Past and present Yukon politicos are remembering Dennis Fentie as a pragmatic and driven leader with an extensive legacy of successful initiatives.

They reflected on the late premier’s legacy during interviews with the Star this morning.

Gordon Steele, a Yukon Party government principal secretary for many years, told the Star he believes Fentie had rare talents as a politician.

“He did a great service to Yukon, and is one of Yukon’s best premiers,” Steele said.

Fentie died of cancer at age 68 last Thursday at Whitehorse General Hospital, the Yukon Party confirmed last Friday.

Fentie spent 15 years as an elected official. He was the Watson Lake MLA as a member of the NDP from 1996 until crossing the floor to the Yukon Party in 2002.

He was selected as Yukon Party leader a month later and led the party to a majority government that year over Pat Duncan’s Liberal regime.

Fentie’s accomplishments as premier from 2002-2011 spanned across land resource management, First Nations initiatives, climate change, the territorial funding formula and the 2007 Canada Winter Games held in Whitehorse, Steele recalled.

In 2003, Fentie expanded the size of the territorial government and its ability to control land resources in what Steele called a “monstrous task.”

That power and others had been devolved to YG from the federal government, largely under negotiations conducted during Duncan’s reign.

That same year, Fentie’s government saved the Yukon Wildlife Preserve – then called a game farm – with the promise of funding, and continued to advocate for its support over the next several years.

Steele said he was impressed by Fentie’s initiatives for First Nations land claims and the establishment of the Yukon Forum, which now sees the Yukon government meet with the Yukon’s First Nations four times a year.

Elaine Taylor was the deputy premier in Fentie’s government, working alongside him for nine years,.

She told the Star today that Fentie’s negotiations for public infrastructure on settlement land were part of his most important work.

She specifically cited the advancement of Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and the relocation of the Whitehorse Public Library (from the Yukon government administration building) alongside it.

“That agreement helped set the stage for future partnership, such as the Champagne Cultural Centre and the relocation of the Visitor Information Centre on settlement land,” Taylor recalled.

Taylor remembers Fentie as an innovator in “government-to-government” initiatives, including First Nations governments.

This included his work with the opposition party. She cited Fentie’s collaboration on the substance abuse action plan, which involved co-operation with the leader of the official Opposition and the advancement of committees, including both parties.

Taylor said Fentie responded pragmatically to disagreements within his government and was unwavering in his path forward.

“I think there were many times as cabinet members that we didn’t always agree with some of the things he had chosen to proceed with,” she said.

“But, at the end of the day, he was able to successfully push all of us and our collective boundaries.”

Taylor added that Fentie’s leadership style centred around an optimistic approach.

“He encouraged all of us to embrace what was possible, and to really think outside the box and come to a resolution that advanced issues of public importance.”

Piers McDonald served as the Yukon’s NDP government leader from 1996 to 2000, and initially encouraged Fentie to run for Watson Lake MLA with the NDP. He remembers him as a commanding presence in politics.

McDonald said the first time he met Fentie was in 1996 at a Watson Lake public information session. He said today Fentie had incited a high turnout, and the meeting became so raucous, McDonald worried they might “lose control altogether.”

McDonald said Fentie calmly stood up amid the chaos and managed to de-escalate the situation and refocus the meeting.

“That was very impressive, and at that moment I realized he might make a good candidate for MLA,” McDonald said.

“I always liked Dennis very much. I thought he was a very practical politician, he had good strategic sense about the directions he wanted to take.

“He was articulate, and generally even-tempered.”

McDonald and Steele both remember the Canada Winter Games as a major success for Fentie.

“Without his steady hand and commitment … I don’t think the games would have been as exciting as an event for this community as they turned out to be,” McDonald said.

Steele said Fentie’s idea to build residences for athletes at Yukon College, a decision made in the nick of time, “really saved” the Canada Winter Games. The residences his government built are now seniors’ residences.

Steele added that Fentie had a strong environmental legacy. It includes the establishment of the Climate Change Research Centre of Excellence in 2009 and the Climate Change Action Plan.

Another major part of his legacy was the reinstatement of the territorial funding formula, a federal initiative that Steele believes most Yukoners aren’t aware of.

“Dennis really fought the good fight, and made the territories understand how important it is,” Steele said.

Steele remembers Fentie as having an excellent memory and public speaking skills. He said the former logger and trucker displayed persistence “like a bulldog.”

He said Fentie was skilled as a leader without being domineering, and trusted his team members to understand their positions and succeed in them.

Steele added that he often wrote speeches for Fentie but found the premier enjoyed ad libbing, sometimes more than what Steele found to be wise.

Once, when Fentie went off the cuff in a speech on a budget, Steele asked him later where he got his information from.

“He said, ‘Well, Gord, when you’re before a judge, you better have a good story to tell him,’” Steele laughed.

Taylor told the Star she appreciated Fentie’s open-door approach, adding he was always ready and available to give sound advice to the members of his government. She said he was a master at creative problem solving, and encouraged his team to see the sky as the limit.

“Politics is really all about the art of the possible,” Taylor said.

“There’s no greater example than the life and leadership he led. It was truly a privilege to work alongside him.”