Showing 5 results

Archival description
374 · Fonds · 1973-2005

This fonds consists of records from the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs that were created when it was a division within the Department of the Executive and from the Self Government Division, Ministry of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs. The records include policy development files and procedures related to self government cost sharing, formula financing, and grants and contributions, strategic planning documents, files related to organizational structure of Aboriginal Affairs Division and reorganization when it separated from the Department of the Executive and became its own entity, a devolution framework agreement including a Memorandum of Understanding between Aboriginal Affairs and Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND), and self-government negotiations frameworks distributed to GNWT Departments. There are also meeting minutes and work plans from Director’s Meetings, Deputy Minister Meetings, Senior Management Committee Meetings, Premiers Chronos, Premiers speeches, Ministerial and Deputy Minister Chronos, Ministerial Briefing Notes, and Briefing Notes for the Intergovernmental Core Group, which included DIAND and Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs.

There are also records related to the negotiation of self government and land claims agreements including files concerning the Inuvialuit Land Administration Agreement, Inuvialuit land claim, Makivik negotiations, Dogrib self government, Beaufort/Delta self government, as well as a file related to amendments to the NWT Act and intergovernmental forum process planning meeting. In addition, there are records related to the implementation of the Nunavut Final Agreement.

The bulk of the records were created by committees and working groups where Aboriginal Affairs was the lead agency or represented the GNWT on Federal Committees. There are committee records from the following: Devolution Working Group, Community Transfer Committee, Operational Review Committee, Traditional Knowledge Interdepartmental Working Group that addressed Traditional Knowledge within the Ministry, Federal/Territorial Core Group that dealt with constitutional reform, land claims and devolution, Constitutional Development Steering Committee, Ministerial Committee on Aboriginal Rights (CARS), Constitutional Affairs Committee Working Group, Federal/Territorial Special Joint Committee on Internal Relations, and the Services Review Committee that reviewed GNWT services to Aboriginal people. The Ministry chaired this committee that also included DIAND and Dene Nation. In addition, files related to the Dene/Metis Land Claim negotiations were kept including correspondence and committee work (Inherent Right Committee) on negotiating the Agreement in Principle between the GNWT and Dene Nation.

In addition, there are records from workshops and meetings that were funded and organized by the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs including Land Claims Implementation interjurisdictional workshop, Dene Nation and Metis Nation Annual General Assemblies, and Northern Leaders Conference that was organized by the Ministry in order for stakeholders such as Committee for Original Peoples Entitlement (COPE), and Dene Nation to discuss and have input into Bill C-48 (Canada Oil and Gas Act), as well as devolution issues. There is a memorandum of understanding on Devolution of Power and Authority to the GNWT from Canada with the involvement of the Dene and the Metis.

The remainder of the records relate to committee and working groups that Aboriginal Affairs would have monitored and provided expert advice such as submissions for the Land Claims and Self Government interface, Territorial Interest Working Group, Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples Self Government discussion paper, Provincial/Territorial Treaties and Self Government Working Group, Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, Nunavut Implementation Committee, and Wright Report on Devolution. There is also one file regarding the NWT Supreme Court Decision regarding the Indian Land application by Chief Francois Paulette.

Northwest Territories. Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
389 · Fonds · 1973-2015

This fonds consists of approximately 1.4 m of text. Included are original and signed self-government agreements, framework agreements, agreements-in-principle (AIP), implementation plans and Chief Negotiator framework agreements concerning the negotiation of self-government agreements between the GNWT, Government of Canada and the Tłı̨chǫ First Nation, Beaufort-Delta (Gwich'in and Inuvialuit), Akaitcho Territory Dene First Nations, Salt River First Nations, Deh Cho First Nations, Sahtu Dene and Metis, and South Slave Metis. There are also copies of interim measures agreements from other jurisdictions such as the Fond du Lac First Nations, Black Lake First Nations, Hatchet Lake First Nations, Manitoba Dëne Sųłıné and Sayisi Dene First Nation. Many of the agreements are in both English and French.

Also included in this fonds are Deputy Minister (DM) Chronos for 1999-2000, 2003-2005 and Ministerial Chronos for 1999-2000, as well as Ministerial briefing binders for sessions of the Legislative Assembly between 2013 and 2015.

This fonds also includes briefing binders prepared by the Intergovernmental Relations and Strategic Planning Division (IGRASP) for the Premier for various high-level meetings, conferences and forums.

This fonds also includes records generated between 1976-1986 by the Aboriginal Rights and Constitutional Development Secretariat, formerly operating within the Department of the Executive. These records document the role of the secretariat and the GNWT in the Dene and Metis land claims agreement-in-principle signed on September 5, 1988 as well as claims agreements with the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, the Committee for Original People's Entitlement (COPE) and the Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut.

As well, this fonds contains records from the Intergovernmental Relations Division relating to the development of the Social Agenda, as well as records from the Aboriginal Rights and Constitutional Development Secretariat relating to GNWT and federal government positions on Aboriginal rights and claims.

Northwest Territories. Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations (2006-2017)
331 · Fonds · 1899-2014, predominant 1955-2014

This fonds consists of records documenting the activities of the Department of the Executive in the functional areas of leadership of the GNWT and support to Cabinet, oversight of the GNWT’s regional operations, indigenous and intergovernmental relations, human resource planning, and gender equity. There are also records from the Audit Bureau and the Bureau of Statistics, as well as publications and records of several special projects undertaken by the department.

Government leadership

Records from the Directorate include meeting minutes, correspondence, and other materials from interdepartmental Deputy Ministers’ committees, including the Social Agenda and the Committee for Aboriginal Rights, as well as meeting materials for the Department of the Executive Senior Management Committee, the Special Joint Committee on Non-Tax-Based Community Affairs, and the Special Committee on the Implementation of Self-Government and the Sunset Clause, and the Public Committees, Boards and Councils Handbook. There are also transcripts of meetings of the Electoral Boundaries Commission held in several NWT communities in 1989 and community reports, meeting minutes and files pertaining to community transfers generated by various regional GNWT departments throughout the NWT, including Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk, Tuktoyaktuk, and Arctic Red River (now Tsiigehtchic).

Records from the Cabinet Secretariat include minutes, agendas, and other materials from interdepartmental Deputy Ministers’ committees, including the Division Review Committee. There are also reports commissioned by the Corporate Review and Transition Project in 2002-2004, along with departmental responses to the review and recommendations. Files from the Protocol section document the 1994 Royal Visit and 2004 Deputy Commissioner's swearing-in ceremony.

The fonds includes chronos of the Government Leader/Premier and the Deputy Minister/Secretary to Cabinet, originating from both of the above divisions. There are also chronos of ministers holding various portfolios, particularly from the Minister of Renewable Resources, and files containing correspondence between officials of the Executive and the federal government.

Records from the Corporate Communications division include Senior Management Committee records, Deputy Ministers' Steering Committee on Trademark and Copyright Policy records, GNWT-wide communications plans and strategies, workshop material, related job descriptions, records relating to the Visual Identity Program, and briefing binders.

Records from the Legislation and House Planning division include Cabinet House Strategy and session preparation files, briefing materials for MLAs, legislative agendas and files related to the development of legislation, materials from the Legislation and House Planning Committee, and results of the Legislative Review Survey conducted by the Division Review Committee in preparation for the creation of Nunavut. The records date from the 11th through to the 15th Legislative Assembly.

Records from the Priorities and Planning Secretariat relate to GNWT policy and program development, land claims issues, parks development, Constitutional development, decentralization and natural resource projects. Some of these records are meeting minutes, correspondence and records of decision produced by the Priorities and Planning Committee, a committee within the secretariat which reviewed initiatives, policies and programs before they were put before the Executive Members and the Executive Council as a whole. There is also a report from the Program, Policy and Planning Division entitled "Government as Communicator."

Records from the Executive Secretariat date from 1967-68 and consist of copies of the transfer guideline documents concerning the formal transfer of responsibilities to the Government of the Northwest Territories and a copy of a Task Force Report on the organization of the Northwest Territories Public Service.

Regional operations

Records from the Regional Operations division consist primarily of minutes from settlement and hamlet meetings in the Mackenzie Delta, Western Arctic, Baffin and Great Bear Lake regions, monthly reports from regions and specific communities, minutes of regional council meetings, and records from regional associations such as the Keewatin Organizational Committee, Regional Management Committee in Inuvik, and the Inuvik Regional Health Board. There are also files relating to resource development projects, including the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, Nanisivik Mines, Polar Gas Project and Beaufort Delta Oil Project.

Records from the Corporate Services Division are primarily from the Keewatin Region and consist of minutes of meetings from the Executive Committee, Regional Director's Meetings, Annual Management Meetings, Senior Management Committee Meetings, various hamlet meetings and board meetings. Furthermore, there are minutes from the following Regional Councils: Baffin Regional Council, South Slavey Regional Council, North Slavey Regional Council, Deh Cho Regional Council, Shihita Regional Council, Kitikmeot Regional Council and the Keewatin Regional Council. There are also files relating to Commissioner's Tours and Ministerial Tours of the Baffin and Keewatin Regions. Records from the Finance and Administration section consist of policy and planning files and records relating to Regional Decentralization.

In addition, the fonds includes files containing correspondence from Regional Administrators concerning the administration and implementation of the Liquor Ordinance and alcohol abuse problems at Frobisher Bay (Iqaluit). There are also reports dating from 1971-1973 about the community of Port Burwell and the Kennuayuak Association .

Aboriginal affairs, intergovernmental relations, and strategic planning

Records from the Aboriginal Rights and Constitutional Development Secretariat and its successor, the Ministry of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, date predominantly from 1974-1996. These records relate to land claims, including the Inuvialuit (COPE), Dene/Metis, Sahtu, Gwich'in, Tlicho, Deh Cho, Denesuline, Makivik, Hay River Dene, and Treaty 8 organizations, and the creation of Nunavut. The records also document self-government by Indigenous groups (including the creation of the Western Arctic Region Municipality (WARM) or Western Arctic Regional Government (WARG)), constitutional development (including involvement with the Constitutional Alliance and Western Constitutional Forum), intergovernmental relations, and devolution of airports, land, water, and resource management from the Federal government (see also Office of Devolution).

The fonds also includes newsletters and reports created by the Aboriginal Rights and Constitutional Development Secretariat and Equal Employment Directorate. The newsletters consist of 10 issues of Building Blocks, and discuss varied issues of devolution and compensation. There are three reports on equal employment, dating from the mid-1980s.

Records from the Office of Devolution date from 1993-2014, documenting negotiations between the GNWT and federal government over the devolution of lands and resources and implementation of the devolution agreement. Records include correspondence, committee records, briefing materials, reports, and communication plans.

Records from the Strategic Planning division and its predecessor, Intergovernmental Relations and Strategic Planning (IGRASP), include briefing packages, minutes, and other materials related to a variety of meetings and projects. These include meetings between the Premier and federal ministers, other Premier meetings, Intergovernmental and Arctic Circle meetings, and the Deputy Ministers’ Senior Management Committee, as well as planning materials for the National Aboriginal Women’s Summit (NAWS II). There are records from the Boards and Agencies review in 2004-2006, including meeting minutes, agendas, reports, drafts, and interviews with departments and agencies. Also included are files on the Living History Project, a project to reflect and celebrate NWT progress since the Berger Inquiry, and one file which outlines the activities and strategies of the Social Envelope section in 1997-1998. There are also files related to departmental policies and a proposed reorganization of intergovernmental affairs functions.

Human resource planning

Records from the Personnel Secretariat Division include reviews of personnel policies, reports on conferences, workshops and seminars, files on employment equity, the decentralization of the Highway Transport Board and Liquor Licensing Board and several files on the restructuring of various GNWT departments.

Records from the Corporate Human Resources division comprise annual reports on the Affirmative Action Policy for the GNWT, an evaluation report and guidelines for the Northern Graduate Employment Program, reviews of staffing services and employee benefit administration at departments and agencies, and a file relating to the creation and organization of the division.

Women’s Advisory

Records from the Women’s Advisory include reports, decision papers, briefing notes, correspondence, and policy statements documenting the roles and responsibilities of the Women’s Advisory, its relationship to the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, the restructuring of the Women’s Advisory in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the 5-year Action Plan on Equality for Women, and the implementation of Gender Based Analysis. There are also reports from the Status of Women Committee and from organizations funded by the Women’s Advisory, including the Status of Women Council, the Native Women's Association, the Pauktuutit Inuit Women's Association and the Women's Community Action Team.

The fonds also contains two audio reels dating from 1974-1975, including a panel discussion on the Status of Women as a lead up to the International Year of Women (1975) and an NWTCC board meeting discussing housing, waste management, air transportation, and business/government relations.

Audit Bureau, Bureau of Statistics, special projects and publications

Records from the Audit Bureau consist of audit files for various Hamlets, Hunters and Trappers Associations and craft shops, as well as files relating to Audit Committee Meetings, Manager's Reports and organization charts.

Records from the Bureau of Statistics include population statistic and projection reports, Yellowknife apartment surveys, spatial price surveys, food price surveys, personal income statistics, labour force surveys, census results, a report on interprovincial/territorial trade and a business directory. It also includes an incomplete collection of volumes of the Statistics Quarterly, from volumes 1 through 26.

Also in this fonds are records generated by the History of Education Project that was undertaken by Norman McPherson and resulted in a book on the history of education in the Northwest Territories (Dreams and Visions: Education in the Northwest Territories from the Early Days to 1984). The records consist of original files and copies of reports from schools in many communities throughout the Northwest Territories, as well as copies of transcripts from oral history interviews.

There are also eight audiocassettes and a fifteen page summary report of a Traditional Knowledge Elders gathering held in October of 1993 at Fort Providence.

The fonds also includes a small group of miscellaneous documents and reports relating to auditing, management, cross-cultural training, the Beaufort Sea Drilling Program, and research subject headings.

Northwest Territories. Department of the Executive (1967-2017)
311 · Fonds · 1953-2019

This fonds consists of records generated by Policy and Planning Division, Community Works and Capital Planning Division, Lands Division, Sport and Recreation Division, Community Planning and Lands Division, Community Governance, the Directorate, Public Safety and the Corporate Services Division of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. The files from the Policy and Planning Division relate to Devolution, Privatization, Resource Community Policy, Resource Development Policy, Local Government Priorities, Assistant Deputy Minister (ADMS) Coordinating Committee, Ministers Speeches, as well as, Minister's Tours of the Baffin, Kitikmeot, Keewatin and Mackenzie Delta Regions.

The material from the Community Planning and Lands Division and Community Governance date from 1953-2012 and includes minutes and files from the following Committees: Land Use Advisory Committee, Senior Management Committee, Land Review Committee, Land Claims Working Group, Land Information System Working Group and the Federal/Territorial Land Committee. There includes files related to the Land Claims Working Group, self government negotiations and service to Status Indians, and property assessment and taxation. There is substantial documentation regarding MACA's responsibilities and efforts in Land Claims work, including a small number of cartographic records (Norman Wells only). In addition, there are various files relating to departmental acts/regulations, policies and procedures, and planning files. Also included are Annual Workplans for Community Planning (1986-1994); minutes of Community Planners Meetings (1986-1993); Annual reports re: Monitoring of the Planning Act (1990-1993) and the Lands division; copies of various policy and procedures manuals related to Community Planning; a set of completed surveys related to Solid Waste Disposal; records related to standards and criteria for capital planning, review and revisions to the water and sewage subsidy program. There is also a small group of community planning records and maps for Pond Inlet from 1987-1990. Other community planning and zoning records and maps relate to the Beaufort Delta, North Slave, Deh Cho, Sahtu, and South Slave regions. There are also operational evaluations of communities in the Beaufort Delta region. Records of a 2007 Lands Conference on the New Deal are also included.

The records from the Directorate date between 1988-2011 and consist primarily of manual, policy binders, handbooks and reports. The record include handbooks and manuals related to management of water and sanitation services, formula financing for communities, land administration training, municipal works training, local government manuals and treatment and handling of hazardous waste material, records relating to real estate licensing and the review of the territorial lottery process. Also included are transcripts of interviews with residents of Fort Rae, organizational charts for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and strategic planning documents for the department from 1989-1990, a service contract for Nunavut, and records relating to resource development. In addition, there are reports to the Directorate from the divisions, issue files, Social Agenda files, briefing notes, Senior Management Committee records, and Minister Responsible for Youth, Deputy Minister and Ministerial Chronos.

The records from the Corporate Affairs or Corporate Services Division date from 1977-2019 and relate to strategic planning, job action contingency planning, emergency measures, Community Empowerment, Municipal Community Assistance Program (MCAP), a 1995 Ministers of Local Government Conference and conference hosted by MACA and the NWT Association of Municipalities, Government of the Northwest Territories Steering Committee-Pine Point, aboriginal claims and briefing notes from the 1st Session, 7th Session and 8th Session of the Legislative Assembly. There are files concerning the delivery of the community development fund and a legislative proposal to amend the Municipal Statutes Act, as well as user pay/user say initiatives. In addition, there are files from the regional office in Inuvik related to the department's involvement with the Arctic Winter Games, policy and guidelines for the Fitness Leadership Certification Program, workshop material about the Staff and Volunteer Training Program, a copy of an organizational planning tool that was produced by the department and disseminated during workshops hosted by MACA, as well as memorandum of Understanding with Arctic College concerning the Recreation Leaders Program. In addition, there are student education plans and evaluations for the Recreation Leaders Program. Records also include decision papers, legislation files related to the Area Development Act and the Municipal Statutes Amending Act, and reports on conferences. There is also a small amount of information about Fire Prevention Week.

The records from the Surveys and Mapping Division date from 1987 and relate to a review of the division.

The records from the Sport and Recreation Division date from 1978 to 2007 and include training materials for communities to develop effective recreation committies and records related to recration facility development including community based project files and policy binders. Records also include meeting minutes from 2006-2007.

Records from the Fort Smith Regional Office consist of trip reports to communities conducted by MACA staff, training initiatives being delivered by the Department, local election files, briefing material, and an employee orientation manual.

Records from the North Slave Regional Office consist of meeting notes, planning documents, and correspondence relating to a functional review of regional operations, as well as correspondence and a presentation relating to a strategic planning workshop.

From the Public Safety division, there are planning and committee records relating to emergency response, search and rescue, forest fire fighting, disaster assistance, safety and preparedness, as well as Memoranda of Understanding with other agencies in relation to emergency response, and lottery licensing guidelines and Hamlet of Paulatuk Lottery Licensing Bylaw. Also included are assessment appeal tribunal files and a file related to legal gambling in the NWT. From the Public Safety division's Office of the Fire Marshal, there are fire fighting training course materials as well as files related to amendments to the Fire Prevention Act.

Records from the Community Development division relate to municipal land selection and land implementation, community transfer initiatives, and community based planning.

Records from the School of Community Government relate to training programs, occupational standards and certification, and the Community Development Fund.

There are also reports related to taxation, community planning and financing municipal government.

Northwest Territories. Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (1986-present)
354 · Fonds · 1972-2000

This fonds includes records of the Metis Nation (formerly the Metis Association of the NWT) for the period 1974-2000. The records include 981.0 cm, 11 8" floppy disks, and 58 3½" floppy disks of textual records, 9 maps, and 24 photographs of processed records relating to the Metis Association and Metis Nation. The records are divided into six series: Governance, Locals, Chronos, Administration, Membership/Enumeration, and Projects.

Yet to be processed: There are 4500 photographs of Metis Nation staff and events in colour print, b/w print, colour slide and negative formats. Many of the photographs are b/w prints stamped as being from archival institutions, such as the National Archives. Audio recordings include 1800 audio cassettes of oral histories and recordings of the annual general assemblies. Videos include 200 VHS and Umatic format videocassettes with footage of annual general assembly as well as videos produced for the Metis Nation.

Metis Nation