Members of the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders are heading to Ottawa to advocate for more strategic investing in the North.
The leaders are calling for federal support in securing energy resources, defending Arctic sovereignty, sustainable job creation through infrastructure development including the territory’s vast reserves of critical minerals.
The NWT Council of Leaders is a collective of Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders who work together to help address territory-wide social and economic issues that involve all member governments. The forum also makes possible meaningful partnerships between Indigenous and GNWT leaders, consistent with the principles of Reconciliation. The council works to strengthen intergovernmental relationships between Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations with the GNWT and the mobilization of shared priorities.
Members of the council will be leading the discussion including Ɂek’wahtı̨dǝ́ Danny Gaudet, Chair of Council of Leaders for the Délı̨nę Got’ınę Government, President Garry Bailey, for the Northwest Territory Métis Nation, Chief Ernest Betsina for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty, for the Tłı̨chǫ Government, Chairperson Charles McNeely for the Sahtu Secretariat Inc., Premier R.J. Simpson for the GNWT, and Deputy Premier Caroline Wawzonek, for the GNWT.
Minister Lucy Kuptana, Minister Lesa Semmler, Minister Caitlin Cleveland, Minister Vince McKay and Minister Jay Macdonald will be in Ottawa from Oct. 7 to 9 to meet with the NWT Council of Leaders and Federal Ministers.
According to a joint announcement issued today, key areas of talks will include housing, infrastructure including projects to develop the North’s critical minerals. Alongside these issues, leaders plan to centre the discussion around collaborative work with Indigenous governments.
The meeting is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. MT and is expected to be livestreamed on CPAC.
True North FM reached out for more details about the event and will share that information when it becomes available.
