Deadlines moved from winter, through spring and now fall, but we believe the wait has been worthwhile. This is a special issue of Pimatisiwin for several reasons: the theme, the focus on northern Canadian issues, and the sponsorship of this issue by the Tłįchǫ Government. The Tłįchǫ Government is an Aboriginal government established in 2005 with a Land Claim and Self Government Agreement that recognizes ownership of over 39,000 sq km of land in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Their purpose is to preserve, and protect their Aboriginal and Treaty rights including their Tłįchǫ language, culture, and way of life “for as long as the land shall last.” We have been told this sponsorship is a first for Pimatisiwin, and we welcome the Tłįchǫ Government’s support for Aboriginal and Indigenous community health research.