The Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government just celebrated ratification of its self-government agreement in Norman Wells. Here’s what leaders hope to see next.
TGG president Sherry Hodgson called the gathering a “homecoming” for people who had not travelled to Norman Wells in years – or in some cases were visiting for the first time. For many in attendance, the moment was emotional.
“It was really wonderful for all of the people that came,” she told Cabin Radio. “We had a lot of people that were no longer here as well that wanted a self-government and talked about a self-government.
“It was just a very happy time for everybody to have finally finalized and remembering those that started it, those that are no longer here with us, and knowing that the future is open to the citizens of TGG.”
The self-government agreement, officially ratified in March, concludes more than two decades of negotiations with the federal and territorial governments. Hodgson said 40 percent of the voting members were either in their late teens or early twenties.
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Now the agreement is ratified, TGG has entered a transition period with the goal of launching its government in early 2026. That work includes developing new laws, designing governance structures and holding workshops with community members to decide how the government will function.
Hodgson said self-government means being able to make independent decisions across a wide range of areas like land, justice, and education, and building a system rooted in local values and priorities.
While there are technical and legal teams in place, Hodgson said the path forward is a learning curve for those involved.
Hodgson expects it to be a complex process of going through documents, understanding them and determining how to integrate them into a system that has existed for generations.
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“It’s a huge achievement and responsibility that is going to come with a self-government,” she said.
“It’s a great feeling and huge challenge that is coming our way. I think the whole thing is going to be a challenge. It’s new to all of us.”
Hodgson said some of the speeches she heard during the celebrations felt personal to her, as she knew some of the Elders who have since passed and had spoken about what self-government could look like for youth.
“It was a little overwhelming for me. We made it to the spot they wanted to see,” she said. “It was a great spot to be in. Like, ‘Hey, we have made it. We’re here. Now we’re on to the next.'”
‘Bringing government home’
July’s celebration of self-government included on-the-land trips, boating, storytelling, speeches and presentations. Premier RJ Simpson and MP Rebecca Alty attended.
The TGG chartered a Boeing 737 for beneficiaries from Yellowknife while residents of neighbouring communities also travelled for the event.
Among attendees was Sahtu MLA Danny McNeely, who was moved by the speeches from leaders during the gathering in Norman Wells.
McNeely described the significance of the agreement as a shift from “a colonial system to an Indigenous government system.”
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“It was overwhelming to see the turnout for the celebration. In particular, the celebration for the second NWT community-based self-government in the Sahtu region,” he told Cabin Radio. (Délı̨nę was the first.)
“We in the Sahtu need every little bit of economic assistance we can get, being as remote as we are.”
McNeely said self-government gives communities the power to advocate more effectively for resources, while creating employment opportunities.
Giving the example of Délı̨nę Got’ı̨nę Government, he said two of the 36 homes acquired by the community in recent years were build by the territorial government. The remainder were established through Délı̨nę’s housing program.
McNeely expects there will be three self-governments in the region by the end of the 20th Legislative Assembly in 2027, with Colville Lake next in line.
“It’s significant to the point where you’re maintaining control. Without having control, you’re really at the beck and call of somebody else in the colonial system,” he said.
“Your own Indigenous government brings the government home to the people – having the abilities to provide services and develop policies that are really in your favour, and designing an education program that would support growth and housing.”
