List of Northwest Territories capitals

Categories: Northwest Territories | Communities in the Northwest Territories | Lists of communities in Canada

The Northwest Territories, Canada, has had seven capital cities since being purchased by Canada from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1870. The territory has changed the seat of government for numerous reasons, due to civil conflict, development of infrastructure, and revised territorial boundaries. The resulted is a unique and complex history unlike that of any other Canadian province or territory. A number of communities in Northwest Territories have also unsucessfully tried to become the capital. The Northwest Territories has had the unique occurence of the seat of government being outside of the territorial boundaries twice.

The term capital refers to cities which have served as home for the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, the legislative branch of Northwest Territories government. In Canada it is customary for provincial and territorial level government to have the civil service administer from the same city as the legislative branch. The Northwest Territories, however, had an administrative capital and a legislative capital officially exist between 1911 and 1967.

Contents 1 Capitals and candidates summary 2 History of Northwest Territories capital cities 2.1 Fort Garry, Manitoba (1870 - 1876) 2.2 Fort Livingstone, Northwest Territories (1876 - 1877) 2.3 Battleford, Northwest Territories (1877 - 1883) 2.4 Regina, Northwest Territories (1883 - 1905) 2.5 Ottawa, Ontario (1905 - 1967) 2.6 Fort Smith, Northwest Territories (1911 - 1967) 2.7 Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (1967 - present) 3 Carrouthers Commission and Nunavut 4 References 5 See also 6 External links

Capitals and candidates summary

Northwest Territories capitals
City	Years	Remarks
Fort Garry	1870 - 1876	Temporary government run by Manitoba.
Fort Livingstone	1876 - 1877	Outpost served as temporary capital.
Battleford	1877 - 1883	First permanant capital.
Regina	1883 - 1905	Moved to meet the railway line.
Ottawa	1905 - 1967	Run by the federal government
Fort Smith	1911 - 1967	Adminstrative center and Carrothers Commission candidate.
Yellowknife	1967 - present	Promoted to capital by the Carrothers Commission.
Candidate cities for capital
Calgary	1880's	Calgary tried to lure capital from Regina†
Fort Simpson	1965 - 1966	Carrothers Commission candidate
Inuvik	1965 - 1966	Carrothers Commission candidate
Hay River	1965 - 1966	Carrothers Commission candidate

History of Northwest Territories capital cities

Fort Garry, Manitoba (1870 - 1876)

In 1869, under the Rupert's Land Act, William McDougall went to Fort Garry, Manitoba to establish governance over the newly puchased North-Western Territory and Rupert's Land from the Hudson's Bay Company. The take-over of land was delayed until 1870 because of the Red River Rebellion. Louis Riel, leader of the Métis, negotiated a small section of land in the new territory to create the Province of Manitoba in 1870.^[1]

In 1870, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories entered the Canadian confederation. Under the Temporary Government Act, 1870, a temporary Northwest Territories council was appointed from members of the new Manitoba Legislative Assembly. The territory was also run under the Manitoba Act.^[2] The "temporary government" was renewed each year until 1876, when the first capital inside the Northwest Territories was decided upon, just outside the Manitoba border. Fort Garry would grow up to become modern day Winnipeg, Manitoba.^[3]

See also: Upper Fort Garry and Lower Fort Garry

Fort Livingstone, Northwest Territories (1876 - 1877)

In 1875, a new permanent government for the council was appointed to take effect on October 7, 1876^[4]. The new permanent government was to administer the territory for the first time under the Northwest Territories Act 1875. The Temporary North-West Council was dissolved, and a new seat of government was decided upon just outside of the Manitoba border. Fort Livingstone was more of a small frontier outpost then a capital city, and the site was only chosen as a temporary measure.^[5]

Fort Livingstone served as the headquaters for the newly formed North-West Mounted Police. In 1877, Lieutenant Governor David Laird ordered the outpost to be packed up. The capital was moved out to Battleford a year later to meet up with the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), which was under construction. Council sessions were held at Swan River North-West Mounted Police Barracks.^†

The nearest town to Fort Livingstone is Pelly, Saskatchewan, four kilometres to the south. The fort is sometimes referred to as Fort Pelly or Swan River. Today Fort Livingstone is a provincial historical site and contains no resident population.^[6]

Battleford, Northwest Territories (1877 - 1883)

The Northwest Territories council moved to Battleford in 1877 on the order of David Laird to what was supposed to be the permanent capital of the territories. After consultation with CPR officals, Edgar Dewdney made the decision to move the capital in June of 1882.^†

The government in Battleford saw the first elected members join the Northwest Territories council.^† The city was also host to the first royal visit in western Canada, when the Marquis of Lorne and Princess Louise Caroline Alberta toured the territories in 1881.^†

The first Northwest Territories legislature building, named "NWT Government House", was built in Battleford, and used until 1883. The building stood until it was destroyed in a fire in 2003. ^[7]

See also: Fort Battleford, Northwest Territories

Regina, Northwest Territories (1883 - 1905)

Regina was confirmed as the new territorial capital on March 27, 1883, and Edgar Dewdney ordered the city moved south to meet the railway in Regina. Construction of a new legislature began. In Regina, the government continued to grow, as settlement increased rapidly. The legislature had the most sitting members in Northwest Territories history after the fifth general election in 1902.^†

Rapid growth in the territories and desire for more autonomy led to the creation of the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta from Northwest Territories in 1905. The remaining parts of the territory fell back to 1870's constitutional status, with a severely limited population, and fell under control of the federal government. A new council was convened in Ottawa, Ontario.^[8]

The remains of the Territorial Government Building were declared a historical site by the Saskatchewan government; parts of the building remain standing to this day. Regina continues to serve as capital for the province of Saskatchewan.

Ottawa, Ontario (1905 - 1967)

In 1905, the seat of government was moved to Ottawa, Ontario, the capital of Canada. This change was made when Northwest Territories defaulted back to 1870 constitutional status after Alberta and Saskatchewan were carved from the territory. At the time of this change, there were very few towns left in the territory with any significant population. The remaining non-Inuit population was around 1,000. Inuit had no status as under Canadian law, and were not yet in settled in towns or villages.^†

The council during this period was primarily composed of high-level civil servants who lived in Ottawa. After the sixth general election in 1951, the council began to exist in a vagabond state and alternate sittings in Ottawa, and communities in Northwest Territories. The council held meetings in school gymnasiums, community halls and board rooms or any suitable infrastructure. The council brought the speakers chair and mace with them.^[9]

The civil service that administered the Northwest Territories, was based in Fort Smith. When the sessions were held in Ottawa, the council sat in an office building on Sparks Street.^[10] The Northwest Territories government continues to hold an office in Ottawa to this day.^[11]

Fort Smith, Northwest Territories (1911 - 1967)

While not an official capital, Fort Smith became the official administration and transportation hub for the Northwest Territories in 1911 after the government sent a Department of Indian Affairs agent and a medical doctor, and opened an Royal Canadian Mounted Police station. Fort Smith housed the civil service working in the territories officially until 1967. Fort Smith continued to host the civil service after Yellowknife was picked as capital because government infrastructure was not yet in place.^[12] During this time, the legislative council was based in Ottawa, and later alternated sessions in the north with various communities.

Fort Smith was considered as a potential capital by the Carrothers Commission. The commission ultimately decided upon Yellowknife as it was closer to the centre of the Northwest Territories, and the feedback from residents in the territories preferred Yellowknife as a potential capital.^[13]

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (1967 - present)

Yellowknife became the capital on January 18, 1967^[14] after the Carrothers commission, led by Dean Carrothers, completed a three-year study of the future of the north.^[15] From 1967 to 1993, the Northwest Territories government carried on the tradition of alternating legislative sessions with Northwest Territories communities.

The Northwest Territories government moved into the newly-constructed legislature building on November 17, 1993. The new legislature was the first built specifically for the Northwest Territories government since the government sat in Regina. The new legislature for the first time featured themes derived around the vast Inuit culture of the north.^[16]

Carrouthers Commission and Nunavut

The Carrouthers Commission marked a significant mile-stone in modern Northwest Territories history. For the first time the Federal Government enacted sweeping changes including picking a new seat of government based on consultation with territory residents.

In prior years the decision to change seats of government had always been made without consulting Northwest Territories residents. Edgar Dewdney who made the decision to change the capital from Battleford to Regina faced controversy because he owned property in Regina.^† After the territorial government moved to Ottawa, the government was often resented for being so far away.

The Carrouthers Commission visited nearly every community in the territories to consult with residents, and local leaders. The feedback collected from nearly two years worth of consultation was used to influence the location of the new capital.

In 1995 in parts of Northwest Territories that were to become the new territory of Nunavut, for the first time a historic plebiscite was held let the people decide by direct democracy to choose a seat of government.

The 1995 Nunavut Capital Plebiscite was conducted so that ballots would all be counted at one source so polling station results could never be released and create animosity between communities vying to become capital. Iqaluit beat out Rankin Inlet in a narrow victory.^†

References

1. ^  Red River Rebellion negotiations lead to the creation of Manitoba
2. ^  Manitoba Act 1870
3. ^  Historical background on the creation of Manitoba and Northwest Territories
4. ^  Northwest Territories appointments and election results page 7
5. ^  Seats of Government of the Northwest Territories
6. ^  Fort Livingstone historical site
7. ^  NWT Government House Battleford Saskatchewan
8. ^  History of Northwest Territories in confederation
9. ^ Old Speakers Chair
10. ^  March 1998 speech by Bernard Funston on Canada's north
11. ^  Government of Northwest Territories Ottawa office
12. ^  Fort Smith History
13. ^  How they chose the capital
14. ^  Canada Stats
15. ^  History of Northwest Territories legislative assembly
16. ^  Building a legislature

See also

• List of Northwest Territories general elections
• List of Northwest Territories Plebiscites
• List of Northwest Territories highways

External links

• City of Yellowknife Homepage
• Fort Garry, Manitoba Historical site
• Sask 2005 facts Fort Livingstone
• Fort Smith Community Profile