GNWT and NWT Council of Leaders host summit to discuss primary health care reform

Press Release

January 20, 2026

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and the NWT Council of Leaders are hosting a three-day summit in Yellowknife from January 20 to 22, 2026. The event, Following the North Star: Primary Health Care Reimagined Together, will bring together Indigenous governments, health system leaders, and national experts to share lessons and explore promising models of care.

The summit will create a culturally safe, inclusive space for collaboration and learning. Participants will work together to refine a plan that sets the direction for transforming primary and community health care in the Northwest Territories. Insights from the summit will inform the Primary and Community Health Care Framework, scheduled for release in Spring 2026.

The summit is about working together with Indigenous governments to improve access to care and make services more culturally safe. It is an important step toward building trust and shaping a health system that meets the needs of residents.

Quotes:

“For me, the summit is about coming together in a respectful way to listen, learn, and do better for the people we serve. Real change in health care happens when we work alongside Indigenous governments and communities, and when we take the time to hear what is working and what needs to change. The conversations we are having here will help shape care that feels safer, more connected, and closer to home for people across the Northwest Territories.”

–  Lesa Semmler, Minister of Health and Social Services

“This Summit sets the stage for Indigenous governments in the NWT to partner with GNWT on reinventing primary health care so that our communities have access to services that are informed by Indigenous knowledge, grounded in culture and tradition, and delivered close to home.”

–  Ɂekw’ahtı̨d̨ǝ́ Danny Gaudet, Chair, NWT Council of Leaders

Quick facts

• Objectives of the summit:
  • Convene Indigenous leaders and health system experts to share lessons and wise practices.
  • Create culturally safe, inclusive, trauma-informed space for learning and relationship building.
  • Test and refine a plan forward to transform primary and community health care in the NWT, designed by and for Indigenous Peoples.
  • Draw inspiration from promising models of care to inform improvements.
• The summit includes an experiential cultural safety and anti-racism art exhibit curated by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists and scholars from the NWT.
• Insights will inform the Primary and Community Health Care Framework, to be released Spring 2026.

For media requests, please contact:
Andrew Wind
Manager, Communications
Health and Social Services
Government of the Northwest Territories
HSSmedia@gov.nt.ca
(867) 767-9052 ext. 49034

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