1950-1964

The Changing NWT

The ease of access to the southern NWT, the use of industrial technology to probe the land for resources, and the movement of southern Canadians into the lakes, rivers and communities to build infrastructure and connections accelerated during this time. Industrialization also brought settlers and newcomers to appreciate the magnificent northern landscapes and seek permanent residency on Treaty 8 and Treaty 11 lands. Roads, schools, and radar installations carried southern incursions into the NWT world. The permanence of these structures, the surrounding communities, and the demand for supplies and services firmly placed the NWT in the colonial oversight of the more extensive Canadian nation-building system. They also highlighted the imbalance between Indigenous expectations for Treaty rights and the southern Canadian demand for access and exploitation.