For Ernest Taylor Pokiak, the creation of the Government of the Northwest Territories in 1967 was a chance to progress his career.

The Tuktoyaktuk-based elder had been working for the federal government in Inuvik since 1964. He recalls workers being offered the option to transfer to the territorial government when the GNWT was created, but not everyone did so.

He took up a position as an apprentice mechanic with the GNWT and continued to have a long career in transportation with both the territorial government and federal government, retiring in 2009.

SA国际影视传媒淲e worked long hours, pretty well six days a week,SA国际影视传媒� recalls Pokiak about his time in Inuvik back then.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was good and people were happy. It was fun to work for government. The people that were out of Inuvik, most of them used to be from Aklavik, there was a lot of work for them. We worked hard, we played hard, I guess you could say.SA国际影视传媒�

In those days, there was little if any private industry, he said.

Pokiak fondly remembers $9 float plane tickets from Tuktoyaktuk to Inuvik.

The culture was a little different then, too.

SA国际影视传媒淭here was alcohol but my recollection of that time is alcohol didnSA国际影视传媒檛 keep you away from your work,SA国际影视传媒� said Pokiak. SA国际影视传媒淧eople got up in the morning to go to work at 7 and nowadays itSA国际影视传媒檚 different. People have a party and next morning they have a hangover so they stay home. People are softer now than that time, I always think.SA国际影视传媒�

Not everything about the GNWT has been positive, remembers Pokiak. A round of cuts and layoffs in the 1990s changed the mood around government, as he recalls.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 been 50 years since the creation of the territorial government, and looking at a list of everything that happens makes that sound like a short time period.

Probably the most important general trend in former Inuvik mayor Peter ClarksonSA国际影视传媒檚 estimation is more involvement in the government by members of the communities.

He started with the GNWT as a bear biologist in 1984 in Yellowknife before transferring to Inuvik in 1987, following the Inuvialuit land claim, as a grizzly bear and wold biologist. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 bounced between positions in the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Renewable Resources Board, politics and the territorial government since, now nearing the 12-year mark as regional director for the office of the executive.

SA国际影视传媒淭he change that ISA国际影视传媒檝e seen over the last 30 years is more and more people form the communities have been able to get positions with the GNWT as their capacity grew, so whether they became teachers or nurses or plumbers or electricians or senior managers, there are more and more local people working for government in a whole range of capacities,SA国际影视传媒� said Clarkson.

Before, many Northerners just received government services from southerners or Ottawa hires, whereas now they provide them. The territorySA国际影视传媒檚 legislative assembly is now majority Indigenous, with both Inuvik MLAs and the premier all being from communities in the NWT.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople nowadays are a lot more part of the government than what they would have been in the past,SA国际影视传媒� said Clarkson.

Still, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot more work to be done, especially in terms of bringing up education levels and providing more opportunities for people in the communities.

The territory needs more homegrown doctors, engineers, IT professionals and just about everything else, said Clarkson.

One of the upcoming challenges is shifting the focus of the territorial government should the Inuvialuit and GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n achieve their own self-government agreements.

SA国际影视传媒淎s the capacity builds with the Indigenous governments, they will be able to take on more responsibility, as they have since their land claims,SA国际影视传媒� said Clarkson.

SA国际影视传媒淪ome of that will be shared responsibility working with the territorial government and some of it may be transferred over to the Indigenous governments to deliver those programs and services. The challenge weSA国际影视传媒檒l have in most of the areas is economies of scale.SA国际影视传媒�

The smaller the pieces of the pie get cut, the more difficult economies of scale become, he said.

That will require much debate going forward, such as how to handle mixed communities like Aklavik and Inuvik, or how the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 education system may change.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think itSA国际影视传媒檚 a milestone at 50 years,SA国际影视传媒� said Clarkson. SA国际影视传媒淲hen you look back, sometimes we forget how much progress weSA国际影视传媒檝e made.SA国际影视传媒�

Fact file: Milestones

1967 SA国际影视传媒� The Civil Service moves from Ottawa to Yellowknife.

1969 SA国际影视传媒� The current flag of the NWT and the new license plate design is introduced. GNWT becomes responsible for education and social services.

1971 SA国际影视传媒� The Government of the Northwest Territories assumes authority for the courts.

1973 SA国际影视传媒� The Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITC) begins investigating Inuit land use and occupancy of the North.

1974 SA国际影视传媒� GWNT takes over responsibility for housing.

1974-77 SA国际影视传媒� The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry travels to communities across the NWT.

1975 SA国际影视传媒� First fully elected NWT Council/Assembly has a majority of Indigenous members.

1980 SA国际影视传媒� The process of reclaiming the Aboriginal names of many NWT communities begins.

1982 SA国际影视传媒� The first plebiscite is held on the creation of Nunavut.

1984 SA国际影视传媒� The Inuvialuit Final Agreement is signed and the NWT Official Languages Act is passed into law.

1986 SA国际影视传媒� Arctic College is established.

1987 SA国际影视传媒� GNWT takes over authority for Forestry.

1988 SA国际影视传媒� GNWT takes over authority for Health and Power.

1992 SA国际影视传媒� The GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement is signed.

1993 SA国际影视传媒� The Sahtu Dene Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement is signed.

1995 SA国际影视传媒� GNWT takes over authority for all NWT airports.

1999 SA国际影视传媒� Nunavut and the new NWT are created.

2001 SA国际影视传媒� Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly pass the National Aboriginal Day Act, the first jurisdiction in Canada to do so.

2002 SA国际影视传媒� The T艂寞ch谦 Agreement and the Salt River First Nation Treaty Settlement Agreement are signed.

2005 SA国际影视传媒� The T艂寞ch谦 Agreement comes into effect.

2012 SA国际影视传媒� The Deh Cho Bridge opens.

2014 SA国际影视传媒� The Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement comes into effect and the GNWT becomes responsible for managing public land, water and resources in the NWT.

2016 SA国际影视传媒� The D茅l谋台n臋 Final Self-Government Agreement comes into effect.

Source: GNWT