NWT residents in need of a haircut will need to let their locks grow a little longer. But they can take comfort in knowing hair salons and similar businesses are likely going to be among the first to open once allowed. During a news conference on Tuesday morning, Premier Caroline…
A handful of leaders around the Northwest Territories have set up roadblocks or checkpoints for people entering their community. On March 19, K’atlo’deeche First Nation set up a checkpoint monitored by community members to only allow access to the reserve to residents and essential workers. On April 3, Deninu K’ue…
Premier Caroline Cochrane has taken over the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Citing the “unprecedented challenge” of COVID-19, Premier Cochrane said she wanted a “more hands-on-role”. Speaking to reporters following the announcement Tuesday, the premier said the COVID-19 pandemic is bigger than what the Emergency Management Organization (EMO) is…
“Knowing what communities COVID-19 is in will not make you safer.” Premier Caroline Cochrane said this while addressing media and residents Saturday morning after the previous day’s confirmation of two more cases of the virus in the NWT. “What makes you safer is respecting the orders of the chief public…
The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs Paulie Chinna declared an NWT-wide state of emergency earlier this week. It took three days for the government to inform the public. A news release sent Friday says Chinna declared the state of emergency on Tuesday, March 24. “We’re just releasing it today…
“For speaking the truth, I will not apologize.” That is what Monfwi MLA Jackson Lafferty said when he was told to apologize to Premier Caroline Cochrane. Speaker Frederick Blake Jr. then kicked out Lafferty for the rest of the day’s sitting. Blake called on Lafferty to apologize following his comments…
Legislative Assembly Speaker Frederick Blake Jr. called on Monfwi MLA Jackson Lafferty to apologize to Premier Caroline Cochrane. Lafferty has repeatedly criticized the premier’s firing of former Aurora College President Tom Weegar. Late in February, he accused Cochrane of breaking the law when dismissing Weegar. He also tabled a legal…
Unlike the last assembly, the new government’s list of priorities fits on a single page. While they are not presented in a particular order, the top priority reads, “Settle and implement treaty, land, resources and self-government agreements.” The second calls for the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the…
While much of the political banter has been focused on the federal election, the territorial government has been plodding along its transition to the 19th Legislative Assembly. One of the most important decisions the new MLAs will make is coming this week: selecting a new Premier. On Friday, the four…
Stalled negotiations, lost trust, inconsistency—these are all issues new MLAs are inheriting from the last territorial government. And they’re only some of the concerns more than a dozen Indigenous leaders from across the territory told MLAs at a public meeting at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre in Yellowknife. The…