“The North isn’t a problem to solve. It’s a partner in building Canada’s future. Let’s build it together.”
– Premier R.J. Simpson
Leaders from several Indigenous governments were in Ottawa last week — joining NWT Premier R.J. Simpson and members of his cabinet — to promote the North and present a united front.
It was also an occasion for Premier Simpson to meet with Canada’s newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney and to see former Yellowknife mayor Rebecca Alty in her new role as Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
NWT Premier R.J. Simpson and Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa recently. (Photo: Premier’s office/Facebook)
Stated Simpson in an op-ed in The Hub: “This trip to Ottawa isn’t about asking for handouts. It’s about asking Canada to match our ambition and to see the North not as a cost centre or policy challenge, but as a strategic asset.”
Indigenous leaders included: Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty (Tłı̨chǫ Government); Ɂek’wahtı̨dǝ́ Danny Gaudet (Délı̨nę Got’ı̨nę Government)’ and Chief Ernest Betsina (Yellowknives Dene First Nation).
Simpson stated in a release on Monday: “Together, we brought a clear and united message: The North is ready to deliver for Canada, and we’re ready to work in partnership to make it happen.”
“(The presence of Indigenous leaders) reinforced a powerful truth: across governments, we are increasingly aligned in our vision for a stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient future — and we are asking the federal government to walk alongside us as partners. We look forward to continuing to build and strengthen these partnerships in the months ahead.”
Simpson stated he and his officials met with more than a dozen federal ministers and senior officials across key portfolios — including the Department of Finance; Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada; Indigenous Services Canada; Transport Canada; and the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor).
“These conversations were productive, forward-looking, and marked by a shared understanding that Northern challenges require Northern solutions,” stated Simpson, not stating if any concrete results came out of the trip.
However, the latest funding issue from the feds concerns cuts, not investments.
On the Jordan’s Principle education reductions that will see dozens of teaching assistants let go over the summer, Simpson stated: “We also made it clear that reconciliation must be reflected in how programs like Jordan’s Principle are funded and delivered. Recent cuts to the program are putting services — and children’s futures — at risk.
“We called for urgent federal action to protect these essential supports, and were encouraged by the commitment we received from federal Ministers to work with us on a solution.”
Simpson also penned an op-ed for the national online news outlet
In it, he called for 100% federal funding for major infrastructure projects — if they have a national benefit.
“We need programs and policies designed for the North, not retrofitted afterwards. That means recognizing higher costs, logistical realities, and the need for flexibility—especially when working with Indigenous and territorial governments.
“We also need policy decisions grounded in Northern realities. That includes embedding a Northern lens into federal cabinet decision-making so national strategies don’t unintentionally sideline the very places that make those strategies possible.
“And above all, we need real partnership. Indigenous governments aren’t stakeholders—they are governments in their own right. Every file we’re advancing, from energy and climate to housing and health, is rooted in shared leadership and a commitment to reconciliation through action.
