On the morning of Oct. 8, a delegation of five NWT leaders shuffled onto a stage on Parliament Hill to call for greater support and investment from the federal government.
Standing at the centre of the group was Premier R.J. Simpson, who proclaimed that "strategic investment" from Ottawa could "unlock the North鈥檚 potential for the benefit of all Canadians."
"The NWT stands at the crossroads of Canada鈥檚 strategic future, and with the right public policy decisions we are poised to make substantial contributions to Canada鈥檚 prosperity and national security," Simpson said at the press conference. "The North is Canada鈥檚 next horizon.
"It鈥檚 time to seize this moment because the future of the North is the future of Canada.鈥�
Simpson was joined on stage by NWT Deputy Premier Caroline Wawzonek, Sahtu Secretariat Chairperson Charles McNeely, Tlicho Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty and Deline Got鈥檌ne Chief Danny Gaudet. Outside of the premier, the only other people to speak at the press conference were Lafferty and Gaudet, both of whom offered a less rosy view of the future.
"We come as many governments to seek support and also solutions for the significant economic and social challenges that affect the daily lives of our people and our communities throughout the North," Lafferty said. 鈥淏asic needs such as roads, affordable housing, and healthcare remain inadequate across the NWT... the high cost of living and climate change impacts are very real."
Like Lafferty, Gaudet also pointed to the "significant infrastructure gaps in the North." He drew specific attention to the Sahtu, where fly-in communities like Deline and Norman Wells have become increasingly isolated, as low water levels on the Mackenzie River have made barge deliveries impossible. Meanwhile, shorter, warmer winters have made winter roads less feasible.
"The cost of living has gone through the roof," he said.
Gaudet and his NWT colleagues had several meetings about the long-discussed Mackenzie Valley Highway during their visit to Ottawa. However, the $1-billion all-weather road, which would connect the Sahtu to the rest of Canada and presumably lower the cost of living in the region, was only mentioned in passing until the question period at the end of the press conference.
鈥淲e have a number of major infrastructure projects we鈥檙e looking to advance," Simpson replied when a reporter asked if any progress had been made on the highway project. "The Mackenzie Valley Highway is one. The Taltson hydro expansion is another. There鈥檚 a number of other projects as well鈥� Indigenous governments have their own projects they鈥檇 like to advance. We have seen reception in Ottawa to some of these projects. I had a good meeting with the prime minister about the Mackenzie Valley Highway, and there was discussion about Taltson 鈥� the expansion of our hydro system in the Northwest Territories.
"There has been consistent funding over the years from Ottawa for those projects," the premier continued, "What we would like is an approach that recognizes the North is small. We don鈥檛 always have the capacity to advance these major and, in some cases, billion or multi-billion-dollar projects on our own, and we would really like a solution tailored for the North."
The premier said he and his counterparts also held meetings about housing, infrastructure, climate adaptation, fulfilling treaties and the territory's widespread addictions problem.
The NWT's "significant critical mineral resources" were also discussed in meetings, according to Gaudet.
鈥淲e need to figure out a balance between conservation and the development of these resources, and it鈥檚 hard to do when you do it alone," he said. "It's important that we do it together with other Indigenous groups and other governments."
All three NWT speakers emphasized the importance of collaboration between the territory's Indigenous governments, the GNWT, and decision-makers in the Canadian capital.
鈥淏y working together, we can leverage our collective strength and create solutions that benefit our communities and the North for a sustainable future," said Lafferty.
