This is the second part of former MLA MIchael Miltenberger's thoughts on changing the name of the Northwest Territories.

In 1996, we were dealing with major budget cuts by Canada to the NWT budget and planning for division of the NWT in 1999.

Division gave rise to the issue of names for the two territories. For the Inuit people it was clear: their territory would be called Nunavut. In the west, we were not ready for the discussion. We stayed with the status quo.

But a lot has changed since 1996:

The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples report was released in 1996;
In 1998, Ekati Diamond Mine opened;
The division of the NWT and the creation of Nunavut took place in 1999;
In 2007, the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement was approved;
In 2009 and 2014, the NWT Species at Risk Act and the NWT Wildlife Act, created by way of a first of its kind, full co-drafting process between the GNWT and Indigenous governments;
In June 2013, the GNWT recognized 414 GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n place names;
In 2014, the Northwest Territories Devolution Act came into force;
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report, acknowledging the dark history of colonization and calling for reconciliation in all its many forms and;
In 2019, the Federal Indian Day Schools and Federal Day Schools Settlement was approved.

These highlights acknowledge the long journey of reconciliation we are on because of the dark parts of our colonial history. It reflects our greater appreciation of our collective, shared history. For Indigenous people, it is a story that transcends current time, tying them to the land and their ancestors. For folks like myself, coming to the North in 1962, my story, like many others, is shorter in this land but it has been my home for four generations now.

Northerners all love this land. What we need is a name that collectively reflects these ties to the land, and the long history of the first peoples here that predates Canada and the placeholder name they gave this land. Others in Canada have asked why, after all these years, we have kept the name SA国际影视传媒淣orthwest TerritoriesSA国际影视传媒�, when all around us, place names have been changed to better reflect the land and the people of the North.

As I was doing my research, I came across an article in the National Post from 2018 titles Why the Northwest Territories desperately needs a name change by Tristin Hooper, who also did a short video on YouTube titled 'The worst place name in all of Canada.' They are both worth reading and watching.

The article and video are from six years ago, but are very relevant to this issue today. It has been said that changing place names to reflect the identity, history, culture and language of the people that live there is decolonization one name at a time. The one name that is the most representative of that statement is the current placeholder name of our territory. Naming is a territory-building issue that requires political leadership and vision from our legislature and from the NWT Council of Leaders.

With this issue, as with many others, the status quo is not working and no one government can deal with this issue alone. The main responsibility of the leaders is to create the conditions at the territorial level for the renaming of the territory to be considered. Back in 1996, when the renaming of the territory was debated, I supported Nahendeh, which means 'Our Land' in Dehcho Dene. It is inclusive, evocative and rolls off the tongue.

The thought of having our own Indigenous northern name, like Nuwe Nen, 'Our Land' in Denesuline, or whatever is agreed to, gives me goosebumps of anticipation and pride.

Governments respond to public pressure. It has been 26 years since division and if we are serious about reconciliation, getting our own name for our territory is the grand gesture that confirms that seriousness.

The renaming is a political, economic, social and cultural winner. In 1996, this issue was on my to-do list. Now 30 years later, it is now on my bucket list. Our New YearSA国际影视传媒檚 resolution should be the renaming of our territory by the end of 2025.