This is a list of territory wide plebiscites that have occurred in the

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

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plebiscite A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

s have occurred territory wide in the history of the Northwest Territories, although legislation was passed to allow a fifth plebiscite. In 1974 the

Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, or Legislative Council of the Northwest Territories (with Northwest hyphenated as North-West until 1906), is the legislature and the seat of government of Northwest Territories in Canada. It is a uni ...

passed a bill to authorize a plebiscite that would allow Northwest Territories communities the authority to control liquor. The bill received Assent from the Commissioner. The commissioner of the Northwest Territories at the time

Stuart Milton Hodgson Stuart Milton Hodgson, sometimes known as Stu, OC (April 1, 1924 – December 18, 2015) was the commissioner of the Northwest Territories (NWT) from March 2, 1967 until April 6, 1979. The first Commissioner to actually reside in the Northwest Ter ...

actively lobbied the Federal Government not to reject this step in Northwest Territories democracy. However, the plebiscite never took place: Hodgson ended up using his reserve powers to give an executive decree to allow

Inuvik Inuvik (''place of man'') is the only town in the Inuvik Region, and the third largest community in Canada's Northwest Territories. Located in what is sometimes called the Beaufort Delta Region, it serves as its administrative and service cen ...

to halt liquor sales. This was the first time since 1898 that the Northwest Territories government tried to exert control over liquor in the territory. In 1982 after considerable pressure from native groups and aboriginal Members, the Northwest Territories would try another plebiscite. This time they had the support of the Federal Government. In 1982 they held a plebiscite on dividing the Territory. The result would lead to three more plebiscites leading to the creation of

Nunavut Nunavut ( , ; iu, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ , ; ) is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' ...

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1982 Northwest Territories division plebiscite The Northwest Territories division plebiscite was a stand-alone, territory-wide plebiscite conducted on April 14, 1982. This was the first territory-wide plebiscite conducted in Northwest Territories history. The results of the plebiscite would e ...

1992 Northwest Territories jurisdictional boundaries plebiscite A plebiscite on the boundary between Northwest Territories and the new territory of Nunavut was held in the Northwest Territories on 4 May 1992.1995 Nunavut capital plebiscite A plebiscite on a capital city was held on 11 December 1995 in the area of the Northwest Territories that was to be split off into the new territory of Nunavut. Voters were given the options of either Iqaluit or Rankin Inlet. Iqaluit was chosen b ...

* 1997 Nunavut equal representation plebiscite

External links

Northwest Territories Plebiscite Act
{{Northwest Territories politics *

Plebiscites A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

Northwest Territories plebiscites