Willie Adams - Biography

Biography

Adams was born in Fort Chimo, Quebec on June 22, 1934. Educated at northern Quebec mission schools, Adams became an electrician, and eventually owned a number of businesses in different industries around Canada. Adams served for two terms as the chairman of the Rankin Inlet hamlet council, and in 1970 became a member of the Northwest Territories Territorial Council (now the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories). In spring 1977, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau decided that an Inuk should be appointed to the Senate and dispatched Warren Allmand, the Minister for Northern Affairs, to interview potential candidates. Adams was not excited about joining the Senate upon being asked by Allmand - in fact, he joked that he did not even know what the Senate was, asking the Minister, "What's the Senate?" However, upon being advised of a Senator's annual salary of approximately C$60,000, far more than Adams' electrician's pay of $7,500 a year, he seized the opportunity. Adams was appointed as a Senator for the Northwest Territories by Governor General Jules Léger on the advice of the Prime Minister on April 5, 1977, and is a member of the Liberal Party.

Adams took an intense interest in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, and upon the creation of the territory of Nunavut in 1999 became a Senator for that territory.

In 2009, he left the Senate upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. At that time, he was the longest-serving current member of the Canadian Senate, and had served over 32 years in Parliament without ever having faced an election campaign, as Canadian Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister, not elected.