Modern Treaty and Self-Government Partners Forum
Yellowknife (November 16, 2021) – Leaders from the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and the five Indigenous governments with modern treaty and self-government agreements in the Northwest Territories held their third meeting as the Modern Treaty and Self-Government Partners
(MTSGP) on November 15, 2021, in-person in Yellowknife.
Leaders discussed a range of issues of mutual interest related to implementation of land, resources, and self-government agreements, including:
- Moving forward on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the NWT through the working group established under the NWT Council of Leaders, especially Article 37 that states treaties and agreements must be respected, recognized, observed, and enforced;
- Continuing to work collaboratively on procurement to develop an approach that reflects the interests of all parties and recognizes the need to ensure the implementation of modern treaty obligations;
-
Identifying opportunities for social and economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic impact and due to the decrease in industry activity in the resource sector; and
-
Creating opportunities for joint engagement with the federal government.
The leaders also signed the Modern Treaty and Self-Government Partners Forum Founding Agreement to formally establish the Forum, an example of what reconciliation should look like between governments. It provides the five Modern Treaty partners and the Government of the Northwest Territories an opportunity to discuss matters of mutual concern and work collaboratively to improve the ongoing implementation of land claims and self-government agreements.
Members of the Modern Treaty and Self-Government Partners Forum include: GNWT, Tłı̨chǫ Government, Délı̨nę Got’ı̨nę Government, Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, Gwich’in Tribal Council, and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.
Leaders attending the meeting included:
- Chief Clifford Daniels, Tłı̨chǫ Government, Behchokǫ̀
- Chief Adeline Judas-Football, Tłı̨chǫ Government, Wekweètı̀
- Chief Doreen Arrowmaker, Tłı̨chǫ Government, Gamètı̀
- Chief Alfonz Nitsiza, Tłı̨chǫ Government, Whatı̨̀
- Chair/CEO Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation
- Chairperson Charles McNeely, Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated
- Grand Chief Ken Kyikavichik, Gwich’in Tribal Council
- Interim Deputy Grand Chief Kelly McLeod, Gwich’in Tribal Council
- Ɂekw’ahtı̨ Leonard Kenny, Délı̨nę Got’ı̨nę Government
- Premier Caroline Cochrane
- Minister Caroline Wawzonek, Department of Industry, Tourism and
- Investment and Department of Finance
