The Intergovernmental Council (IGC), comprised of leaders from nine Indigenous Governments and the Government of the Northwest Territories, unanimously agreed to adopt a Legislative Development Protocol that will guide future collaborative work on NWT land and resource legislation. A shared commitment to work together has been a hallmark of the NWT approach to the devolution of land and resource management from the federal government in 2014. The IGC was created at that time to formalize how NWT governments would work together to manage NWT lands and resources and includes a commitment for all devolution partners to work collaboratively on legislation of shared priority. The Protocol

• Is consistent with the IGA commitment to collaborate on changes to land and resource management systems, as well as providing a consistent approach for parties to follow.
• Is the first agreement of its kind in Canada, and provides opportunities for the collaborative development of land and resource statutes and regulations for the GNWT and Indigenous governments.
• Supports the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by respecting, consulting and collaborating with Indigenous Governments on land and resource management.

A key feature of the Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management (IGA) is recognition and respect of Aboriginal and Treaty rights