NORMAN WELLS (April 15, 2016) – Premier Bob McLeod and Members of the Executive Council of the 18th Legislative Assembly met for the first time as a government with Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated Chairperson Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Sahtu Dene Council Chiefs and leaders of the Sahtu Land Corporations on April 13.
Building on the 18th Assembly’s mandate of collaborating and fostering government-to-government relationships with Aboriginal governments, Premier McLeod and Members of the Executive Council met with Sahtu leaders to discuss matters of common interest.
Premier McLeod and Chair Blondin-Andrew agreed that through greater collaboration and working together that both governments will benefit from regular meetings with agreed upon outcomes for moving important issues forward.
The outcomes of the meeting included:
- The Premier, Executive Council, SSI Chair and Sahtu Leadership agreed to work together to build support for the Mackenzie Valley Highway.
- The Premier and SSI Chair agreed to continue to work through the Intergovernmental Council, and the Benefit Plans Working Group to ensure the adequate requirement for benefits plans in the Sahtu.
- The Minister of Transportation committed to traveling to the community of Deline to explore options to realign the Deline Access Winter Road.
- The GNWT and the SSI reaffirmed their commitment and participation in the Regional Recruitment Program in the Sahtu.
- The GNWT provided SSI with updates on Federal/Provincial/Territorial Meetings, including Climate Change, Aboriginal Affairs Working Group and Violence against Women and Girls.
The meeting also focused on areas of mutual interest, including:
- GNWT Fiscal situation
- Oil and Gas Legislation
- The Transboundary Water Management Intergovernmental Agreement
- Tourism Initiatives
- Education
- Norman Wells and Colville Lake self-government negotiations
This was the second meeting of the SSI and the Government of the Northwest Territories since they signed the Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding on June 24, 2015.
For more information:
Andrew Livingstone
Senior Cabinet Communications Advisor
Department of the Executive
Government of the Northwest Territories
Box 1320 Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Tel: (867) 767-9140 ext. 11091
Cell: (867) 447-0443
Fax: (867) 873-0169
Email: andrew_livingstone@gov.nt.ca
Web: www.gov.nt.ca
Dave Little
Executive Director
Sahtu Secretariat Inc.
867-589-4719
SSI_EXEC_Director@gov.deline.ca