Districts of the Northwest Territories Districts of the Northwest Territories The vastness of Canada's Northwest Territories (spelled 'North-West Territories' from 1870 to 1905) meant that for much of its history it was divided into several districts for ease of administration. The number and size of these territorial districts varied as other provinces and territories of Canada were created and expanded. The districts of the Northwest Territories were abolished in 1999 with the creation of Nunavut territory and the contraction of the Northwest Territories to its current size. The North-West Territories were administered as a single entity, with no districts, from 1870 to 1882. In 1870
Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories 1967 the Carrothers Commission moved the territorial capital from Ottawa to Yellowknife and for the first time elected members represented all parts of the territories. In 1975 the Legislative Assembly became fully elected, and the first elected speaker since 1905, David Searle, presided over the Assembly. Commissioner John Parker gave up his powers of running the executive council and appointed George Braden as leader of the Government and the first Premier since 1905. The model of responsible government that was used this time around was known as Consensus government. The executive council or cabinet forms government while all the regular