IV.

The People

A.

Population Patterns

Since World War II (1939-1945) the population of the Northwest Territories has more than doubled, reaching a total of 37,360 inhabitants, according to the 2001 national census. This represents an apparent decrease from the 1991 population of 57,649, but the 1991 figure included residents of the Territory of Nunavut. From 1991 to 1996 the population increased by 6,753, a population gain of almost 12 percent, well above Canada’s national average of 6.6 percent for that period. Since more people left the Northwest Territories than immigrated to the area during this time, the entire population growth was due to natural increase. The Northwest Territories has a high birth rate (16.2 births per 1,000 persons in 2005–2006) and a low death rate (5.1 deaths per 1,000 persons), resulting in a very high rate of natural increase. While the fertility rate has declined over the last decade, it remains well above the national average. Consequently, the population of the Northwest Territories is expected to continue to grow.

The population is unevenly distributed into two major population clusters. The largest cluster forms around Great Slave Lake, where about three-quarters of the people live. A secondary cluster is found in the Mackenzie Valley and accounts for nearly one-quarter of the total population. The rest of the Northwest Territories is sparsely populated, totaling fewer than 2,000 inhabitants. Almost everyone lives in one of three types of communities: administrative and service centers such as Yellowknife, resource towns such as Norman Wells, and indigenous settlements such as Aklavik.

B.

Principal Cities

The principal cities in the Northwest Territories are Yellowknife (population 16,541 in 2001), Hay River (3,510), and Fort Smith (2,185), all of which are located around Great Slave Lake. The major towns are Inuvik (2,894), Rae (1,552), Fort Simpson (1,163), and Tuktoyaktuk (930). Most remaining settlements are small and populated mainly by indigenous people.

C.

Ethnic Groups and Languages

People in the Northwest Territories have a variety of ethnic origins and speak a number of languages. However, common cultural characteristics exist. One is the widespread use of the English language, and another is the sense of being a Canadian, although tribal loyalties remain strong. These characteristics serve as cultural bonds between all residents. For historical reasons, the population is divided into indigenous and nonindigenous inhabitants. These two ethnic groups are almost evenly split, with nonindigenous residents forming slightly more than 50 percent of the population in 1996.

Indigenous peoples are divided into three groups: Indians(28 percent of the territory’s population); Inuit (10 percent); and Métis (9 percent). In Canada, Dene, meaning “people,” has become the preferred name instead of Indian. The Dene and the Métis in the Northwest Territories speak six indigenous languages (Chipewyan, Dogrib, Gwich’in, Cree, North Slavey, and South Slavey). Dene live in some 20 communities located in the forested areas of the Mackenzie Valley, Great Bear Lake, and Great Slave Lake. Within the Northwest Territories, Dene refer to their lands as Denendeh.

Another indigenous group in the Northwest Territories is the Inuit. One subgroup of the Inuit is the Inuvialuit, who speak Inuvialiktun (except for those living at Holman Island who speak Innuinaqtun). The Inuvialuit live in the communities of Aklavik, Inuvik, Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk, and Tuktoyaktuk, all located along the Arctic coast near the mouth of the Mackenzie River and on Banks and Victoria islands. Excluding Innuinaqtun, these seven languages plus English and French are the official languages of the Northwest Territories.

Some indigenous people live in cities and towns, but most reside in the much smaller indigenous settlements. Almost all of the nonindigenous people live in the major cities and resource towns. Three indigenous peoples—the Inuvialuit (1984), the Gwich’in (1992), and the Sahtu—(1994) reached a land claims agreement that identifies their lands and settlement area. Three other Dene—the Chipewyan, Dogrib, and Slavey—have yet to settle their land claims.

The land claims agreements between the Canadian government and each indigenous group have two goals: to settle the issue of land ownership and to allow the indigenous tribes to control their own affairs. Indigenous peoples have a claim to land that their ancestors occupied for hunting and trapping. The Canadian government did not recognize such claims until the mid-1970s, when several court decisions supported the claims. When the courts recognized aboriginal rights, the Canadian government began serious negotiations with those indigenous peoples who had not yet made a land settlement—that is, those who had not signed a treaty. Such negotiations typically result in comprehensive land claims agreements, which include a land settlement, a large cash payment, and a “dual” structure composed of business and environmental administrative bodies. This structure enables the indigenous beneficiaries to manage their capital and land. As a result of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation was formed to manage the settlement, which included ownership of 77,700 sq km (30,000 sq mi) of land and a cash settlement of C$55 million in 1977 dollars (equivalent to C$190 million in the late 1990s). The Inuvialuit Game Council, in cooperation with the federal and territorial governments, has the responsibility to care for the environment and wildlife.

D.

Religion

Most inhabitants of the Northwest Territories are Christian, although many do not attend church services on a regular basis. The two main churches are the Anglican and the Roman Catholic. Besides the Anglican Church, there are a number of other Protestant denominations in the territory. In the 19th century, missionaries converted the Dene to Christianity; the Inuit became Christians in the early part of the 20th century. In recent years a revival of spiritualism has taken place among the indigenous peoples, combining aspects of pre-Christian beliefs and Christianity.