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

Tu Nedhé - Wiilideh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Phone
Extension
12185
Mobile
Constituency Office
Email

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On June 5th, 2023, the hamlet of Fort Resolution had its elected council dissolve and replaced by an administrator appointed by municipal and community affairs. The department's now responsible for the hamlet's governance with senior authorizing official making all their decisions on the daytoday operation.

The people of Fort Resolution see this intervention as an example of modern-day colonial type of attitude. They feel punished. The GNWT is accusing them of mismanagement but how could they have managed their community effectively when they never had adequate support...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Minister's Statement 420(1), Minister's Statement 520(1), Tabled Document 1320(1) and would like to report. And, Mr. Speaker, I move the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the finance Minister. Well, the biggest thing that I'm a little worried about is austerity, and I brought this up in the last Assembly. And when the Minister of the day had mentioned that this issue would be brought to the next Assembly to look at, so here we are today. So I'm just want to raise this because it's a concern. You know, will

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister of Finance. I think the biggest thing I keep thinking about is the overall deficit of this government. And looking back at the budget books, we're about $1.6 billion and one of the things we don't talk about is balancing the overall budget. So the question to the Minister is prioritizing balancing the budgets of this new government, can you tell me how would you approach on that? Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over recent years, many have stood up in the House to warn that our territorial financial outlook was worsening yet the government of the day just keep kicking the problem down the road so that hard choices will fall onto someone else's shoulders. Now it sounds like we can't ignore our finances any longer.

I understand that there's talk about cuts coming on the horizon. Like every northern family, the government must come to terms with reality and live within its means. My people understand that our territory can't keep spending more than we take in every year, but the...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you. There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and nondebatable. All those in favour? Motion passed. Okay, the motion is carried.

Carried

I will now rise and report progress.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Yeah. The question is would these measures to balance the budget be through layoffs or funding cuts? Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister of Finance. Thank you for your response. I just keep thinking that when you release those documents, I'm looking forward to see it.

Balancing the budget means cuts. Will these cuts be services and investment to the Tu NedheWiilideh riding? Because we get less than 2.5 percent over the overall budget. I just want to know if that's going to be happening. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our fiscal situation is worsening. The economy is going faster is not going fast enough, and several disasters has put further strains on our finances yet small communities across the North are facing severe problems relating to housing, housing repairs, infrastructure, and services they require, serious investment, economic investment, social progress, fiscal constraints are competing priorities this government must balance. My questions is to the Minister of Finance.

Can the Minister of Finance provide an update on the deficit and debt position of...