April 14, 2023 (Yellowknife) - Leaders from the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and Indigenous governments of the Northwest Territories met in Yellowknife to discuss issues related to lands and resource management at the Intergovernmental Council (IGC) meeting.
As a key feature of the Devolution Agreement, the Intergovernmental Council allows governments to cooperate and collaborate on matters related to lands and resource management. The meetings help strengthen the relationship of the
Indigenous governments with the Government of the Northwest Territories, a main priority of the 19th Legislative Assembly.
At the meeting, IGC leaders signed a Process Convention for lands and resources bills tabled in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. The process convention establishes how IGC members will work with the GNWT and the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight on a cooperative process to review and develop legislation.
Leaders attending this meeting included:
- Grand Chief Ken Kyikavichik, Gwich’in Tribal Council
- Chief April Martel, Kátł’odeeche First Nation
- President Garry Bailey, Northwest Territory Métis Nation • Vice-President Paul Harrington, Northwest Territory Métis Nation • Chair Charles McNeely, Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated
- Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty, Tłı̨chǫ Government
- Chief Alfonz Nitsiza, Tłı̨chǫ Government
- Chief Doreen Arrowmaker, Tłı̨chǫ Government
- Chief Adeline Football, Tłı̨chǫ Government
- Councilor Kendra Bourke, Salt River First Nation
- Premier Caroline Cochrane
- Minister Caroline Wawzonek, Industry, Tourism and Investment
- Minister Shane Thompson, Environment and Climate Change
MLA Kevin O’Reilly, representing the 19th Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, attended the meeting as an observer. MLA Frieda Martselos, as Caucus Chair of the Legislative Assembly, and MLA O’Reilly, both attended the ceremonial signing of the Process Convention.
Quick Facts
- The IGC is established by the Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management.
- The IGC allows governments to share ideas, discuss common priorities, and interests and explore ways to harmonize their respective land and resource management practices, share capacity and avoid duplication.
- Under the Devolution Agreement, the GNWT committed to sharing up to 25% of its resource revenues with Indigenous governments that have signed on as partners. Since 2015, the GNWT has disbursed over $48 million to the Indigenous government signatories of the Devolution Agreement.
- In November 2020, the IGC agreed to a new legislative development protocol that respects the jurisdictions of all IGC members and provides opportunities for collaboration on the development of land and resource legislation and regulations in the Northwest Territories.
Links
• Intergovernmental Council of the Northwest Territories website
For more information, contact:
Boyd Clark
Advisor/Band Manager (Acting)
Acho Dene Koe First Nation
303-681-5171
Angela Tripathy
Chief Executive Officer
Gwich’in Tribal Council
867-777-7927
Elizabeth Kolb
Communications Advisor
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation
867-777-7055
Alex Gresl
Chief Executive Officer
Kátł’odeeche First Nation
867-874-6701
Ursula Vogt
Executive Director
Northwest Territory Métis Nation
867-872-2770
Elizabeth Westwell
Chief Executive Officer
Salt River First Nation
867-872-2986
Orlena Modeste
Executive Director
Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated
867-589-4719
Tłı̨chǫ Government
Communication & Media Relations
[email protected]
Carol Ann Chaplin
Senior Administrative Officer
Denı́nu Kų́ę́ First Nation
(867) 394-4335
Todd Sasaki
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Government of the Northwest Territories
867-767-9168 ext. 15015
