Premier R.J. Simpson and Minister Caroline Wawzonek were in Ottawa this week for a series of meetings and events aimed at advancing the Northwest Territories’ (NWT) top priorities with federal leaders and keeping Northern issues at the forefront of the national conversation.

The trip included Premier Simpson’s keynote address at the Institute for Research on Public Policy’s Industrial Policy in Tumultuous Times conference, where he highlighted the role of the North in securing Canada’s economic future and Arctic sovereignty. In addition to the keynote, the Premier participated in the full conference, which featured panels and breakout sessions on Indigenous economic reconciliation, artificial intelligence, climate change, housing, and internal trade.

The Premier also spoke at a Wilfrid Laurier University event on Canada’s North, celebrating a long-standing research partnership between the GNWT and Laurier. He emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing climate change, strengthening research capacity in the North, and ensuring policies are informed by both science and Indigenous knowledge.

While in Ottawa, the Premier and Minister met with federal counterparts including Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, National Defence Minister David McGuinty, Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, and NWT MP and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty. Discussions focused on nation-building infrastructure projects such as the Taltson Hydro Expansion, Mackenzie Valley Highway, and Arctic Security Corridor, as well as support for the diamond sector, housing, energy affordability, Jordan's Principle, and advancing land claims and self-government agreements.

The Premier also joined President Sherry Hodgson of the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government and Minister Alty to sign the Final Self-Government Agreement, marking the end of 20 years of negotiations and restoring decision-making power to the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę.

To continue raising the NWT’s profile and promoting the territory’s priorities on the national stage, the Premier also appeared live on CBC’s Power and Politics and CPAC’s PrimeTime Politics, and spoke with Politico, La Presse, and others.

Quotes

"This week in Ottawa was about making sure Northerners’ priorities are heard clearly and consistently where decisions are made. Whether at the IRPP conference, in meetings with federal Ministers, or through national media, we are making sure the North’s story is heard — one of opportunity, resilience, and partnership. From major infrastructure projects to self-government agreements, the Northwest Territories is showing leadership on issues that matter to the whole country."

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

"Northerners understand how vital projects like the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Taltson Hydro Expansion, and the Arctic Security Corridor are to our future — and increasingly the rest of Canada is recognizing them as projects of national importance. My focus in Ottawa was to keep these priorities front and centre, and to work with the federal government to advance them. These projects are not only about closing the infrastructure gap in the Northwest Territories — they are about strengthening supply chains, reducing reliance on diesel, advancing economic reconciliation, and upholding Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic. The Northwest Territories cannot be left behind, and our government is committed to making sure these opportunities are realized for the benefit of all Canadians."

— Caroline Wawzonek, Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains

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