Northwest Territories devolution officially takes hold – CBC.ca

April 01, 2014

The Northwest Territories is gaining new province-like powers today.

Until now, the federal government has held on to decision-making power over lands, water and resources.

Premier Bob McLeod remembers when most of the decisions affecting the territory were made thousands of kilometres away.

“In some areas a clerk would have more authority and responsibilities than a minister in our own government,” he recalls. “Now with devolution, that’s not the case at all.”

The territorial government has been gradually taking on more responsibility. Health, education and social services devolved in the 1970s and 1980s. Negotiating the transfer of lands and resources took more than a decade.

McLeod says the deal isn’t perfect, but he’s pleased it’s finally happened.

“It will be northerners making the decisions about the things that affect them the most,” he says. “They’ll control the breadth and pace of development, and that’s how I believe it should be. We have a special attachment to the land and water, so we’ll make sure we have balanced development.”

The N.W.T. is following the path set by Yukon. Devolution of power took place in that territory 11 years ago today.