Biography

Wendy Bisaro was re-elected to the 17th Legislative Assembly on October 3, 2011 as the Member for Frame Lake in Yellowknife.

Ms. Bisaro was born and raised in Montreal, Québec. She attended McGill University and graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree in 1968, specializing in physical education. She taught high school in Montreal’s West Island for several years before moving to Yellowknife in 1971. Teaching and mothering occupied the next 15 years of her life.

In 1985, Ms. Bisaro entered the travel industry and worked at Mack Travel until 2004 when the agency closed its doors. She then joined the workforce of Canadian North Airlines, and spent several years teaching adults in the airline industry.

Ms. Bisaro has always been an active member of the Yellowknife community. She was involved as a player, coach, and organizer for the Yellowknife Basketball Association and the Yellowknife Ladies Softball Association for many years and was a member of the group that founded Sport North. In the 80s, Ms. Bisaro was a director of the Sport North Federation Board, and for four of those years she was a vice-president of the organization.

Ms. Bisaro has participated in the Canada Games as an athlete, coach, and mission staff; in the Arctic Winter Games as an athlete; as the NWT Chef de Mission for the 1984 Arctic Winter Games; and as a director on the board of the 1988 Arctic Winter Games Host Society. Ms. Bisaro recently served as vice-president of the 2008 Arctic Winter Games Host Society.

Ms. Bisaro has spent considerable time in the political arena. In 1988 she was elected to the Board of Trustees for Yellowknife Education District #1, and was a board member for the next twelve years (re-elected three times). She acted as Board Chair for five of those years. In 2000, Ms. Bisaro moved to municipal politics and was elected to Yellowknife City Council for two consecutive three-year terms, chosen to be Deputy Mayor by her fellow council members during her second term. In 2007, Ms. Bisaro changed her political course again, and was elected to the NWT Legislative Assembly as the Member for the riding of Frame Lake.

In June 2011, Ms. Bisaro received the Ann MacLean Award for Outstanding Service by a Woman in Municipal Politics from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The award recognizes women municipal politicians who have shown exemplary service to their community and constituents and to mentoring women who want to run for elected office.

Ms. Bisaro continues to be active in the Yellowknife community. She is a member of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, the NWT Literacy Council, the Yellowknife Golf Club, and a volunteer and contributor to many Yellowknife organizations.