Canada marks Royal Assent of legislation for Self-Government Treaty with theTłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 8, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Tlegohli Got'ine Government Inc., Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and the Government of Northwest Territories

Today, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, the Honourable Rebecca Alty, announced that Bill C-27 has received Royal Assent. This legislation, supported by the Tlegohli Got'ine Government Inc. and the Government of the Northwest Territories, gives legal force to the Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę, establishing it as a Self-Government Treaty.

The legislation formally recognises the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę Government as the government of the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells (the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę) and affirms their inherent right of self-government. This includes the authority to make laws, protect language and culture, deliver programs and services such as education and healthcare, and elect their own leadership.

This Self-Government Treaty will support the community to make decisions that best support their people, strengthen their culture, and grow their economy. Developed in full partnership with the Tlegohli Got'ine Government Inc. and the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Self-Government Treaty reflects a shared commitment to advancing reconciliation and Indigenous self-determination.

Quotes

"This Final Self-Government Agreement is Canada's formal recognition of the identity, culture, and inherent right to Self-Government of the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę. It provides the formal basis for a new government-to-government relationship between us and the Government of Canada, and a government-to-government relation between us and the Government of the Northwest Territories. It is our generation's legacy to our children and future generations. 

We will do our best to use it to preserve, protect, exercise, and advance the inherent and treaty rights of the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę for the benefit of all our people living in Canada, here today. But our youth are the future, and this agreement provides our youth with the foundations to do the same when they take on the task of preserving, protecting, exercising and advancing our rights. Use this Self-Government Agreement, learn from the mistakes we may make and take us into the future--secure as Sahtu Dene/Metis people within the larger Canadian mosaic."

Sherry Hodgson
President of Tlegohli Got'ine Government Inc.

"Reconciliation requires action. We welcome Canada's decision to move forward with legislation to give legal force to the Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę, establishing it as a Self-Government Treaty. Collaborative governance is a cornerstone of our mandate, and this step reflects a shared commitment to recognising Indigenous rights and building a stronger future in partnership across the Northwest Territories."

R.J. Simpson
Premier of the Northwest Territories

"At its core, this legislation recognises an enduring truth: that the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę have an inherent right to govern themselves, as they have since long before Canada existed. Today, we celebrate the renewal of Canada's relationship with the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę and the new opportunities that self-government will bring. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the leadership, Elders, negotiators, and community members whose dedication and hard work over more than two decades made this milestone achievement possible."

The Honourable Rebecca Alty
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories  

Quick facts

• On September 18, 2025, after 20 years of negotiations, the Tlegohli Got'ine Government Inc., the Government of Canada and the Government of Northwest Territories signed the Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę.
• Bill C-27 makes the Final Self-Government Agreement legally binding, formally recognising the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę's inherent right of self-government.
• When the Final Self-Government Agreement comes into effect on a date set by an Order in Council, the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę Government will be the governing body that represents the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells, one of five Indigenous communities in the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories.
• Amendments to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and related laws reflect the recognition, status, and power of the new government.
• Bill C-27 is aligned with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and respects the rights in the 1994 Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, which is protected by Canada's Constitution.

Related products

• Norman Wells Land Corporation/ Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę Government
• Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle for the Sahtu Dene and Métis of Norman Wells
• Self-government

Associated links

• Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę, Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories sign Final Self-Government Agreement
• Initialling of Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę marks an important step in Nation-to-Nation relationship
• Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę

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SOURCE Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

For more information, media may contact: Alec Wilson, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, [email protected]; Media Relations, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, [email protected]