George Braden, the first government leader of the Northwest Territories, died at his home in Ottawa on Monday night. He was 65.

Born in Rosthern, Sask., in 1949, he and his family moved to Yellowknife in 1964.

Braden was elected MLA for Yellowknife North in 1979. At the time, the territorial cabinet was made up of five elected MLAs and the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner appointed by Ottawa.

Despite his lack of political experience, MLAs voted Braden the first leader of the elected members of cabinet. He served as leader until 1983.

Braden continued to lobby to reduce Ottawa's control over the N.W.T. government.

Since 1994, the head of the Northwest Territories government has had the title of premier.

Most recently Braden was a policy advisor to Nunavut Senator Dennis Patterson and regularly published a news monitor — a compilation of news stories about the north and northern issues.

He was diagnosed with gastric cancer three months ago.