The Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories

1 Location and Size
2 Topography
3 Climate
4 Plants and Animals
5 Environmental Protection
6 Population
7 Ethnic Groups
8 Languages
9 Religions
10 Transportation
11 History
12 Provincial Government
13 Political Parties
14 Local Government
15 Judicial System
16 Migration
17 Economy
18 Income
19 Industry
20 Labor
21 Agriculture
22 Domesticated Animals
23 Fishing
24 Forestry
25 Mining
26 Energy and Power
27 Commerce
28 Public Finance
29 Taxation
30 Health
31 Housing
32 Education
33 Arts
34 Libraries and Museums
35 Communications
36 Press
37 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation
38 Sports
39 Famous People from the Northwest Territories
40 Bibliography

ORIGIN OF PROVINCE NAME: The name "the North-Western Territories," initially assigned by the British government, once referred to all the lands held by the Hudson's Bay Company.

NICKNAME : North of Sixty.

CAPITAL: Yellowknife.

ENTERED CONFEDERATION: 15 July 1870; reorganized into its current form in April 1999.

COAT OF ARMS: The crest consists of two golden narwhals (representing marine life) on either side of a compass rose, which symbolizes the magnetic north pole. The white upper portion of the shield represents the polar ice pack and is crossed by a wavy blue band symbolic of the Northwest Passage. The wavy diagonal line symbolizing the treeline separates the red (the tundra of the north) from the green (the forested lands of the south). The historical economic resources of the land—mineral wealth and the fur industry—are represented respectively by gold bricks in the green portion and the head of a white fox in the red area.

FLAG: The territorial shield of arms centered on a white field, with two vertical blue panels on either side. The white symbolizes the snow and ice of the winter, while the blue represents the territory's lakes and waters.

FLORAL EMBLEM: Mountain Avens.

TARTAN: The official tartan of the Northwest Territories is a registered design in shades of red, green, yellow, and blue.

BIRD: Gyrfalcon.

FISH: Arctic grayling.

TREE: Tamarack.

GEMSTONE: Diamond.

MINERAL: Native gold.

TIME: 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

At some time in its history, the Northwest Territories (NWT) has included all of Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and Nunavut, and most of Manitoba, Ontario, and Québec. The Northwest Territories occupies about 12% of the total land area of the Canada. The NWT has a total area of 452,478 square miles (1,171,918 square kilometers), making it almost as large as the US state of Alaska.

Between 1905 and 1999, the Northwest Territories included all of Canada north of the 60th parallel, except the Yukon and portions of Québec and Newfoundland. On 1 April 1999, the NWT was officially divided, with the eastern part becoming the new territory of Nunavut. The western part kept the name "Northwest Territories," but is sometimes referred to as "western NWT" or "Western Arctic" in order to avoid confusion with the larger pre-1999 NWT. The NWT is now bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, Beaufort Sea, and polar ice; on the east by Nunavut; on the south by Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia; and on the west by the Yukon Territory. From the 60th parallel, the NWT stretches 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers) to Cape Malloch on Borden Island; the territory is 823 miles (1,325 kilometers) long from east to west. The NWT covers 452,478 square miles (1,171,918 square kilometers) and includes Banks Island, Prince Patrick Island, and the western portions of Victoria Island and Melville Island.

2 Topography

Like the Yukon, the NWT can be divided into two broad geographical regions: the taiga (a boreal forest belt that circles the subarctic zone and is typified by stands of pine, aspen, poplar, and birch trees) and the tundra (a rocky arctic region where the cold climate has stunted vegetation). One of the most remarkable features of the NWT is the Mackenzie River, one of the world's longest at 2,635 miles (4,241 kilometers).

Northwest Territories: Population Profile

Estimated 2006 population	41,464
Population change, 2001–2006	11.0%
Percent Urban/Rural populations, 2001
Urban	58.4%
Rural	41.6%
Foreign born population	6.4%
Population by ethnicity
Canadian	7,255
English	6,175
Scottish	5,190
Irish	4,470
Inuit	4,140
French	3,860
North American Indian	3,375
German	3,005
Métis	2,955
Ukrainian	1,270
Dutch (Netherlands)	750
Polish	650
Norwegian	590

Population by Age Group

Major Cities by Population

City	Population, 2006
Yellowknife	18,700
Hay River	3,648
Inuvik	3,484
Fort Smith	2,364
Behchokò	1,894
Fort Simpson	1,216

3 Climate

There are two major climate zones in the NWT: subarctic and arctic. In the subarctic zone, average temperatures in January are −9°f (−23°c) and 70°f (21°c) in July, while average temperatures in the arctic zone range from −27°f (−33°c) in January to 50°f (10°c) in July. The average temperatures in Yellowknife are 8°f (−22°c) from November to March and 57°f (14°c) from June to August. As in the Yukon, the varying amounts of daylight over the year are an important influence on the climate: between 20 and 24 hours of daylight in June and up to 24 hours of darkness in December. The lowest recorded temperature was −71°f (−57.2°c) at Fort Smith on 26 December 1917.

4 Plants and Animals

A short but intense summer produces many small but brilliant flowers, including purple mountain saxifrage and fireweed. The animal population of the NWT includes an estimated 700,000 barren-ground caribou, 50,000 muskoxen, 26,000 moose, 10-40,000 wolverines, 15,000 wolves, and smaller numbers of Woodland caribou, Dall's sheep, bears (polar, black, and grizzly), bison, arctic fox, wood buffalo, lynx, martin, and mountain goats. Bird species include grouse, ptarmigan, phalarope, Pacific loon, and peregrine falcon. Fish include lake trout, arctic grayling, arctic char, walleye, whitefish, and northern pike. Habitat for whales, polar bears, walruses, and seals is concentrated in and along the waters of the northern coast.

In 2006, there were nine animal species listed as threatened or endangered, including the ivory gull, whooping crane, peregrine falcon, and woodland caribou. There were no endangered plant species.

5 Environmental Protection

The Environmental Protection Service of the Department of Resources, Wildlife, and Economic Development of the NWT (RWED) has programs to address hazardous substances, waste management, air quality, and environmental impact assessment. Since the early 1990's, dust conditions in Yellowknife have improved and the 2002 total suspended particulate (TSP) levels were the lowest ever. The Giant Mine gold roaster was the largest single source of sulphur dioxide in the Yellowknife area until it closed in 1999. Only minor levels of sulphur dioxide had been detected as of 2002. The Arctic Environmental Strategy introduced by the federal government in 1991 as part of its Green Plan involves northerners in projects to protect the arctic environment. It also supports communities in the development of their own plans to deal with environmental issues. The NWT has a beverage recycling program and encourages composting.

6 Population

As of 1 April 2006, the population was estimated at 41,464. Only Yukon and Nunavut had smaller populations. The 2001 census recorded a population of 37,360. Yellowknife, the capital, had a population of 18,700 in 2006. The next-largest towns and their 2006 populations include Hay River, 3,648, and Inuvik, 3,484.

The median age of the NWT in 2001 was 30.1 years. This was much younger than the national average of 37.6 years. NWT's population was second-youngest in Canada, after Nunavut, where the median age was 22.1 years.

7 Ethnic Groups

In 2001, Aboriginals (First Native Peoples) accounted for 47.2% of the western NWT's population. In the western Arctic, the Dene have inhabited the forests and barrens for the past 2,500 years. Once nomads, today they live in communities, many still using traditional skills of hunting, trapping, and fishing. There are four major Dene cultural groups: Chipewyan, Dogrib, Slavey (north and south), and Gwich'in (Loucheux). The Inuvialuit reside primarily around the Mackenzie River delta. The Métis are descendants of Dene and ethnic European parentage and comprise 8% of the territory's population. Other ethnicities found in the western NWT include Irish, French, German, and Ukrainian.

8 Languages

The NWT has eight official languages, but English is the language used most often for business and commerce. As of 2001, 77% of the territory's residents claimed English as their native language, while 2.6% declared French as their mother tongue. The Dene have four linguistic groups: Chipewyan, Dogrib, Slavey (north and south), and Gwich'in (Loucheux).

9 Religions

In 2001, 31.3% of the population—about 11,610 people—were Protestant, including Anglicans, members of the United Church of Canada, Pentecostals, Baptists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians, in that order. The territory also had about 17,000 Catholics and about 180 people of Muslim faith. There were less than 160 people each of the following: Eastern Orthodox, Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus. About 6,600 people had no religious affiliation in 2001.

10 Transportation

Territorial highways are mostly all-weather gravel roads, with some paved sections; clouds of dust, flying gravel, soft spots, and long distances between service stations are common. In the north, the Dempster Highway (#8) connects Inuvik, on the Mackenzie River delta, with Dawson, Yukon, across the Richardson Mountains. In the south, the Mackenzie Highway (#1) provides access to Alberta via connecting roads leading from Yellowknife (#3), Hay River (#2), Fort Resolution (#6), and Fort Smith (#5). The Liard Highway (#7) provides entry to British Columbia. The Canol Road (#9) and the Nahanni Range Road also provide access from the Yukon, but terminate just inside the NWT border.

From January to March, the coldest months of the Canadian winter, truckers drive heavy and dangerous loads across hundreds of miles of ice roads plowed on frozen lakes in order to deliver supplies to mines. There are no roads to many of the mines, which are often isolated by hundreds of lakes scattered across the territory. When the lakes freeze over for the winter, roads are plowed into the ice across the lakes. In 2004, the highway network consisted of 1,367 miles (2,200 kilometers) of all-weather roads and about 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) of winter roads. In 2005, the NWT had 23,184 registered motor vehicles, with 506 motorcycles and mopeds, 111 buses, and 1,164 off road, construction, and farm vehicles. There were 3,864 trailers registered.

Ferry service is provided in the summer for Highways 1, 3, and 8, which cross major rivers; in the winter, motorists simply drive over the frozen rivers. During the freezing months of fall and thawing months of spring, however, crossings by vehicles are not possible. In 2004, there were about 80 miles (129 kilometers) of rail track in the province.

Air Canada provides service to Yellowknife from Edmonton, Alberta. There were 44,065 passengers through Yellowknife in 2004. There were 27 public airports in 2004, of which only six had paved runways.

11 History

Northern Exploration

The Northwest Territories include many islands, lakes, rivers and the northernmost portions of mainland Canada. The first Inuit (the name given to Eskimos in Canada) are believed to have crossed the Bering Strait, a land bridge separating Asia and North America, about 5,000 years ago. They spread east along the Arctic coast and were the only people in the area for thousands of years.

The very first European explorers to arrive there were most likely the Vikings, who sailed to the eastern Arctic Ocean around 1000 ad. The first documented visit (a visit for which definite records exist) to the territory was led by English explorer Martin Frobisher in 1576. In 1610, English navigator Henry Hudson, while looking for a sea passage to Asia (the Northwest Passage that links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans), landed briefly on the western shore of the bay that now bears his name. His discovery opened the door for further exploration of the New World's interior. In the years that followed, European explorers like Thomas Button, Thomas James, and Luke Foxe traveled to the region and mapped a large portion of the eastern Arctic, particularly the western coast of Hudson Bay.

In 1670, in an effort to stimulate the area's fur trade, the British government granted the lands west of modern Ontario to the Hudson's Bay Company. The company set up fur-trading posts along the rivers to the west as far as Alberta. They also established a few posts farther north along the shores of Hudson Bay. In 1770, the company sent one of its employees, Samuel Hearne, on an expedition north of its territorial borders into what would become the Northwest Territories. Although his journey was a success in terms of the area he covered—about 3,200 kilometers in total—the number of fur-bearing animals he encountered was lower than he had expected.

The Fur Trade and Whaling Industry

The exploration reports of a rival trading agency, the North West Company, were more encouraging. In his 1789 journey along the river that now bears his name, Alexander Mackenzie noted that the forests lining this waterway were full of fur-bearing animals. The North West Company soon set up posts along the Mackenzie River. Meanwhile, however, the Hudson's Bay Company became interested in trading in the area. A fierce competition developed between the two companies, and the rivalry continued until 1821, when the North West Company was taken over by the Hudson's Bay Company. Hudson's Bay had succeeded in forming a trade monopoly over all of the explored land in northwestern Canada and was responsible for maintaining law and order there as well.

Fur trading wasn't the only industry doing well in the Northwest in the 19th century. Whaling became a big business, as well. The Inuit had hunted whales for centuries, eating the skin and blubber, using the whalebones to make tools and build furniture, and burning the oil for light and heat. Europeans began whaling in the Northwest back in the 1600s, mostly looking for valuable whale oil. Whaling activity peaked between 1820 and 1840.

Between the fur traders and the whalers, Europeans reshaped the Northwest Territories, bringing with them a new economy and way of life. Communities grew around trading posts, mission schools, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police stations with the arrival of fur traders, missionaries, and government officials. Caribou, used as food for the whalers, became scarce, so the Inuit had to turn to the Europeans for food and clothing. Prior to this, the Inuit were completely self-sufficient, meaning they were able to live on their own from the land and the sea. This sudden reliance on trade with the settlers changed their lives forever. The Europeans also brought diseases like typhus, scarlet fever, and measles to the Northwest Territories. The Inuit had never been exposed to these diseases before, and many died because they lacked the resistance necessary to fight them off.

Territorial Boundaries

In 1870, the British government transferred control of the Hudson's Bay Company's land to Canada. This included all of the Northwest Territories, as well as most of the rest of western Canada. Later, the government added the islands of the Arctic archipelago to the Territories.

The westernmost part of the Northwest Territories was the location of the Klondike gold strike in 1896. The resulting rush of settlers (hence the term gold rush ) into the region prompted the Canadian government to create a separate territory, the Yukon Territory, in 1898. In 1905, both Alberta and Saskatchewan were created from the Territories. Seven years later, the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, and Québec were enlarged, and the Northwest Territories assumed the boundaries it would maintain until its division in 1999.

Growth During World War II

Since land in the Northwest Territories is so remote and its climate is so harsh, it was largely overlooked by settlers and developers for decades after its creation. By World War II (1939–45), however, mineral exploration and the military were playing a role in northern development. Radium, a radioactive metal, was discovered in the Great Bear Lake region in the 1930s, and in 1935 a major gold find was made in Yellowknife. This discovery, along with better transportation routes, brought more settlers to the area. Yellowknife's population grew from 200 before 1930 to 1,000 by the mid-1940s. When a hydroelectric plant was built in Yellowknife in 1948, even more people and industries were drawn to the city.

During World War II, the location of the Northwest Territories made it an important part of North America's defense. To protect Canada and the United States from enemy attack, military bases and airstrips were built along the Arctic Coast. An oil pipeline was also built at this time to transport oil from the Northwest Territories to the Yukon.

During the 1950s and 1960s, bombers were stationed in the Northwest Territories to keep an eye on northern Canadian airspace. Prior to the development of ballistic missiles, this served a vital role in the defense of North America against a possible nuclear attack from the Soviet Union. Also in the late 1950s, the educational system in the Northwest Territories was largely reformed. Until this point, schooling had been provided almost exclusively through church missions. In 1959, the federal government of Canada instituted a territorial school system; ten years later, operation of the school system was turned over to the territorial government.

The Issue of Land Claims

The issue of settling Aboriginal, or native, land claims in the Northwest Territories (as well as in other parts of Canada) emerged in the 1970s. The native people argued that their culture, ways of life, and rights to the land were lost with the arrival of Europeans to the region. Their grievances were presented to the federal government, and in 1984, a final agreement was reached with the Inuvialuit of the western Northwest Territories. It provided some 2,500 people with 91,000 square kilometers (35,100 square miles) of land, monetary compensation, hunting rights, and a greater role in solving social and environmental problems. In 1992, the Gwich'in (another group of native people) settled a similar land claim that provided them with a variety of environmental rights, monetary compensation, and two portions of land: 22,422 square kilometers (8,657 square miles) in the northwestern portion of the Northwest Territories and 1,554 square kilometers (600 square miles) in the Yukon.

By far, though, the largest land claim to be settled in Canada was reached with the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut in 1993. The agreement provided about 17,500 Inuit of the eastern Northwest Territories with 350,000 square kilometers of land, financial compensation, a share in resource royalties, hunting rights, and a greater role in the management of land and the environment. The final agreement also led to the creation of a new territory, Nunavut, on the first of April 1999. The creation of this new territory has changed the Northwest Territories considerably. The area is much smaller, and the population is now almost evenly split between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals. Matters such as land claims and self-government continued to create controversy early in the 21st century.

In 2004, Premier Joe Handley called for a greater openness and discussion in local communities. Local and regional leaders were encouraged to work together in the emerging self-governments of municipalities.

12 Provincial Government

In the NWT, political power rests with elected representatives. Although a federally appointed commissioner is technically in charge of the territorial administration, the role of that office has diminished, and it generally follows the lead of the elected territorial government. Executive power is held by a 19-seat elected assembly, whose members remain as political independents. This assembly then elects a seven-person executive council (also called the cabinet), of which one is chosen as premier.

13 Political Parties

Territorial legislators campaign as political independents. The last election was held on 24 November 2003.

14 Local Government

A village must have a total assessed value of c$10 million for the entire community to be incorporated; for a town, c$50 million; and for a city, more than c$200 million. As of 2004, Yellowknife was the sole city; there were also four towns, one village, ten hamlets, three settlements, and four charter communities. There were also twelve "first nations," or aboriginal lands, which had a degree of self-government.

15 Judicial System

The Canadian Constitution grants territorial and provincial jurisdiction over the administration of justice, and allows each territory and province to organize its own court system and police forces. The federal government has exclusive domain over cases involving trade and commerce, banking, bankruptcy, and criminal law.

The Federal Court of Canada has both trial and appellate divisions for federal cases. The nine-judge Supreme Court of Canada is an appellate court that determines the constitutionality of both federal and territorial statutes. The Tax Court of Canada hears appeals of taxpayers against assessments by Revenue Canada.

The territorial court system consists of a Territorial Court, which deals with most criminal offenses, family law matters, child custody, small claims, and traffic violations; a Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories, which handles serious criminal and civil cases; and a Court of Appeal, which is the highest court in the territories, hearing appeals from the Territorial Court and the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. There is also a youth justice court. Justices of the peace perform a variety of judicial and quasi-judicial functions, such as conducting bail hearings, issuing warrants and summonses, and presiding over summary conviction matters arising out of territorial statutes, municipal bylaws, and selected criminal matters.

The annual number of homicides varies, but usually ranges from two to ten. Due to its small population, the NWT often has the highest homicide rate in Canada. In 2005, there were 6,614 violent crimes per 100,000 persons, and 6,484 property crimes per 100,000 persons.

Commissioners of Northwest Territories

TERM	COMMISSIONER
1905–19	Frederick D. White
1919–31	William Wallace Cory
1931–34	Hugh Howard Rowatt
1936–46	Charles Camsell
1947–50	Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside
1950–53	Hugh Andrew Young
1953–63	Robert Gordon Robertson
1963–67	Bent Gestur Sivertz
1967–79	Stuart Milton Hodgson
1979–89	John Havelock Parker
1989–94	Daniel Leonard Norris
1995–99	Helen Maksagak
1999–00	Daniel Joseph Marion
2000–05	Glenna F. Hansen
2005–	Tony Whitford

Government Leaders of Northwest Territories

TERM	GOVERNMENT LEADER
1980–84	George Braden
1984–85	Richard Nerysoo
1985–87	Nick Gordon Sibbeston
1987–91	Dennis Glen Patterson
1991–94	Nellie Joy Cournoyea

Premiers of Northwest Territories

TERM	PREMIER
1994–95	Nellie Joy Cournoyea
1995–98	Don Morin
1998–00	James Antoine
2000–03	Stephen Kakfwi
2003–	Joe Handley

16 Migration

Some 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, the ancestors of the modern day Dene crossed a land bridge over the Bering Sea and dispersed throughout the Western Hemisphere. The Dene first migrated into what is now the NWT some 7,000 to 8,000 years ago. The Inuvialuit migrated into the NWT from Alaska in the 1800s, replacing the Mackenzie Inuit who were decimated by diseases introduced from migrant whalers.

In 2001, of the 2,355 immigrants living in the NWT, 19.5% had come from the United Kingdom, 9.1% from United States, 21.9% from Southeast Asia (mostly from the Philippines), and 14.2% from Northern and Western European countries other than the United Kingdom (mostly from Germany).

Most interprovincial migration is with Alberta. In the period 1996–2001, Northwest Territories was among six provinces or territories to experience a net domestic migration loss across all five census age groups (5-14 years; 15-29 years; 30-44 years; 45-64 years; and 65 years and over). For that period, the province had a net loss of 3,170 people, or 8.6%.

17 Economy

The Aboriginal Peoples' traditional subsistence activities—fishing, hunting, and trapping—have an impact on the territorial economy. Sports fishing and big-game hunting also play a small role. Commercial fishery development in the NWT—both freshwater and saltwater—is being encouraged. Fur harvesting continues to be very important, supplementing the income of many Aboriginal families.

Inuit arts and crafts distribute a greater amount of income more widely than any other economic activity; some 7% of people working age in the NWT earn some income by this means.

The settling of northern land claims sets the stage for increased economic activity in which all can share and have a voice. But even if development is welcome and necessary for economic prosperity, it must be managed so as not to threaten the fragile arctic ecosystem and the traditional lifestyles of the northern peoples.

In 2005, the NWT's gross domestic product (GDP) totaled c$4.083 billion, down from c$4.174 billion the year before. NWT's GDP was the only one among Canada's 13 provinces or territories to experience a decline for 2005 from the previous year.

18 Income

In 2004, the average family income was c$79,800. This was the highest average family income of all the provinces or territories. In 2005, average weekly earnings totaled c$962.14, the highest weekly wage rate of all provinces or territories

19 Industry

Although industry in the Northwest Territories (NWT) appears tiny in comparison to the more highly developed provinces of Canada, industrial growth has been significant and steady from 2001 through 2005. In 2001, the shipment value of all goods produced that year totaled c$39.2 million. By 2005, that total had risen to c$86.6 million, spurred in large part by increased production in the territory's secondary diamond industry (cutting and polishing), which accounts for the majority of the territory's manufacturing activity.

Other manufacturing industries include fabricated wood products (including custom furniture), cleaning agents, processed foods, printing and publishing, boat construction, crafts (including pottery), and the manufacture of products designed to meet northern needs and tastes.

Approximately 1.4% of all employed persons in the NWT, or about 400 people, were employed in manufacturing.

20 Labor

As of 2002, employment in the NWT included 21,000 persons. There were 1,300 unemployed persons, and the unemployment rate that year was 5.8%. In 2005, the labor force included about 22,209 people. The hourly minimum wage as of January 2004 was c$8.25, the second-highest rate among the provinces, behind Nunavut. In 2005, the average hourly wage among all industries was c$22.63.

The sectors with the largest numbers of employed persons in 2002 were: public administration, 4,500; trade, 2,500; health care and social services, 2,400; transportation and warehousing, 1,800; forestry, fishing, mining, and oil and gas, 1,500; educational services, 1,400; accommodation and food services, 1,400; construction, 1,300; finance, insurance, and real estate and leasing, 900; professional, scientific, and technical services, 800; information, culture, and recreation, 700; other services, 700; management, administration, and other support, 600; and manufacturing, 300.

21 Agriculture

There is very little potential for farming in the NWT due to the effects of the ice age, when most of the soil was scraped away from underlying sheets of rock. There were only 30 farms in the NWT in 2001. Farms in the territories are smaller than those in the southern provinces, averaging under 150 acres. Hay accounts for three-quarters of total field crops in the territories. Reindeer, musk-oxen, and horses are found on territory farms.

The territorial government has been involved in a joint project with the University of Alberta to study the use of fiber optics to illuminate greenhouses with natural light on a year-round basis.

22 Domesticated Animals

For centuries, indigenous peoples have bred dogs as draft animals to carry packs and later to pull sleds. Before modern transportation was available, dog teams often served as the primary form of transportation during the winter months. The territory has no commercial cattle, pig, sheep, or poultry farms. Fur trapping is still practiced and is an important contributor to the economy. In 2003, fur production was valued at c$812,300.

23 Fishing

The Dene and Inuvialuit once depended on subsistence fishing to sustain their families and dog teams. Today, sport fishing is a popular activity and is a source of income from tourism. In 2000, there were 4,720 active resident anglers in the NWT. Over 20 world sport fishing records have been set in the NWT. Principal species sought include lake trout, arctic grayling, arctic char, northern pike, walleye, and whitefish.

24 Forestry

Although 151.8 million acres (61.4 million hectares)—or 58%—of the NWT is covered by forests, only 35.4 million acres (14.3 million hectares) of this land is useful for tree harvesting. As of 2005, the federal government owned 100% of the forests In 2004, industrial roundwood production totaled 918,181 cubic feet (26,000 cubic meters). In 2002, forest industry exports totaled c$1.864 million, of which softwood lumber accounted for c$664,000.

25 Mining

Mining is the largest private sector of the NWT economy. The first major gold discovery in the western NWT was made in 1935 on the west side of Yellowknife Bay. By-products of gold ore processing, known as roasting, include sulphur dioxide and arsenic, and the air quality in Yellowknife was affected by large-scale gold processing, especially in the early days. A major ore roaster ceased operations in 1999, and air quality in Yellowknife improved significantly as a result. The last gold mine operating in Northwest Territories was scheduled to close in 2005.

In 1991, the discovery of diamonds in the NWT started one of the largest land claim rushes in recent Canadian history. Canada's first diamond mine, the EKATI mine at Lac de Gras, opened in October 1998. The mine is both open pit and underground.

As of 2005, there were 150 kimberlites (pipe-shaped deposits of molten rock that have solidified) at the Ekati Diamond Mine at Lac de Gras, but only about nine were being processed or sampled. Mining and processing operations take place 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Because of its remote location, most workers live in a residential complex at the site.

Diamond production in 2005 included 12.3 million carats values at over c$1.6 billion. All of Canada's reported diamond production was from the NWT that year. In 2004, gold production was at 1,126 pounds (511 kilograms) valued at c$8.7 million. The NWT has also produced small amounts of silver, sand and gravel, and stone. In 2005, the total value of metallic minerals was estimated at over c$21 million and the value of non-metallic minerals (excluding fuels) was estimated at over c$1.69 billion.

26 Energy and Power

Northwest Territories is a producer of crude oil and natural gas. All crude oil production comes from the Norman Wells oil field, which has been in production since 1943. In 2005, the field produced 6,558,027 barrels (1,042,643 cubic meters) of crude oil. Natural gas is produced at Fort Liard, Pointed Mountain, Ikhil, and Norman Wells. New gas discoveries around Fort Liard came on stream in 2000. Initial production rates of 50 million cubic feet per day were achieved. In 2005, reported natural gas production totaled 14.775 billion cubic feet (418.387 million cubic meters).

Although the territory is known to have deposits of lignite, or brown coal, there is no reported mining.

Electric power in the Northwest Territories came from either hydroelectric or thermal sources. In 2004, the province's installed power generating capacity stood at 144,191 kilowatts, of which thermal generation accounted for 110,721 kilowatts, followed by hydroelectric generation at 33,470 kilowatts of generating capacity. Electric power output in 2004 totaled 680,008 megawatt hours, of which thermal sources accounted for 390,809 megawatt hours and hydroelectric for 289,199 megawatt hours. The territory had no nuclear, steam, or wind/tidal generating capacity.

27 Commerce

In 2005, international exports by the Northwest Territories amounted to almost c$1.7 billion, while imports that same year totaled c$1.12 million. Belgium was the largest consumer of Northwest Territories' exports at c$859,488, followed by the United Kingdom, the United States, and India. The United States was the leading source of imports to the territory that same year at c$1.103 million, followed by Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Japan.

In 2005, general merchandise store sales amounted to over c$127 million. Total retail trade that year amounted to over c$578 million.

Inuit arts and crafts account for a great amount of retail income in the NWT, spread out over a wide geographical area. About one in 14 persons of working age in the NWT earns some income through the sales of craft items. Services related to tourism have become increasingly important sources of income.

28 Public Finance

The fiscal year runs from 1 April to 31 March. For fiscal year 2006, total revenues came to c$1.259 billion, while expenditures totaled c$1.333 billion, leaving a deficit of c$73 million. Major expenditures were for health, education, social services, transportation and commu-nications, and resource conservation and industrial development.

29 Taxation

In 2005, the territorial income tax system was set in four brackets with rates ranging from 5.9% to 14.05%. The NWT has no territorial sales tax. There is a c$0.107 per liter excise tax on gasoline. The territory also had the highest cigarette excise tax in the country, at c$42.00 per carton (in addition to the federal tax of c$15.85 per carton). The territorial government levies taxes on properties that are not an official part of another city, town, or village. Municipalities levy their own property taxes. In 2005, corporate income taxes were set at 14% for large businesses and 4% for small businesses (with an annual income of c$300,000 or less).

In 2005/06, it was estimated that the territory collected c$39.8 million in personal income tax and c$44.4 million in corporate income tax.

30 Health

In 2005, there were an estimated 711 live births in the NWT, an increase of 5 from 2004. 2000. There were 171 deaths in 2005, an increase of 1 from the previous year. The life expectancy in 2001 was 74.4 years for men, and 79.6 years for women. These were the second-lowest life expectancy rates in Canada. Only Nunavut had lower life expectancy rates. Reported cases of selected diseases in 2002 for the NWT included gonococcal infections, 123; chicken pox, 68; giardiasis, 10; and salmonellosis, 8. Between November 1985 and June 2003, 35 residents had become infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Larger communities such as Yellowknife, Inuvik, Hay River, and Fort Smith have well-equipped hospitals; smaller communities have nursing stations. Air ambulance (Medevac) service is available throughout the NWT and is coordinated by the local nursing stations.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a health problem in the NWT. Smoking rates are among the highest in Canada.

31 Housing

The 2001 census recorded 12,565 households in the NWT. The average number of persons in a household was 2.9, the second-highest number after Nunavut. Due to permafrost and a short construction season, the the cost of building a house is higher in NWT than elsewhere in Canada. In 2001, 8,085 households lived in single-detached houses, 245 households lived in apartments in buildings with five or more stories, 485 households lived in mobile homes, and 3,745 households lived in other dwellings, including row houses and apartments in buildings with fewer than five stories. In 2002, c$102.1 million was invested in residential construction.

32 Education

Elementary and secondary schools are supported by eight community boards of education and by the provincial Department of Education. There are 46 public schools offering instruction in English, 2 schools offering instruction in French, and 3 private schools. In 2003/2004, there were 9,689 students enrolled in the territory's elementary and secondary public schools, down from 9,747 the year before. Spending by the territory on its elementary and secondary public school systems in that same year, totaled c$123.2 million. There was no data available on the number of educators employed by the territory's public schools.

Aurora College (formerly the Arctic College) has campuses in Inuvik, Fort Smith, and Yellowknife. There are Community Learning Centres (CLC), operated by Aurora College, in most communities. Postsecondary community college enrollment in NWT in 2001 was about 1,200 full- and part-time students.

33 Arts

Nearly every community in the NWT has artisans who produce clothing, accessories, tools, weavings, beadwork, jewelry, or carvings. Other skilled crafts include the making of birchbark baskets, moosehair tuftings, and porcupine quill-work. Studios are often found in the more populous areas of Holman, Inuvik, Fort Laird, and Yellowknife. Inuvik is the site of the mid-summer Great Northern Arts Festival, which draws artisans from throughout the territory. Per capita territorial spending on the arts in the NWT in 2000/01 was c$172, much higher than the national average (c$68) for the territories and provinces.

34 Libraries and Museums

The NWT Public Library Services, based in Hay River, is part of the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment. As of 2005, there were nine public libraries. Member libraries are located in Fort Norman, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Hay River Reserve, Igloolik, Inuvik, Norman Wells, and Yellowknife. There is a free Borrower by Mail service offered for those who live in communities without access to a local library branch. As of 2004, about 76.5% of all elementary and secondary school had libraries.

In 2006, there were nine main museums in the territory, including the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, the Northern Life Museum & National Exhibition Centre at Fort Smith, and the Nunatta Sunaqutangit Museum at Iqaluit.

35 Communications

Yellowknife has three radio stations (2 AM and 1 FM). CABL-TV is a cable television station based in Yellowknife; Mackenzie Media Ltd. provides cable service to the capital.

36 Press

As of 2005, there were no daily newspapers published within the territory. There were, however, about seven weekly papers, including Inuvik Drum, The Yellowknifer, and Slave River Journal (Fort Smith). Local interest magazines include Up Here and Above & Beyond.

37 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation

Tourism has become increasingly important. The NWT offers a variety of landscapes of great natural beauty, which are well-suited to fishing, wildlife observation, and other outdoor activities. The NWT has four national parks: Nahanni National Park Reserve, west of the Liard River in the Mackenzie Mountains; Wood Buffalo National Park, west of Fort Smith and extending into Alberta; Aulavik National Park, on northern Banks Island; and Tuktut Nogait National Park, located northeast of Inuvik. In 2005, negotia-tions to designate Great Slave Lake's East Arm as NWT's fifth national park were begun.

38 Sports

There are no professional sports teams based in the territory. However, local sporting organizations are active. There are a number of resorts promoting sport fishing in the territory. In 1970, Yellowknife was the first city to host the Arctic Winter Games. Since then, Yellowknife also hosted the event in 1984, 1990, and 1998, and was scheduled to stage the event in 2008.

39 Famous People from the Northwest Territories

Early English explorers who traveled the waterways of the NWT in search of a northwest passage included Sir Martin Frobisher (1539?–1594) and Henry Hudson (d.1611). Famous early fur traders included Sir Alexander Mackenzie (b.Scotland, 1764–1820), who explored the Slave River and Great Slave Lake area, and American Peter Pond (1740–1807), who established the first trading post.

Nellie Joy Cournoyea (b.1940), from Aklavik, became the first woman head of government in Canada upon her 1991 election as government leader of the NWT. Ethel Blondin-Andrew (b.1951), from Fort Norman, became the first aboriginal woman elected to the Canadian parliament, in 1988. Georges Henry Erasmus (b.1948) was the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations from 1985–91 and has worked as an advocate for the rights of native peoples. Actress Margot Kidder (b.1948) is a native of Yellowknife.

40 Bibliography

BOOKS

Daitch, Richard W. Northwest Territories. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 1996.

Holt, John. Arctic Aurora: Canada's Yukon and Northwest Territories. Camden, ME: Countrysport Press, 2004.

LeVert, Suzanne. Northwest Territories. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2001.

Moore, Christopher. The Big Book of Canada. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2002.

Roy, Geoffrey. North Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut: The Bradt Travel Guide. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot, 2000.

Walsh, Kieran. Canada. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Publishing Co., 2005.

WEB SITES

Government of Northwest Territories. www.gov.nt.ca/ (accessed on March 28, 2007).

Northwest Territories Tourism. Travel Canada's Northwest Territories. www.explorenwt.com/ (accessed on March 28, 2007).

Statistics Canada. www.statcan.ca (accessed on March 28, 2007).