Indigenous Governments and Organizations (“IGOs”) of the NWT have clearly stated that implementing the UN Declaration is a priority for them, and the GNWT understands that it cannot do this alone. The NWT Council of Leaders (NWTCOL) also identified the UN Declaration as a priority and established a working group of officials from all interested IGOs and the GNWT. The working group’s recommended approach for the next steps to implement the UN Declaration included the development of a law unique to the NWT and its culture that implements the UN Declaration in the NWT. This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was developed to guide the relationship between the GNWT and IGOs to undertake this work. The working group worked by consensus to develop a law and an MOU through this shared process with the support of the NWT Council of Leaders.
