Following the 1951 election, legislation to amend the Northwest Territories Act was introduced in the House of Commons to increase the powers of the council.
The federal government passed these initiatives to help assert arctic sovereignty and prevent the United States from taking over the north lands.
The inflow of cash came from government controlled liquor that netted over $150,000 to the treasury along with over $260,000 in federally collected taxes being returned to the territory.
They were Louis Audette and Deputy Commissioner Frank Cunningham who served by default as the presiding officer on the council.
The only membership change in the council came in 1953 when Mervyn Hardie vacated his seat to run in the 1953 Canadian federal election.