Richard Edjericon

Member Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh

Richard Edjericon was first elected to represent the district of Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh in by election during the 19th Assembly in 2022 and was re-elected to the 20th Assembly later the next year.

A descendant of Treaty 8 Chipewyan signator Chief Oliver Edjericon, Richard Edjericon was born and raised in Little Buffalo River near Fort Resolution. He attended Diamond Jenness Secondary High School in Hay River and Akaitcho Hall in Yellowknife.

Obtaining his journeyman carpenter’s certification from Thebacha College in Fort Smith, Mr. Edjericon has nearly four decades of experience as a journeyman certified carpenter working through out the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in residential and commercial construction.

Eventually his work in construction brought him to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation as the North Slave Maintenance Coordinator. He would also become the General Manager for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation Housing Division.

Mr. Edjericon’s dedication to his community led him to seek the position of Elected Head Chief for Dettah and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, holding that office from 1999 to 2003. He also became the Acting Grand Chief Spokeperson on behalf of the Akaitcho Chiefs for the Akaitcho Territory Government. He later joined the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board in 2007 and soon became chair, reappointed to this position in 2011.

Mr. Edjericon’s proudest moments include settling boundary disputes, signing political accords, creating fairer nation to nation relationships, and fostering economic development. As MLA he brings with him a passion for a fairer, more prosperous North, and a great depth of knowledge in housing, economics, and politics. He lives in Ndilo with his wife, Aleida.”

Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh Electoral District

Committees

Accountability and Oversight
Board of Management
Government Operations
Tu Nedhé - Wiilideh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
867-767-9143
Extension
12185
Mobile
867-446-1335
Constituency Office
Email
Email
Phone
867-446-2564

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 157)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Iris Catholique, member from my constituency of Lutselk'e. She is the manager of the Thaidene Nene office in Lutselk'e. She is here for visits, so I want to welcome her in Yellowknife. Mahsi.

Question 1529-19(2): Kosmos 954
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And earlier the Premier had mentioned that they did a study and it talks about cancer, etcetera. But I attended a lot of Dene Nation assemblies, Akaitcho assemblies in my in the Akaitcho region and over the years and decades, I've been to many, many funerals and a lot of them were cancerrelated. We just don't know where and what. So that's why if we were to have a public inquiry, a lot of this stuff will be fleshed out and give a clearer picture.

Mr. Speaker, the Giant Mine remediation project is the model that could be used to address the impacts of Kosmos 954...

Question 1529-19(2): Kosmos 954
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. This matter is one that should be major concerns for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Regardless of the status of discussion with the Government of Canada, what will she do to help the serious cumulative impact of KOSMOS 954 in the Tu NedheWiilideh riding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member’s Statement 1534-19(2): Kosmos 954 Crash
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in March 2023, I rose in the House to bring light to the Kosmos 954 incident, a disaster that left deep scars on our lands and the people in the Tu NedheWiilideh riding. Mr. Speaker, to recap the benefit of those listening here today, in the winter of 1978, Kosmos 954 and its nuclear reactor crashed over Great Slave Lake. The crash scattered radioactive debris over 124,000 square kilometres over the frozen lands and lakes and recovered pieces emitted the radiation level of 500 rad tonnes per hour, enough to kill a person in a few hours.

Mr...

Question 1532-19(2): Kosmos 954
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Go back to oral questions again. And, again, I just wanted to stress really important how important this issue in regards to the Kosmos 954. When it happened in April of 1978, there was a joint recovery between the Americans and the Canadian Army. And today the research shows that the majority of these people that were involved in the cleanup of this Kosmos 954 have passed on with cancer. And today, again, my riding we have I've been to like I said earlier, I've been to so many funerals and that majority of them are cancer related.

And so this issue, when I brought this attention to the...

Question 1529-19(2): Kosmos 954
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Premier, for your feedback and some of the research you've done. But a lot of that stuff you just mentioned could also be brought out through a public hearing and public inquiry with facts and evidence so that's what that's what I'm going to be calling for. However, Mr. Speaker, with new technology available today that could help us detect sources of radiation that could shed light on the real impacts of the Kosmos 954, will the Premier direct her government to pursue a modern approaches to radiation study in the areas impacted by Kosmos 954 in the...

Question 1529-19(2): Kosmos 954
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I previously raised this issue in March of 2023, I was pleased to learn that the Premier was listen to the concerns from the Tu NedheWiilideh riding. I am hopeful that the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, is also listening to the serious concerns raised here today. However, Mr. Speaker, KOSMOS 954 has been around for decades and the voices of the people most impacted have been unheard.

Has the Premier had any discussions with the Prime Minister of Canada since I raised this issue in the House in March 2023? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1522-19(2): Highway Intersection Lighting
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 155)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since it's Friday and we're all happy to go home this weekend and that kind of thing, and I'm hoping we have a  you know, have a good day for my constituents, so I'm hoping the Minister could seriously take a look at making a commitment to really trying to get this done by this fall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member’s Statement 1526-19(2): Highway Intersection Lighting
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 155)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our roads are the lifelines of our communities connecting people, goods, and ideas. However, as the sun sets and darkness prevails, our roads become treacherous and pose a significant risk to both drivers and pedestrians. Road safety isn't just a matter of personal responsibility; it is a collective endeavour that require the commitment of cooperation of all stakeholders.

According to the global statistics, a significant proportion of road accidents occur during the night often resulting in severe injuries and tragic loss of lives as drivers, pedestrians, or policymakers...

Question 1522-19(2): Highway Intersection Lighting
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 155)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I don't have any further questions. But I welcome that and I look forward to seeing the Minister working with us on that and since this is a safety issue for my constituent members. Mahsi.