Alex HALL

1942 - 2019

ALEX HALL December 17, 1942 - March 2, 2019 On March 2, 2019, after an 11 month battle with cancer, Alex passed away peacefully at home in Fort Smith, NWT with his loving wife Robyn and stepdaughter Esmée at his side. Shortly before his death he exclaimed 'I am the most fortunate person in the world, as I had the best job in the world, in the best place in the world, and I loved almost every single minute of it!' He will be greatly missed by Robyn and his sons Graham and Evan, stepdaughter Esmée, stepson Dominic, sisters Helen Griffiths (Jim), Jane Bousfield (Barry) and nieces Kate and Christine Griffiths, Leigh Carter (Andy), Alexandra and Rebecca Bousfield, grand nephew and niece, Griffin and Paige Carter, his former wife, Lia Ruttan, as well as many friends and relatives. Born in Brampton Ontario to Dr. Malcolm and Mildred Hall (Nee: MacLennan), Alex developed his life long love of the outdoors, hunting and fishing with his father. He graduated from the University of Toronto as a wildlife biologist with a master's thesis written on wolves. As part of his studies under world expert Dr Douglas Pimlott, Alex took his first trip to Baffin Island, and during his return flight over northern Quebec, he described the moment that changed his life. The small plane broke through the clouds, and below he saw the tundra covered in caribou and snow geese. Thus began his lifetime love affair with the Barren Lands, so well described in his award-winning book Discovering Eden. Indigenous groups describe the Barren Lands as "the place where God began". Alex knew he had to return, and founded his one -man business, Canoe Arctic, in 1974. He spent 46 summers paddling pristine "gin clear" Arctic rivers as the first licensed professional guide in the NWT. This past summer Alex was honoured in Yellowknife with the NWT Tourism Award for his lifetime contribution to ecotourism. He guided thousands of clients from all over the world, meticulously recording wildlife observations. Alex's historic diaries and maps, collected over four decades, will be preserved in the Northwest Territories Archives at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre in Yellowknife. Al's major concern was the negative impact of the resource industry on the Barren Lands of the Arctic. He spent countless hours fighting for the preservation of those lands, including keeping uranium mining out of the Thelon Game Sanctuary in the 1980s, and testifying against diamond mines in the Central Arctic in the 1990s. He, David Pelly and Monte Hummel had the vision of the huge Central Barrens complex of connected protected lands, all the way from the Queen Maud Gulf on the Arctic Ocean, to the Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary, to Great Slave Lake-right up the spine of our country. Up until his death, Alex was concerned about the loss of the once-great caribou herds and tundra wolves. His greatest wish was for these animals to return. Alex's family thank his many friends and clients for their frequent calls, emails and visits. We are particularly thankful to his very close friends Monte Hummel, David Pelly and Kevin Antoniak who last September, accompanied by his sons Graham and Evan, flew Alex to his favorite place deep in the heart of the Barren Lands for one last goodbye. The family would like to express their deep appreciation to Rita and Kevin Antoniak , Genevieve Coté , midwife Lesley Paulette, Christine and Don Aubrey, Linda Martin and Chris Talbot. We also thank Leah Macdonald, the locum doctors and nurses at the Fort Smith Health Centre for their support. At Alex's request, when the snow melts, there will be a family celebration of Alex's life out in his beloved Barren Lands. Condolences may be sent care of alex@canoearctic.com . If desired, donations in Alex's memory may be sent to World Wildlife Fund- Canada. (http://www.wwf.ca/donate/)