late 1970s. They met when Mary came to the Northwest Territories to work. Willie and Mary have a son named Isaac. In 2023, he was given a special honour. He was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest awards for people who make a big difference. He now lives in Kemptville, Ontario.
