This accession contains correspondence concerning the establishment of the Northwest Territories Court of Appeal and its opening session on October 18, 1960.
This fonds consists of 118 black and white copy negatives. The images include locations such as Aklavik, Baker Lake, Bathurst Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet, Coppermine, Shingle Point (Yukon), and Herschel Island (Yukon). Images feature Inuit, buildings (including igloos), boats and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) personnel.
Cook, AlfredThis accession consists of one copy of "An Act to Make Further Provision for the Regulation of the Trade with the Indians, and for the Administration of Justice in the North-Western Territories of America", Bill 104, session 2 (House of Commons, 1 August 1859).
This fonds consists of approximately 30 cm of textual material from the Arctic Public Legal Education and Information Society. The material dates from 1987-1996 and includes minutes of board meeting, minutes from the Annual General Meeting, annual budgets, auditor reports and staff reports about the activities of the organization. In addition, there is information about workshops and programs delivered by the organization.
Arctic Public Legal Education and Information SocietyThis fonds consists of one folder of text and approximately 865 photographs taken during the time Bart Hawkins spent in the north at various Royal Canadian Mounted Police stations, including Fort Simpson, Yellowknife, Port Radium, and Fort Liard. Included among the images are views of Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) duties, some recreational activities of the RCMP and views of the scenery in the regions where Bart Hawkins was stationed. Many of the images show RCMP personnel and facilities. Also included are images of treaty payment days and Port Radium mine. The textual material consists of two pamphlets from the city of Yellowknife.
Hawkins, BartThis accession consists of an annotated copy of the "Summary of Report of the Advisory Commission on the Development of Government in the Northwest Territories" (Carrothers Commission 1966) and a complete sequence of Tuesday Letters (8 Dec. 1964 to 16 Jan. 1967), which were informal newsletters from Mr. Sivertz to the members of the NWT Council.
Sivertz, BenThis accession consists of approximately 8.5 meters of textual records created by the Bureau of Northwest Territories and Yukon Affairs and its various predecessors between 1921 and 1948. Also included is a small amount of material generated by successor agencies from 1949 to 1953.
The information contained in these files relates chiefly to administration of services to individuals and organizations rather than policy. Most of the information in the files can be arranged under one of nine main headings: 1) Records of criminal investigations and prosecutions; 2) Records of accidents and missing persons; 3) Applications for naturalization (Pre 1931 only); 4) Relief for destitute natives; 5) Inuit census 1939-1942 conducted by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) posts in the Arctic; 6) Licenses; 7) Administration of goods and property of inhabitants who died or were incapacitated; 8) Income Tax; 9) Personnel records relating to headquarters staff in Ottawa. The records have been organized in series, which follows a general, but not strict chronological order: Series 1 1921-1939; Series 2 1939-1947; Series 3 1947-1953; Series 4 1923-1949.
Very large gaps appear in the file numerical sequence. Losses and transfers caused some of the gaps, assigning old files new numbers in the system whenever they were "brought forward" likely caused others. The majority of the gaps likely occurred when general housekeeping destroyed files of little value. Moreover, files dealing exclusively with the Yukon were transferred to the Yukon Archives. This filing system established in 1922, was a strictly numerical one and by 1953 when a new system was established, over 23,000 files had been registered.
A small amount of material in this fonds (one folder) was received separately from the federal government transfer and was not included in the arrangement listed above. It consists of correspondence from the files of two successive directors, J. Lorne Turner (1936) and R.A. Gibson (1937-1943). Included in the correspondence are a few items pertaining to R.A. Gibson's role as Deputy Commissioner (a position he held through this period, in addition to becoming director of the Lands, Northwest Territories and Yukon Branch in 1937). Material from J. Lorne Turner's file documents includes, among other issues, a food shortage in Coppermine in September 1936.
Canada. Bureau of Northwest Territories and Yukon AffairsThis fonds consists of 36 cm of textual material generated by the workings of the Advisory Commission on the Development of Government in the Northwest Territories. The material includes abstracts of submissions to the Commission; abstracts of briefs to the Commission; verbatim reports of public hearings (six volumes); abstracts to volumes 1, 4, 5, and 6 of the verbatim reports of the public hearings; a specially prepared atlas of the Northwest Territories; descriptions of the settlements of the Northwest Territories (volumes 1 and 3 only); a reference paper prepared for the Commission, and one copy of the Commission's report to the Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources. Other files are supplemental to the actual reports and consist of the actual submissions received from organizations and individuals.
Canada. Advisory Commission on the Development of Government in the Northwest TerritoriesThis accession consists of a transcript of the coroner's inquest dated 1 June 1954 on the death of Frederick Cardinal, the last person to be hanged in the Northwest Territories [Capital Punishment. He was found guilty of murder for shooting his wife]; and a copy of the death certificate.
Canada. Department of JusticeThis fonds consists of 6 cm of textual material. The material is made up of three volumes of transcripts of the proceedings held between August 15 and Sept 2, 1967 in Hay River.
Canada. Royal Commission on the Administration of Justice in Hay RiverThis accession consists of four colour photographs and 0.5 cm text. Three photographs depict the posthumous awarding of a Coronation Medal to Michael Amarouk. Amarouk's wife, Martha Kigjugalik, accepted the medal presented by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Corporal Clare Dent, surrounded by Kigjugalik's family. The other photograph shows Superintendent H. A. Larsen presenting an RCMP Long Service Medal to retired S/Cst. Parker at Baker Lake, the first Inuit man to receive this award. The photo was taken by Dent. Also included in this accession are 0.5 cm of textual material consisting of photocopies of typewritten accounts by Dent of these and subsequent events.
Dent, Clare J.This fonds consists of one audio cassette containing the recording entitled "Dennis Williams: hooked on the North" created by Dennis Duffy in 1977. The audio documentary was created from recordings of Marjorie Nicol and Dennis Williams held at the Provincial Archives of British Columbia. The documentary is about Dennis Williams who was a Court Reporter in the Northwest Territories from 1971-1974. Williams corresponded about his life in the north with his friend Marjorie Nicol, using both text and audio recordings.
Duffy, Dennis JohnTen of the photos appear in Schwarz's book "Elik: and other stories of the Mackenzie Eskimos" and are portraits of the storytellers. These include Archie (Headpoint) Erigaktuk, Kenneth Peeloolook, Sarah Raddi, Jessie Olorgrak, Susie Tiktalik, Felix Nuyaviak, William Firth, Elizabeth Blake, Alik Alubuk Stefansson, and Alex Kakianen. Other images are of Herbert Schwarz and the gravemarker for Constable R. O. H. Taylor of the "Lost Patrol."
Schwartz, Herbert T.This accession consists of photographs relating to the 1932 search for Albert Johnson, the "Mad Trapper". The images include: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) personnel - Sgt. R. F. Riddell, Sgt. Earl Hersey; Jack Bowen; Wop May; and Albert Johnson after death.
Accession consists of Northern Rental Housing Program Operations & Maintenance Costs from 1969 to 1972. There is also a Regional Income Analysis of Northwest Territories Fishing Lodges released by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in 1982. The accession also consists of Policing Agreements in the Northwest Territories dating from 1975. Additionally, there is a 1987 report of the Canada/USSR Arctic Science Exchange Programme documenting the visit by Soviet Delegation in 1987 with Ethnography and Education as the theme and Contemporary Social Change as the topic. There is also an Interdepartmental Committee on Federal-Territorial Financial Relations Report on the Northwest Territories from 1967.
The fonds consists of 78.5 cm of textual records, 122 maps, 146 photographs, 7 postcards, and 5 architectural drawings created by John Anderson Thomson in the course of his work as a land surveyor, consulting geologist, Commanding Officer of No. 7 Company Canadian Rangers, Magistrate and Justice of the Peace, commissioner on the Great Slave Lake Railway Royal Commission, member of several professional organizations, and participant in the community of Yellowknife and life in the North. Records and photographs of Janet Anderson-Thomson's involvement in John's work and her own leisure activities are also included. The records include memoirs, draft Royal Commission report, financial records, correspondence, field notes, geological, survey and reference plans, survey instructions, photographs and scrapbooks, certificates, and articles.
Anderson-Thomson, JohnThis fonds contains records gathered by John U. Bayly in his role as Inquiry Counsel for the Bourassa Inquiry. The Inquiry was conducted by Madam Justice Carole Conrad of Alberta and held in Yellowknife. The proceedings began on March 26, 1990 and ended with Madam Conrad's findings issued on September 28, 1990. The records consist of copies of preliminary proceedings, transcripts of the hearings, exhibits including one videocassette and one audio cassette of the press conference and public meeting held by GNWT Justice Minister Michael Ballantyne on Dec. 21, 1989. In addition, there are files containing submissions, letters of complaint, authorities, the inquiry findings and press clippings.
Bayly, JohnThe photographs depict John Denison, famed builder of northern ice roads. One, taken in 1939, shows Denison in his RCMP dress uniform. The other is a traditional portrait of him in suit and tie.
Denison, JohnThis fonds consists of 2.4 cm of textual records (one bound volume and one folder), two reels of 16 mm movie film (a large reel of 1000 ft and a small reel of 400 ft) and 317 photographs and negatives (198 of the Western Arctic and 119 of the Eastern Arctic). Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Inspector Cyril N.K. “Nordie” Kirk used the bound volume to record events during his time aboard the Hudson Bay Company supply ship the RMS "Nascopie” during its Eastern Arctic tour, summaries of RCMP inspections in New Brunswick, and activities during the holiday season between 1944 and 1945. He wrote and received the correspondence between 1945 and 1946 while living in Aklavik as RCMP Officer in Charge (OC). The letters detail daily life in Aklavik for his southern correspondents. CNK Kirk shot the film between July of 1947 and July of 1948. The large reel contains both black and white and colour footage of Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers, buildings, patrol boats, airplanes and travel by dog team as well as footage of Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk and Herschel Island. The small reel of film contains all colour footage of RCMP patrols by aircraft to Fort Norman (Tulita), Norman Wells, Camp Canol, as well as shots of Aklavik, including the All Saints Anglican Mission church, hospital and school, Aklavik residents cutting and hauling ice. In addition, there is footage of Leona E. Kirk, wife of Nordie Kirk, Henry Larsen, skipper of the St. Roch, Mike Zubko, Bruno Wiedeman, Charlie Smith, George Roberts, Knut Lang, Dave Sharon Jones, Jim Edwards (Jim Sittichinli), Caroline Moses, Jimmie Jones, Walter Jameson, Phoebe Poole, Louis Cardinal, and several RCMP officers such as Walter Evan Bayne, D.J. (Tiny) Martin, Arthur E. McKinnon, Alfred Kendi, David A. Coleman, Alexander Scotty Stewart. Included in the 317 black and white photographs, which includes 32 negatives, are 198 images depicting life in the Western Arctic from the perspective of RCMP OC Kirk, who was posted to Aklavik from 1945-1948. The images include the communities of Aklavik, Fort Good Hope, Fort Smith, Fort McPherson, Herschel Island, Tuktoyaktuk, Fort Norman (Tulita) and Reindeer Station, as well as aerial views of the Richardson Mountains and images of the Firth River. There are also images of RCMP patrols, the "Distributor", aircraft, RCMP buildings and the Kirk family. The remaining photographs depict Royal Canadian Mounted Police patrols of the Eastern Arctic aboard the RMS "Nascopie" in 1943 and 1944 and include images of Arctic Bay, Cape Smith, Chesterfield Inlet, Fort Ross, Churchill (Manitoba), Lake Harbour (Kimmirut), Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Clyde River, Southampton, Wolstenholme and images of the "Nascopie".
Kirk (family)The photograph depicts members of the Albert LeBeau murder trial (judge, lawyers, RCMP) standing in front of the Roman Catholic mission at Fort Providence dating from June 29 or June 30, 1921. Standing, left to right, are Sergeant Hubert Thorne; Mr. Wallace; C.C. McCaul, KC, Crown Prosecutor; Judge Julien Dubuc; John G. Cory, representing the Department of Indian Affairs; Inspector Fletcher, RCMP; and Major Jennings, RCMP. Sitting are Constable Wild, stenographer; young Lessard; and Mr. Horn [William Norn?], Interpreter. LeBeau was found guilty of murder and was the first person hanged in the NWT.
This accession consists of one VHS videocassette entitled Lord of the Nahanni - Memorial to Poole Field. Field Poole (1880-1948) was a former Royal Northwest Mounted Police officer who lived for many years in the Ross River and Nahanni River area and worked as a trader and prospector. The video was produced by the Albert Faille Wilderness League and was written and directed by Dr. Norman Kagan of Minnesota.
Albert Faille Wilderness LeagueRecords include photographs taken primarily during John A. MacRae's time with the RCMP in the Northwest Territories. The images include: (:0001) [John A. MacRae] in winter clothing; (:0002) John A. MacRae in standard RCMP uniform; (:0003) Henry A. Larsen and John A. MacRae by the St. Roch; (:0004 & :0005) Indigenous woman and child.
This fonds consists of approximately 8.2 meters of textual files and 3 videos from Justice Mark de Weerdt. Textual records include: personal and biographical information; files from his law practice in Yellowknife; files from the law practice of John Parker; files from his time as Judge on the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories including his “Daybook” files (outgoing correspondence); files on various subjects and cases of interest including aboriginal rights, equality and the law, and constitutional development in the Northwest Territories. The records also include copies of speeches delivered by Mark de Weerdt, files of personal correspondence between Mark de Weerdt and friends, family and colleagues. The fonds also includes a scrapbook of newspaper articles he published under the pen name Quintillian and 3 video tapes. The videos include a two part family history produced in 2000, and a celebration of life video on the life of Mark de Weerdt produced in 2003 2003 containing a series of still images of his life.
De Weerdt, MarkRecords consist of one unpublished paper "Indian Tribal Courts in the United States: A Model for Canada?" The paper is 66 pages long, and was produced for delivery at the Native Law Centre. It was written by B.W. Morse, a professor at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law in 1979.
Please note that the PDF contains outdated terminology referring to Indigenous peoples.
Morse, Bradford W.This fonds consists of approximately 13.3 meters of textual material, 12 plans, 30 oversized textual documents (land titles), and 44 audio cassettes.
The bulk of the textual material consists of records from the Directorate and the Policy and Planning divisions. These records include correspondence, working and discussion papers, legislative proposals and other records related to the amendment or enactment of Territorial legislation, including the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Human Rights Act. There are also Deputy Minister and Ministerial chronos, as well as Ministerial briefing books.
There are records regarding conferences organized by the department, as well as correspondence and reports related to the reorganization of the Department, including documentation of Corrections and Lands Titles functions to the department, planning for division, aboriginal self-government, as well as Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and services agreements between Justice and the Department of Social Services. There are records that document a gender equality review, amendments to the definition of spouse under the Family Law Act and Adoption Act, an investigative report on hiring practices in two correctional facilities, and a public awareness campaign about crystal meth, as well as records that document the Task Force on Legal Aid, and court reforms. The records also include judicial decisions of the Labour Standards Board for 2004-2005. As well, there are program review files, training proposals, discussion papers, action plans and reports from the following programs and divisions: Justice of the Peace program, Legal Services Board, Labour Standards Board, Territorial Firearms Officer, Maintenance Enforcement Program, Coroner’s Office, Corrections Division, Rental Office, Court Library and Court Reporters.
Records from the Liquor Licensing Board include sound recordings of board meetings with associated hearings and public meetings.
There are records from the Finance division regarding third-party funding agreements.
There are records from the Corrections Program including a review of Young Offender facilities in the NWT, and material from a conference that was hosted by the Department of Justice on forecasting correctional prison and supervision populations and community corrections. There are also records concerning strategic planning for the Department of Justice, development of the Youth Corrections Manual, as well as copies of Insight Newsletter which was a newsletter produced by the Yellowknife Correctional Centre. In addition, there are files concerning the transfer and implementation of Corrections services to Nunavut, a report from the Yellowknife Correctional Centre Inmate Advisory Committee requesting an Aboriginal Healing program, and copies of an operational review that was done by a consultant called "View of the Future of Social Services for the NWT," an annual report from the Mackenzie Courtworkers Service, minutes from Warden’s meetings and the Youth Justice Committee, and a manual produced for community-based Youth Justice Committees.
There are records from the Community Justice Division, including contribution and protocol agreements. These agreements include proposals or submissions made under the Victims Services Contribution Agreement Program, Victim Assistance Fund or Community Justice Committee Program and include copies of proposals, activity reports and final reports from communities and organizations that received funding under these programs. In addition, there are program implementation and evaluation files for the Community Constable Program, Victims Impact Statement program, as well as discussion papers about the Community Justice program, strategic framework for the Victims Services Program, and an evaluation report on the Community Constable Program.
This fonds also includes committee records from the following: Legislation and House Planning Committee, Legislation Proposal Review Committee, Corrections Consolidation Advisory Committee, Aboriginal Justice Committee, Criminal Justice and Corrections Communications Committee, Community Supervision Working Group, Labour Standards Board and records related to meetings and negotiations held between senior management and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), as well as a file related to the RCMP Special Constable program.
Also included in this fonds are 30 land grants, titles and transfers dating from 1913-1951. These documents are primarily oversized text documents, affixed with wax seals and ribbon. High-resolution digital .tif images of all 30 land title documents are available for reference purposes.
In addition, there are 12 bound settlement plans that originated from the Registries and Court Services Division. The plans are of settlement lots for the communities of Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, Hay River, Fort Providence, Fort Simpson, Fort Norman, Fort Good Hope, Fort Liard, Fort Rae, Fort Wrigley, and Fort McPherson. The plans are dated between 1898-1915. Also included from the division are the meeting minutes of the Court Management Committee and correspondence with the Status of Women Council regarding the usage of plain language in court orders.
The fonds also contains miscellaneous papers and reports including the “Conrad Report”, a working paper on amending the Jury Act and paper entitled "Study of Time Factors Involved in the Disposition of Cases in the Territorial Court, Northwest Territories" by Judge R.M. Bourassa.
There is also one file that originated from Vital Statistics entitled 'The Mad Trapper.' The file includes correspondence between the Registrar General of Vital Statistics and those seeking inquiries regarding the death and possible disinterment of the Mad Trapper, Albert Johnson. Also included are copies of the Warrant to Bury Albert Johnson at Aklavik issued in February 1932. A copy of Dick North's report on the question of Johnson's true identity, entitled 'Exhumation of Albert Johnson' is also included.
Northwest Territories. Department of Justice (1985-present)