AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today October 28, 2026
Chiefs Emphasize Medical Travel Concerns at Akaitcho Assembly
The annual general assembly of the Akaitcho Territory government, held in Dettah, Northwest Territories, brought together chiefs and delegates to discuss pressing issues affecting their communities. Foremost among these was the challenge of medical travel, particularly the long flights from Yellowknife to Edmonton that many community members, including elders, must endure for specialized health care.
Long Flights and Difficulties for Elders
Chiefs and delegates shared both personal experiences and stories they had heard about the hardships faced during medical travel. Currently, the journey from Yellowknife to Edmonton takes about five hours and includes several stops. Passengers are not permitted to leave the plane to use terminal bathrooms, making the situation especially difficult for patients whose medical conditions require accessible facilities. These conditions are particularly challenging for elders, some of whom may be unable to use airplane toilets.
Chief Ernest Betsina of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation in Dettah noted the difficulty of hearing these accounts, especially from elders. “I could just imagine how many elders are traveling on this route that need to go to the washroom, and yet they're [told] no. Now there's something wrong with that,” Betsina said.
Broader Community Issues Addressed
Alongside concerns about medical travel, the assembly discussed high cancer rates, the spread of drugs and alcohol, and housing shortages in the Akaitcho Territory communities. Delegates highlighted the interconnection of these challenges and the importance of addressing them with collective advocacy.
Calls for Immediate Government Action
The assembly plans to prepare resolutions urging prompt action from both the territorial and federal governments to improve the current medical travel arrangements. These resolutions are expected to be finalized and adopted on the last day of the assembly. Delegates emphasized that the current state of medical travel is untenable, particularly given the vulnerable state of patients traveling for essential care.
This issue echoes recent discussions in the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, where Members of the Legislative Assembly also criticized the situation faced by community members and especially seniors on these long medical flights.
Residential School Repatriation and Political Participation
Delegates provided updates on the ongoing work by the Deninu Kųę́ First Nation to repatriate the remains of children who died at residential schools. They cautioned that funding for this important work could expire within two years without renewal, raising concerns about its future continuity.
There was expressed disappointment among assembly participants that Northwest Territories MP and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty did not attend the assembly in person. According to Alec Wilson, a spokesperson for Alty, she was required to remain in Ottawa. While the minister offered to participate virtually, chiefs opted instead to seek an in-person meeting at a later date. Wilson conveyed that Alty looks forward to future engagement with Akaitcho leadership.
Looking Ahead
The annual assembly, held at the Chief Drygeese Conference Centre in Dettah, serves as a forum for NWT communities to find solidarity on shared challenges and to push for systemic changes from territorial and federal governments, especially regarding medical travel challenges and community health concerns.
Source: cbc.ca.
