This fonds consists of textual material, graphic material (photographs - col. prints), cartographic material (maps), moving images (helical scan video reels and Umatic videocassettes), sound recordings (audiocassettes), and microfilm reels. The textual material consists of transcripts of a meeting between the Oblate Fathers from settlements throughout the Mackenzie District and the Department of Local Government. The discussion involved the transfer of responsibilities from the Northern Administration Branch to the Government of the Northwest Territories in 1967. The bulk of the textual material contains records dating from 1967-1986. These records relate to the development and management of hamlets, towns, and communities across the Northwest Territories. They include details on services such as water and sanitation as provided and managed by the Department of Local Government, as well as files related to the Northwest Territories Municipal Association and departmental policies and initiatives, including recreation. Approximately 60 cm of the textual material consists of bound minutes from Pine Point Council Meetings that were held from 1969-1986, as well as financial statements from the community of Pine Point. In addition, there are files concerning the development, implementation, and operation of the Arctic Airports program, including position papers and reports created by Transport Canada with comments from GNWT officials, as well as reports, recommendations and minutes of meetings from the Airports Committee, a discussion paper concerning the development and implementation of the Arctic Air Facilities policy, and ongoing correspondence and planning documents.
The microfilm reels contain records dated between 1967-1973 from the Central Registry file system and contain files from the following program areas: Directors Monthly Meetings (11 block); Policy Files (13 block); Administration (20 block); Municipal Affairs Division (21 block); Development Division (22 block); Town Planning and Lands (24 block); Recreation (25 block); Emergency Measures Division (26 block) and Employment Liaison Division (29 block).
The maps are line transparency plans from the Town Planning and Lands Division of the Department of Local Government. Communities represented are: Arctic Bay, Broughton Island (Qikiqtarjuaq), Cape Dorset, Coppermine (Kugluktuk), Enterprise, Fort Franklin (Deline), Fort Providence, Hall Beach, Hay River, Igloolik (Iglulik), Paulatuk, Pond Inlet, Rankin Inlet, Resolute Bay, Sachs Harbour, Sanikiluaq, Snowdrift (Lutsulk'e), Trout Lake, and Wrigley. The 13 microfilm reels from the Town Planning and Lands Division contain settlement drawings for the following communities: Fort Simpson, Tuktoyaktuk, Yellowknife, Fort Providence, Fort Rae, Fort Resolution, Fort Smith, Spence Bay, Snowdrift, Stagg River, Alexander Falls, Inuvik, Fort McPherson, Fort Norman, Pine Point, Rankin Inlet, Sachs Harbour, Banks Island, Aklavik, Baker Lake, Hay River, Igloolik, Cambridge Bay, Holman Island, Enterprise, Gjoa Haven, Nahanni Butte, Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, Edzo, Morphy, Fort Franklin, Frobisher Bay, Port Harrison, Fort Good Hope and Hall Lake. There are also 7 land use planning maps which relate to Fort Simpson, Pine Point, and Enterprise.
The 2 Umatic videocassettes contain footage of James Washee, a Minister of Local Government, discussing Community Ordinance legislation. One recording is in English and one recording is in Inuktitut. Also included in the accession are eight reels of helical scan video. These appear to be related to local government conferences.
The sound recordings consist of 24 audiocassettes that contain recordings from an Economic Development Conference held in 1979 that featured speakers such as John Todd, Bertha Allen and Stuart Hodgson. In addition, eight of the audiocassettes contain recordings of the Pine Point Council Meetings from 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987. One meeting from each year was retained as a sample.
Finally, this fonds includes approximately 40 cm of publications and reports from 1967-[1988]. The majority of the material consists of published community development plans. There are also water and sanitation reports, water and energy conservation papers, airport maintenance manual, comparative studies between municipalities in the NWT and those of western provinces, and a report of a committee on the future of Inuit hunting camps. Also notably included is a public discussion paper on devolution.
Northwest Territories. Department of Local Government (1967-1986)