Demographics of Northwest Territories Demographics of Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a territory of Canada. It has an area of 1,171,918 square kilometres and a population of 41,464 as of July 1, 2006. "*Note: Yukon Territory was ceded from Northwest Territories in 1898." "**Note: Alberta and Saskatchewan were created from parts of Northwest Territories in 1905." "***Note: Data through 1996 includes Nunavut. 2001 data does not include Nunavut." "Source: Statistics Canada" French was made an official language in 1877 by the appointed government, after lengthy and bitter debate resulting from a speech from the throne in 1888 by Lt. Governor Joseph Royal. The
1992 Northwest Territories jurisdictional boundaries plebiscite 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. The proposed border was approved by 54% of voters. A second referendum later in the year gave the final approval to the creation of the new territory. A 1982 referendum had approved the division of the Northwest Territories and the creation of a new territory, later to become Nunavut. The federal government gave a conditional agreement to the plan seven months later. In December 1991 the federal government reached an