Intergovernmental Meeting between Salt River First Nation and Government of the Northwest Territories

Press Release

Fort Smith, NT (April 8, 2025) – Salt River First Nation Chief Josephine (Toni) Heron, Councillor Delores Bruno-Taylor, Councillor Levi MacDonald, and Councillor Brittany Bourke met with Premier R.J. Simpson, Minister Caroline Wawzonek, Minister Vince McKay, Minister Lucy Kuptana, Minister Lesa Semmler, and Minister Jay MacDonald on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 in Fort Smith, NT. Councillor Archie Beaulieu and Councillor Victor Marie sent their regrets.

The meeting focused on areas of mutual interest, including:

• On the land programs to support mental health and the GNWT programs that exist to fund them;
• Information sharing around contagious disease outbreaks and prevention and work related to illicit drug use;
• The limitations of what is funded through the federal Non-Insured Health Benefits related to medical travel and efforts to address this;
• An update on the GNWT’s anti-poverty fund;
• Collaboration potential including working to leverage funds from the Government of Canada related to housing and homelessness;
• Enhancing the inclusion of NWT Indigenous businesses and individuals, including from Salt River First Nation, more effectively in GNWT procurement policies;
• Sharing information as the GNWT continues to advance its Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Plan; and
• Work together toward the expanded cultural and wellness programming at the site for the former men’s correctional facility in Fort Smith.

The two governments also renewed the Intergovernmental Memorandum Of Understanding Between The Salt River First Nation And The Government Of The Northwest Territories committing to collaboration until 2029.

Quick Facts

• The Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding recognizes the importance of the government-to-government relationship between the Salt River First Nation and the Government of the Northwest Territories.
• The first Intergovernmental Memorandum Of Understanding Between The Salt River First Nation And The Government Of The Northwest Territories was signed in August 2015 and was renewed once in 2020.

For more information, contact:

Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs,
Public Affairs and Communications
Government of the Northwest Territories
EIA_FINComms@gov.nt.ca

Elizabeth Westwell
Chief Executive Officer
Salt River First Nation
ceo.srfn@northwestel.net

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