1965-1974
The Emerging North
This period in the history of the NWT saw the emergence of Northern voices. Resource exploration and development projects ramped up in the north at a pace that caused residents much concern. Northerners began demanding justice and full participation in decision-making. Emerging Indigenous political organizations created a powerful voice during Thomas Berger’s Mackenzie Valley Gas Pipeline Inquiry and negotiations for land claim settlements. The political makeup of the NWT continued to change, allowing for better local participation in governance. Devolution of administrative powers from the federal to the territorial government began, and NWT residents voted in their first fully elected legislature. Concurrent with these accomplishments was a renewed sense of pride through culture and sports celebrations like the NWT 1970 Centennial and the Arctic Winter Games. All these changes were brought to Northerners via live television, which made its debut with the launch of the ANIK satellite in 1972.