Richard Edjericon

Member du Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh 

Circonscription électorale de Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh

Richard Edjericon a été élu pour la première fois dans la circonscription de Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh lors de la 19e Assemblée en 2022 et a été réélu à la 20e Assemblée l’année suivante. Descendant du chef Oliver Edjericon, signataire du traité n° 8 conclu avec les Chipewyans, Richard Edjericon est né et a grandi à Little Buffalo River, près de Fort Resolution. Il a fréquenté l’école secondaire Diamond Jenness à Hay River et l’Akaitcho Hall à Yellowknife.

Titulaire d’un certificat de compagnon charpentier délivré par le Collège Thebacha de Fort Smith, M. Edjericon compte près de quarante ans d’expérience en tant que compagnon charpentier certifié. Il a travaillé aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest et au Nunavut dans le domaine de la construction résidentielle et commerciale.

Son travail dans le secteur de la construction l’a finalement amené à travailler pour Habitation Territoires du Nord-Ouest en tant que coordonnateur de l’entretien du Slave Nord. Il est également devenu directeur général de la division du logement de la Première Nation des Dénés Yellowknives.

Le dévouement de M. Edjericon envers sa collectivité l’a amené à briguer le poste de chef élu de Dettah et de la Première Nation des Dénés Yellowknives, qu’il a occupé de 1999 à 2003. Il est également devenu le grand chef porte-parole par intérim des chefs du territoire d’Akaitcho pour le gouvernement du territoire d’Akaitcho. Il a ensuite rejoint l’Office d’examen des répercussions environnementales de la vallée du Mackenzie en 2007, dont il est rapidement devenu le président, avant d’être reconduit à ce poste en 2011.

Les réalisations dont M. Edjericon est le plus fier sont le règlement de différends frontaliers, la signature d’accords politiques, l’instauration de relations plus équitables entre les nations et la promotion du développement économique. En tant que député, il apporte sa passion pour un Nord plus juste et plus prospère, ainsi que ses connaissances approfondies dans les domaines du logement, de l’économie et de la politique. Il vit à Ndilo avec sa femme, Aleida.

Committees

Tu Nedhé - Wiilideh
Bureau

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Boîte
1320
Phone
Extension
12185
Mobile
Bureau de circonscription

Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 133)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was elected on February 10th, 2022, on byelection for the Tu NedheWiilideh riding. In October 2019, the newly elected MLA Members went to a retreat to bring forward all their goals and mandates for the respected communities from this retreat. The GNWT tabled their fouryear mandate plan, and it has been one year, on February 10th, 2022, I was elected as MLA for Tu NedheWiilideh riding. Not one Minister, not one deputy minister, or the Premier approached me on the needs and wants for my riding. Despite I made every effort to work in Cabinet to be heard, but...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 132)

Yeah, thank you, Madam Speaker. This dialogue "government for the sake of government" can't continue. We have one year left to change our system, to make real change happen for our people. So, Madam Speaker, in all it's a concern for me to say that, you know, yes, we got one year left in our term. How can we fix the problems we're having? Right now as it is for me to address any issue in my riding, I got to deal with policy and government. And right now it's really concerning. So we're going to have to do better as a government. We got one year left to change it because otherwise if we don't...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 132)

Yeah, thank you, Madam Speaker. I believe the reason so many First Nation governments don't recognize the GNWT as a system of our system faults when constitutionally protected selfgovernment agreements are being established through the modern claim process. Why would anyone want to make space for a territorial government that is so out of step with priorities of its residents and struggling to deliver their most fundamental rights?

Madam Speaker, I said it before and why am I here? If political priorities can't influence decisionmaking, why are many of us here as MLAs if consensus is really...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 132)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today marks 266 days since I was elected to this House to represent the constituents of Tu NedheWiilideh and the communities of N'dilo, Dettah, Lutselk'e, and Fort Resolution. It's also 333 days until the next election. I want to reflect on my experience to date we had right into the final year of this Assembly.

Madam Speaker, as soon as I arrived here, I couldn't help but feel that the GNWT train already left the station and I and my constituents had been left out left behind. No matter what I do or try to catch up, it seems like there isn't anything that I could do...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 132)

Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yeah, I'm glad that you know, I hear that. And, you know, we got a year left and we got to make sure that we deliver what we say we're going to deliver. And we got two land claims that's outstanding. That should really be given top priority. And as it is right now, I also have a constituent member that was turned down for medical travel to fly back from Edmonton to get her treatment in Hay River tomorrow. Again, the system, its policies are broken. It's not working for the people in my riding. And so I often wonder, you know, yes, I'm glad that we...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 132)

Yeah, thank you, Madam Speaker. I was going to say that, she made a comment about the council of leaders etcetera. But not long ago there was an article put out by Herb Norweigian talking about settled claims and unsettled claims as to how they're treated. So my question to the Premier is how can we build new relationships so that we are able to make sure that we're all on the same page? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 132)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd just like to welcome everybody in the gallery into the House. I also want to recognize our translators that are here today. I want to say mahsi to you all. In particular, I want to recognize Dennis Drygeese, Tom Unka, Mary Rose Sundberg. Lena Drygeese, she was here at the beginning of the session; I just want to recognize her as well. And Jonas Lafferty. Again, all to the translators, mahsi.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 132)

Yeah, thank you, Madam Speaker. There was an article in CBC Report that the Northwest Territories will receive $60 million over two years to tackle the territory housing crisis from federal budget directing $10.1 million to housing. But how that funding will be allocated in the NWT isn't clear. Well, Madam Speaker, it's clear now that in this budget that we're going to spend $35 million fixing up public housing already in the communities. But the CMHC provides funding to the Housing Corporation for maintenance operation and maintenance. And I'm not sure why we're putting more money into it...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 131)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, Minister. Madam Speaker, eventually cuts to services and programs will be required to manage spending without a miracle windfall well outside the government ability to plan. Based on current financial projects, can the Minister tell me when these cuts to programs and jobs will come? Will it be in 2023? 2024? Or 2025? When will cuts be required, Madam Speaker?

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 131)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I stated earlier today that this government's financial position is in dire straits. Without new revenues, austerity measures are a likely outcome for the future years. As mentioned earlier, simple math. I believe it's time to be honest with our residents about this reality here in the Northwest Territories today.

Madam Speaker, one of my question would be to the finance minister. Is this government planning to implement austerity measures, including cuts to services and jobs within the remainder of its term? Thank you, Madam Speaker.