Northern Chiefs in Oji-Cree, is a non-political Chiefs Council serving Deer Lake, Fort Severn, Keewaywin, McDowell Lake, North Spirit Lake and Poplar Hill First Nations. The Council provides health, education, economic development, employment assistance, legal, public works, finance, research, clean water, cellular, administration and computer communication services.
On June 9, 1910 Treaty #5 was signed in Deer Lake at what is now called Treaty Point. Deer Lake commemorated the 100 year anniversary of the signing of Treaty #5 with 3 days of events, June 9-11, 2010.