Łutsel K'e Dene First Nation chief 'disappointed' with N.W.T. premier's apology

Łutsel K’e Dene First Nation Chief James Marlowe said he was disappointed with Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson’s long-awaited in-person apology for what the First Nation called a “forceful invasion” of a cultural camp at Artillery Lake. In 2022, wildlife officers searched the camp after independent reports of illegal caribou harvesting in a mobile no-hunting zone. Simpson apologized in a statement in April, and on Tuesday he returned to the community with another apology on behalf of the territorial government. Marlowe welcomed the visit but expected immediate action, including funding for programs such as drug and alcohol counselling. The court later quashed the officers’ search warrant, and an independent review of conduct remains incomplete.