Commissioner Gerald W. Kisoun granted assent to the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Final Self‑Government Agreement Act, officially bringing the territory another step closer to concluding a landmark self‑government agreement with the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę of Norman Wells.

With assent, the Act formally approves the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Final Self‑Government Agreement (FSGA), which supports the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę inherent right to make their own laws; preserve and protect their language and culture; run programs and services, including education and healthcare; and elect their own leadership.

This is an important milestone that will have positive impacts for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę. It will recognize their right to govern themselves and make decisions based on their community’s priorities. Once in place, the agreement will support greater self-reliance and local decision-making in the community. It will create opportunities for community-led development and employment, contributing to long-term stability and growth.

The Act will come into force on the effective date set out in the Final Self‑Government Agreement.

Quotes

“Granting assent to this Act marks an important moment for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę and for the Northwest Territories. It reinforces a future where decisions are made closer to home and where communities have the tools they need to shape their own path. This is reconciliation in action—built on respect, partnership, and a shared commitment to strong, healthy, and self‑reliant communities. As the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government takes on new responsibilities, we remain committed to working together to support their success today and for generations to come.”

- R.J. Simpson, Premier of the Northwest Territories

"This Final Self-Government Agreement is Canada’s formal recognition of the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę identity, culture, and inherent right to Self-Government. It provides the formal basis for a new government-to-government relationship between us and the Government of Canada, and a government-to-government relation between us and the Government of the Northwest Territories. It is our generation’s legacy to our children and future generations. We will do our best to use it to preserve, protect, exercise, and advance the inherent and treaty rights of the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę for the benefit of all our people living in Canada, here today. But our youth are the future, and this agreement provides our youth with the foundations to do the same when they take on the task of preserving, protecting, exercising and advancing our rights. Use this Self-Government Agreement, learn from the mistakes we may make and take us into the future—secure as Sahtu Dene/Metis people within the larger Canadian mosaic.”

- Sherry Hodgson, President of Tlegohli Got'ine Government

“Our government welcomes the Northwest Territories’ unanimous decision to approve the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Self-Government Treaty. This is an important step towards reconciliation and supports the Nation’s right to build and prosper on its own terms.”

- The Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

Quick facts

• Timeline:
  • 1993: The Sahtu Dene and Métis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement was signed. Land Claim Agreements are also known as modern treaties. The Land Claim Agreement committed Canada to negotiate self-government with each of the Sahtu communities, including the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę.
  • 2005: Negotiations began on the Self-Government Agreement to recognize Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę’s right to govern its own affairs.
  • 2007: A Framework Agreement was signed, which outlined how formal negotiations would proceed.
  • 2019: The Agreement-in-Principle was signed, which set the basis for the final agreement negotiations.
  • 2024: A draft of the Final Self-Government Agreement was initialled, signalling the completion of negotiations.
  • 2025: The Agreement was approved by the community at a ratification vote held on March 31, 2025.
  • March 2026: The GNWT enacts the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Final Self‑Government Agreement Act
• Self-government agreements have been or are being negotiated with each of the five Indigenous communities in the Sahtu Region, including the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells (Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę). This was an obligation agreed to in the 1993 Sahtu Dene and Métis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement.
• The Agreement is aligned with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and respects the rights in the 1993 Sahtu Dene and Métis Land Claim Agreement, which is protected by the Canadian Constitution.

Related links

• Norman Wells Land Corporation / Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government
• Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę, Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories sign Final Self-Government Agreement

For media requests, please contact:
Cabinet Communications
Government of the Northwest Territories
Presssecretary@gov.nt.ca