Yesterday, in Yellowknife, Premier R.J. Simpson, Ministers Caroline Wawzonek, Caitlin Cleveland, Lucy Kuptana, Jay Macdonald, Vince McKay, and Lesa Semmler convened with the Délı̨nę Got’ı̨nę Government’s Ɂekw’ahtı̨dǝ́ Danny Gaudet, Ɂekw’ahtı̨ Raymond Taneton, and Délı̨nę K’aowǝdóKǝ members Leonard Kenny, Christopher Yukon, Gina Dolphus, Jonas Modeste, Dora Blondin, along with Marion Mackeinzo, the Elders Representative.
The meeting was a platform to explore areas of mutual interest and opportunities for collaboration. Areas of discussion included health needs and share information; joint planning in education, including early childhood and JK-12; identifying opportunities for ongoing collaboration on Délı̨nę’s critical infrastructure; highlighting shared interests for combined federal efforts in clean energy and climate resilience; and further discussing climate change impacts and the criticality of cooperation in emergency management.
In their meeting with the Délı̨nę Got’ı̨nę Government, Lesa Semmler, the Minister of Health and Social Services, highlighted several critical issues, emphasizing collaborative efforts to improve health and social services in NWT communities. Discussions focused on key topics such as medical travel, enhancing mental and physical health services, integrating technology into healthcare, and incorporating traditional medicines and practices into the health system. There was also a unanimous agreement on the need to consolidate funding for health and wellness and to improve information sharing between governments.
This marked the fourth meeting between the two governments under the Intergovernmental (Memorandum of Understanding) MOU, further strengthening their relationship by collaboratively addressing key issues affecting the residents of Délı̨nę.
The Intergovernmental MOU acknowledges the significance of the government-to-government relationship between the Déline Got’ine Government and the Government of the Northwest Territories. This agreement ensures that both governments will convene at least annually. Initially signed in June 2019 for a four-year term, the Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding was renewed for another four years in November 2023.
