The Tłı̨chǫ Government is calling upon the GNWT to include coordination with Indigenous governments and organizations in the NWT Emergency Management Act.
According to the Tłı̨chǫ Government, the Emergencies Management Act has not equipped the Emergency Management Organization with enough authority to coordinate its activities with Indigenous governments.
The Tłı̨chǫ Government has estimated nearly 1,000 Tłı̨chǫ residents were evacuated, with some that had issues complicating their evacuation situation.
“Despite our efforts to assist, there has been a failure to communicate with Indigenous Governments throughout the response and evacuations,” Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty says.
“This put our most vulnerable populations at risk such as Elders, the homeless and those struggling with addictions.”
“Tłıc̨hǫ people were shipped out across the country to large cities… people went missing for several days and were put in unsafe situations,” Lafferty adds.
As a result, the Tłı̨chǫ Government has set up a Tłı̨chǫ Wildfire Evacuee Support Centre to identify and locate Tłı̨chǫ residents and support them through the evacuation.
Additionally, the amendment supported by Monfwi MLA, Jane Weyallon and the Tłı̨chǫ Government will build stronger coordination between the GNWT and Indigenous organizations.
