The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately 1,144,000 km2 (442,000 sq mi) and a 2016 census population of 41,790, it is the second-largest and the most populous of the three territories in Northern Canada. Its estimated population as of 2023 is 45,668. Yellowknife is the capital, most populous community, and only city in the territory; its population was 19,569 as of the 2016 census. It became the territorial capital in 1967, following recommendations by the Carrothers Commission.
Yukon is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 44,975 as of 2023. However, Whitehorse, the territorial capital, is the largest settlement in any of the three territories.
Yellowknife is the capital, largest community, and only city in the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, about 400 km (250 mi) south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of the Yellowknife River.
The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, or Legislative Council of the Northwest Territories, is the legislature and the seat of government of Northwest Territories in Canada. It is a unicameral elected body that creates and amends law in the Northwest Territories. Permanently located in Yellowknife since 1993, the assembly was founded in 1870 and became active in 1872 with the first appointments from the Government of Canada.
Elections NWT is an independent, non-partisan public agency responsible for the administration of territorial general elections, by-elections, and plebiscites in accordance with the Elections and Plebiscites Act. Elections NWT is headed by the Chief Electoral Officer, an officer of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.
Section 30 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a section that, like other provisions within the section 25 to section 31 block, provides a guide as to how Charter rights should be interpreted and applied by Canadian courts. It addresses how the Charter applies in the territories of Canada. In 1982, when it became law, these were the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory. The Yukon Territory is now called Yukon, and Nunavut was created from the eastern Northwest Territories to become Canada's third territory in 1999.
Nunavut is the largest and northernmost territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, which provided this territory to the Inuit for independent government. The boundaries had been drawn in 1993. The creation of Nunavut resulted in the first major change to Canada's political map in half a century since the province of Newfoundland was admitted in 1949.
The timeline of elections in Canada covers all the provincial, territorial and federal elections from when each province was joined Confederation through to the present day. The table below indicates which party won the election. Several provinces held elections before joining Canada, but only their post-Confederation elections are shown. These include:
This is a list of women who are currently members of the provincial and territorial Legislative Assemblies in Canada.
Asger Rye "Red" Pedersen is a former territorial-level Canadian politician. In 1953, he got a job in the Canadian Arctic with the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) at Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. In the following year, he was sent to Perry River (Kuugjuak) to assist Stephen Angulalik, the Ahiarmiut Inuit owner of the trading post, with the financial records, inventory and ordering, as Angulalik spoke no English. In 1957, Angulalik sold the Perry River post to the HBC and Pedersen was appointed manager. Angulalik returned to the post after resolving legal problems and worked alongside Pedersen; they became lifelong friends. He was, at one time, married to Lena Pedersen and their grandson, Calvin Pedersen was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut in July 2020.
Peter Colin Fraser was a politician, Métis leader, and highway inspector from Northwest Territories, Canada. He served as a member of the Northwest Territories Legislature from 1979 until 1983.
In Canada, the federal government and all provinces and territories have enacted legislation setting election dates, usually every four years, one year sooner than the constitutionally set five year maximum life of a parliament. However, the governor general, lieutenant governors, and commissioners still have the legal power to call a general election on the advice of the relevant first minister at any point before the fixed date. By-elections, used to fill vacancies in a legislature, are also not affected by fixed election dates.
Rocky "R.J." Simpson is a Canadian politician, who in 2023 became the 14th and current premier of the Northwest Territories. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in the 2015 election. He represents the electoral district of Hay River North.
Rylund Johnson is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in the 2019 election. He represented the electoral district of Yellowknife North.
The 19th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly in Canada was established by the results of the 2019 Northwest Territories general election on October 1, 2019.
Jane Weyallon Armstrong is a Canadian politician in the Northwest Territories. She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in a 2021 by-election, representing the electoral district of Monfwi.
This local electoral calendar for 2023 lists the subnational elections held, and scheduled to be held, in 2023. Referendums, recall and retention elections, and national by-elections are also included. Specific dates are given where these are known.
The 2023 Northwest Territories general election was held on November 14, 2023. Nineteen members were elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly. The Assembly is run on a consensus government system, in which all MLAs sit as independents and are not organized into political parties.
