YELLOWKNIFE (July 3, 2012) – Members of the Executive Councils of the Tłįchǫ Government and the 17th Legislative Assembly met bilaterally on Friday, June 29th for the second time. Leaders met in Yellowknife to discuss issues of shared importance and to sign “Working Together”, a memorandum of understanding recognizing the importance of their government-to-government relationship.
“Working Together” is a commitment to work together in a spirit of respect, recognition and responsibility on matters of mutual interest. The agreement acknowledges the unique and evolving relationship between the two governments and identifies areas of cooperation including housing, income support, infrastructure, and community governance.
“I am very pleased to sign this memorandum of understanding today to formalize the relationship we have with the Tłįchǫ Government,” said Premier Bob McLeod. “The people of the Northwest Territories need their governments to work together to help create a strong and prosperous territory that provides benefits to all of them. The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to strengthening our relationships with Aboriginal governments and the agreement we have signed today demonstrates that commitment.”
Grand Chief Edward Erasmus said, “I too am pleased to be able to sign this Memorandum of Understanding with the leaders of the GNWT today. This MOU is an agreement to work together…government-to-government. The MOU sets out the reasons we want to work together and how we will go about doing so. It is important that as the leaders of the two governments we work together for the good of our people in our communities. There are so many areas where we have overlapping interests, and if we don’t work together, it is our people who suffer in the end.”
At the meeting, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and Tłįchǫ Government followed up on work from the last meeting and a number of new matters of shared interest, including:
- Issues surrounding the implementation of community governments, housing, harmonization of GNWT income support and the Tłįchǫ Government Harvesters Subsidy, and an update on the creation of a new Wildlife Act.
Of particular note are the collaborative efforts between the GNWT and the Tłįchǫ Government around the delivery of training programs for staff for the new Jimmy Erasmus Seniors Home in Behchokö. Both governments will provide funding to train a number of staff to work in the new facility.
There were also a number of new matters of shared interest, including:
- The Wekweeti Winter Road and Tlicho winter roads generally, establishing agreements for shared facilities for early childhood programs and Tłįchǫ Community Services Agency schools, forest fires and their aftermaths, and local employment.
Formal government-to-government meetings and the signing of an intergovernmental cooperation MOU are commitments contained in the GNWT’s Respect, Recognition, Responsibility: The Government of the Northwest Territories’ Approach to Engaging with Aboriginal Governments. These commitments support the 17th Legislative Assembly’s vision Believing in People and Building on the Strengths of Northerners.
The Tłįchǫ Government introduced “Iłè dǫ gha gǫita …in Tłįchǫ Unity”, a strategic framework and intentions 2009-2013. In Tłįchǫ Unity describes the vision and mission of the Tłįchǫ Government and speaks to the desire to build effective intergovernmental relationships to ensure collaboration in ways that protect the land and environment, and improve people’s lives in the communities.
The Executive Councils of the 17th Assembly and Tłįchǫ Government have committed to meet bilaterally twice per year. The last meeting was held January 12-13.
For more information:
Shaun Dean
Press Secretary
Government of the Northwest Territories
Tel: 867-669-2304
Laura Duncan
Tłįchǫ Executive Officer
Tłįchǫ Government
Tel: 867-766-4003