This fonds consists of 1.5 meters of textual records from David Searle's career as a member of the Territorial Council and as Speaker for the Legislative Assembly. The varied subject matter, from education to labour relations to land claims, is indicative of the numerous issues of concern for the Government of the Northwest Territories. The files have been kept in their original arrangement, however a few of the larger files have been divided into two files for conservation purposes and ease of handling.
Searle, DavidThis fonds consists of 10 cm of textual records and 17 maps, which illustrate the electoral boundaries within the Northwest Territories between 1962 and 1963. The records relate to 18 June 1962 election for the Electoral District of the Mackenzie River and 8 April 1963 election for the Electoral District of the Northwest Territories. The textual records consist of working documents and copies of official documents that L.F.G. "Bob" Borden had to compile for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer after the elections were held. The records document the difficulties encountered in organizing these elections and in attempting to distribute electoral boxes to all potential polling stations within the Northwest Territories. The records have been divided into two series; the first series is of textual materials and the second is cartographic.
Canada. Office of the Chief Electoral OfficerThis fonds consists of 754 photographs, 95 postcards, 23 audio reels and 2 audio cassettes, 29 maps and 8.2 meters of textual records created and accumulated by Robert "Bobby" Porritt from the 1920s until his death in 1984. The records include correspondence, Porritt's notes, accounting records, banking records, other business records, records pertaining to the Northwest Territories Legislative Council (consisting primarily of copies), memorabilia, Jock McMeekan's records, a few annual reports and newsletters, some posters and ephemera, newspaper clippings, maps and plans, sound recordings, and photographs. In particular, the records document Porritt's occupational and political activities, his personal interests and his relationships with many friends and family members.
The correspondence, in particular is an excellent record of the economic, social and political aspects of life in Hay River from the late 1940s to the early 1980s. Porritt appears to have maintained intense personal contacts with the majority of the people in the Hay River area, including considerable correspondence with aboriginal hunters and trappers, who had become friends of Porritt. Also well documented is the Fort Resolution community in the 1930s, through correspondence and business records of the Fort Resolution Lumber Company. Since Porritt was Member of the Legislative Council for Mackenzie South, the records include correspondence with various other members of Council (e.g. Commissioner Ben G. Sivertz and John Goodall) and members of parliament. These letters contain discussion about political and bureaucratic issues facing Council before the move of the territorial government to Yellowknife in 1967. Unusually active in local organizations, Porritt's papers contain correspondence on behalf of these organizations. His interest in all aspects of his community, the north, and the world in general, are revealed in the magazines, ephemera, posters and other types of items he collected. The photographs taken and collected by Porritt cover a wide variety of subjects and dates. Photographs of family members, friends, business colleagues, communities and special interests such as aircraft and marine transportation are predominating.
In 1986, the NWT Archives received some 70 linear meters of records of Bobby Porritt, which included newspapers and government publications. Although the records had survived a flood and subsequent repacking, virtually no original order was discernible. Arrangement of series is by type of record, with the correspondence arranged in somewhat more detail than most other series. The photographs were sorted according to several subject categories.
Porritt, BobbyThis fonds consists of 24 cm of textual material, and 2 original master sound cassettes. The text consists of financial statements for the years 1977,1980, 1984 to 1988,1990 to 1991, as well as correspondence from 1975 to 1990. There are records that document the meetings and conventions of 1979, 1980 and 1981 as well as copies of campaign literature for Gerry Weaver, Peter Kusugak, Wally Firth, and Wayne Cahill. The audio cassettea contains recordings of the nomination meeting held on June 25, 1988. Speakers at the meeting included Audrey MacLachlin, Fernand Denault, Jody Whyte, Dennis Bevington, Wayne Cahill and Gerry Weaver.
Western Arctic New Democratic PartyThis fonds consists of approximately 10.52 meters of textual material, 153 black and white and colour photographs, 52 audiocassettes, 2 CDs (SDII format), one 16 mm film, a Umatic videocassette, 12 maps, 5 oversized textual documents and two scrolls. This material was either collected or generated by the Office of the Commissioner.
The bulk of the textual material is dated between 1960-1980 and consists of Commissioner Hodgson's chronos; Commissioner Parker's chronos; Senior Executive Secretary and later Deputy Commissioner Robert S. Pilot's chronos; reports from Commissioner Hodgson's and Commissioner Parker's Tours throughout the Northwest Territories, and correspondence between Federal Cabinet Ministers and the Commissioners' of the Northwest Territories. There are also files containing memorabilia such as cards, travel brochures, commemorative programs, invitations and certificates. In addition, there are administrative records, subject files, correspondence, minutes of meetings, organizational charts and reports relating to economic development, financial services, personnel, housing and constitutional development, labour standards and relations, administration of justice, as well as the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline and a proposed Great Slave National Park. As well, this fonds contains portions of Commissioners Norris' and Maksagak's chronos for 1991-1995, Commissioners Hansen's and Whitford's chronos for 2005-2006, and files from the NWT Coordinating Committee from 1988-1990. The fonds also contains files related to the Royal Visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1994. Furthermore, there are files relating to the Polaris Mine Project and the operation and administration of the community of Port Burwell. The fonds also includes files relating to the administration of the Commissioner's Awards program (1968-2006).
The photographs are dated between 1961-1979 and document official functions, Commissioner's Tours of the north, dignitary visits and Centennial Celebrations. An additional six photographs show the Commissioner's Awards medal, medallion, and rosette.
The audiocassettes contain sound recordings of Hamlet Council meetings, Town Council meetings, public meetings and speeches made by Commissioner Hodgson. The two CDs contain recordings of meetings held in 1978 between Commissioner Stuart M. Hodgson, Chief Alex Arrowmaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, Thomas A. Butters and R. Whitford, concerning the development for Snare Lakes.
The 16 mm film documents the 1977 visit of His Royal Highness Prince Andrew to the Northwest Territories. The film was entitled "Journey to the Top of Canada." There is a copy of this film in Umatic format.
The scrolls are dated between 1972-1973; the first scroll proclaims the transfer of land from the Yukon to the Northwest Territories and the second scroll establishes the aforementioned parcel of land to be the Norah Willis Michener Game Preserve. There are also two newsletters from the NWT Pavilion at Expo '86 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The oversized textual documents are a 12x22" certificate commemorating the laying of a cairn by Prince Andrew at Cape Columbia, NWT on July 12, 1977, a 10x15" certificate commemorating the laying of a cairn by Princess Margaret of the Netherlands on Beechey Island in June 1978, and two posters advertising the Commissioner's Awards programs.
12 maps and one oversized zoning schedule were donated via the Legislative Assembly Library from the Office of the Commissioner. The maps mainly detail town plans of Hay River, Inuvik, and Yellowknife during 1965-1973.
Northwest Territories. Office of the Commissioner (1870-present)The bulk of the textual records are made up of official records from the Legislative Assembly dated between 1951-2023 from the 1st through the 19th Legislative Assemblies/Councils of the Northwest Territories. Included in this material are Hansard (including indices and appendices), Tabled Documents, Motions, Written Questions, Return to Written Questions, Petitions, Committee Reports, Bills, Budget Addresses, Speeches, Debates (including some indices), Sessional Papers, Appropriations, Recommendations to Council, References for Advice, Information Items, Monthly Letters, Supplementary Notes, Legislation, a selection of Commissioner's Opening Addresses, and Votes and Proceedings summaries. There is also a copy of the Hay River-Enterprise Corridor Development Regulations from 1986.
The textual records are also comprised of signed minutes from the Northwest Territories Council (1921-1951), minutes from the Yellowknife Board of Trustees, bound minutes, ordinances and session papers from the Northwest Territories Council (1922-1950) and Orders in Council (1883-1932). Textual records also include correspondence, letters, biographical sketches of members of the Legislative Assembly, as well as promotional material collected by the Public Affairs Office concerning the 1979 election.
In addition, there are textual records related to the Advisory Committee on the Development of the GNWT, work of the Special Committee on Constitutional Development, the Special Committee on the Division of the NWT, Special Committee on the Northern Economy (SCONE), Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Special Committee on Housing and Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions. There is also a small amount of textual records, including planning committee material, that deal with the opening of the Legislative Assembly building in 1993. Other records deal with special events and conferences hosted by the Legislative Assembly, including swearing-in ceremonies, the Circle of Northern Leaders, and 23rd Canadian Presiding Officers' Conference.
There are also pamphlets and brochures from the late 1970s and early 1980s on a variety of topics, including the Legislative Assembly's operations, symbology, projects, interest in the pipeline and talks of forming a new territory (Nunavut). There are published reports on priorities for the North, administrative structure for Nunavut, a spousal assault task force report, and a Denedeh government proposal for restructuring of the Government of the Northwest Territories. There are also rules of the preceding body, the Council of the Northwest Territories, as well as the rules of the Assembly from 1984 to 1991. Also included in this accession are ordinances dated 1888 and 1895 and bound ordinances dating 1950 through 1981. There is also a book of statutes from 1985.
The textual records from the Elections NWT office includes material concerning electoral boundaries, as well as guidelines, correspondence, poster and press releases related to the Nunavut Capital public vote and the public vote on the Guaranteed Equal Representation of Men and Women in the Nunavut Legislative Assembly. There are also Reports of the Chief Electoral Officer and the Official Voting Results reports for the 2003 and 2007 General Elections, Returns to the Writ from the 2003, 2007 and 2011 General Elections, Proclamations and Grants of Poll from the 2007 General Election, polling boundary descriptions from the 2003 and 2007 General Elections, and the original tallies of votes from the polling districts and boxes from the 2007 General Election.
The textual records from the office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly includes materials related to conflict of interest and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, the Senior Management Team, the standing committee on legislation, task forces and working groups related to the Division of the Northwest Territories, a strategic planning workshop for MLAs regarding the government organization after division, a Circle of Northern Leaders meeting, communications protocol, and amendments to legislative Acts. Some meeting material for the GNWT Deputy Ministers' Senior Management Committee is also included.
The textual records from the NWT Human Rights Commission includes meeting agendas and minutes of the Commission Members, as well as notes from a strategic planning session, and an informational package given to stakeholders that outlines the mission, structure, processes and function of the Commission.
The bulk of the photographs and slides are dated between 1968-1993 and cover topics such as Legislative Assembly Opening Ceremonies, Sessions, Elections, Committees, Plebiscite on Division, Tours of Communities, Special Events, Conferences, Health Services and Scenery. The remaining photographs depict members of the Northwest Territories Council, the Legislative Assembly and Commissioners of the Northwest Territories from 1905-1975, as well as the activities of the Office of the Languages Commissioner, which date from 2002-2004.
The VHS videocassette entitled "One Land, Many Voices" - making the new NWT Mace" was produced by Lone Woolf Productions in 2000.
The audio reels contain recordings of the 7th and 8th NWT Council and the 9th and 10th Legislative Assembly.
The microfiche consists of a complete record of Tabled Documents, Committee Reports and Petitions from the 10th Legislative Assembly which covered the years 1984-1987 and a Tabled Document from the 8th Council, 56th Session. The 7 microfilm reels contain copies of the Northwest Territories Council Minutes from 1921-1951 and an index to the Minutes.
The scroll was presented by David Welch, Ontario's Minister of Citizenship, on behalf of Premier John Robart to the Commissioner and Council of the Northwest Territories to commemorate the Northwest Territories Centennial in 1970.
Northwest Territories. Legislative Assembly (1905-present)This fonds consists of 1.5 meters of textual material. The records include 1.3 meters of text from the Central Registry system (80 Block, 81 Block, 82 Block and 85 Block), dating from 1963 to 1971. These records cover a variety of topics including: directives and policies; arrangements for Council sessions; travel for Council members; Territorial Legislation Policy; elections, monthly reports from the regions; staff meeting; and ordinances. This fonds also contains reports from the 1970 and 1971 surveys conducted by the Labour Division and a booklet produced by the Department of the Territorial Secretary explaining Project Surname. The booklet was authored by Abe Okpik, the Project Director, with an introduction by Commissioner Hodgson. Three copies of the booklet are available, one in English, one in syllabics and one in Roman orthography Inuktitut.
Northwest Territories. Department of the Territorial Secretary (1967-1971)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)This fonds consists of 3 m of textual material created by John H. Parker throughout his career spent in the Northwest Territories. Included are records related to the transfer of responsibilities from the federal Department of Indian and Northern Affairs to the then fledgling Government of the Northwest Territories. There are also files on a variety of political subjects including constitutional development, devolution of responsibility from the Commissioner's Office to the elected Executive Council, and land claims and the division of the Northwest Territories. John Parker was also involved in many groups and associations. Records of the Legislative Assembly Building Society, the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories, the Fox Moth Society, and St. John Ambulance are found here.
Parker, John HavelockThis fonds contains textual records dating from 1930-1971, and is predominantly comprised of correspondance exchanged during John Goodall's tenure as an elected member of the Council of the Northwest Territories from 1954-1967. Along with professional and personal correspondance, this fonds contains a series of handwritten notes detailing Goodall's presentations during council, motions and sessional papers annotated by Goodall, numerous additions of the Fort Simpson Sacred Heart Mission newspaper (Catholic Voice), and memoribilia.
Goodall, John W.