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 , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Premier, for your answers. And I know this is a very sensitive subject, and it hits home to everybody here in the Northwest Territories. And I'm also probably one of those survivors as well. So, you know, we I guess going forward, we need to really start looking as to how we're going to start dealing with this issue as a government and start looking at how we're going to address these outstanding issues with survivors after 1969. So I'm will the Premier work with her also with her counterparts in Nunavut to ensure that all students receive adequate...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The territorial government was born in 1967. Two years later, the Indian Federal Day School of Canada transferred that responsibility to the GNWT. And I understand what the Premier's saying that the GNWT's not part of the federal class action lawsuit prior to 1969. But after 1969, the abuse continued to happen to this day. So, again, is the government aware of the total number of days day home survivors in the Northwest Territories after 1969? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Michael McLeod, our MP from the Northwest Territories. I'd like to say welcome. Also I'd like to welcome Jackson Lafferty, the grand chief of the Tlicho region. Mahsi for being here. Also I want to recognize Brad Enge; I think he's in the back. And also, I'd like to recognize Sholto Douglas, and thank you for being here. And also, I want to say thank you to, again, all the translators out of here as well, including Mary Rose Sundberg, Jonas Lafferty, Tommy Unka, Marg Casaway, and our friends who have a Happy Birthday to them. Mahsi, Mr...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I too support this motion. You know, we've been housing's a big issue here in the Northwest Territories. And, you know, in my riding in particular, you know, it's to the point where I even have to put documents and everything else on the floor here just to finally get any action. And we already know that there's big problem we actually have a housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories. We have no plan. When I take a look at what Nunavut's doing, when we take a look at what, you know, our the way we handle housing here in the Northwest Territories and...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the scars of intergenerational trauma caused by residential day school continues in the present confining many Indigenous people to addiction, poor mental health, poverty. The day school program in particular has not been properly resolved and compensation is needed. Will the Premier ensure the day school survivors are compensated for trauma they suffered through day schools, in all the schools in the Northwest Territories, including my riding and also in the Tlicho region? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All day schools and residential schools were transferred to the GNWT on April 1st, 1969. During the 1969 school year, there were 10,291 students, 541 teachers, in the Northwest Territories, including Nunavut. This jurisdiction change did not result in change in management, and the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church continued to operate each school year under a contract. And their intentions remained the same: The extinguishment of the culture and traditional way of life of Indigenous people.

The federal government has acknowledged this harm for students prior to...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I stand before you to remind this government the dark chapter in Canadian history of the devastating issue of child abuse and genocide that took place in Canada's day school system. This systematic culture devastation committed against Indigenous people in our country for far too long. It is time for us to acknowledge the damages done and make amends to the atrocities committed.

Our government is not innocent in this matter. The federal Indian day school and the Indian federal day school were transferred to the GNWT on April 1st, 1969, and the...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)

Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you, Minister, for your answer. I'm just thinking about the deficit again, but I'm just thinking the budget overall is you know, we got a pretty big budget here of $610 million plus. I'm just thinking about the three P initiatives in terms of commitments. Going forward, I know that we're building that new hospital and then the renovation of the old hospital, etcetera. I just want to know, I guess overall, is that going to the binding of this budget the government's those projects long term, what are the I don't know if you could speak to it or not but I...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to come back to the deficit that was mentioned by my colleagues earlier. Going forward, though, this next fiscal year we're going to be you said the 189. But overall, I just want to know, like how do we what are your management plans to deal with this deficit, I guess, going forward? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to revising the honorarium policy for traditional knowledge by doubling the base rate in addition to increase the base on inflation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.