Current ads
Jobs
Tenders
Notices
General

Click below

A FAQ about Nunatsiaq News is also available.

What is Nunavut?

Nunavut is a new Canadian territory that came into being on April 1, 1999, through the division of the Northwest Territories.

Eighty-two per cent of Nunavut's people are Inuit. Since the majority of voters in Nunavut are Inuit, Inuit in Nunavut control their own legislative assembly through a form of self-government under which non-Inuit residents are also guaranteed the right to participate in elections for the Nunavut legislative assembly and for Nunavut's 26 municipal governments.

The creation of the Nunavut territory is the result of two agreements: the Nunavut political accord, and the Nunavut land claims agreement.

A Nunavut-wide Inuit organization called Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (also known by the commonly-used acronym "NTI") is responsible for administering the money and land that Nunavut Inuit now own under their land claim agreement, for ensuring that governments and others carry out their legal obligations under the agreement, and for promoting Inuit language and culture. NTI is not, however, responsible for creating the Government of Nunavut.

The Nunavut political accord laid the foundation for the Nunavut Act, the federal law that serves as Nunavut's constitution.

You can read the April 1 souvenir edition of Nunatsiaq News to learn more about how Nunavut came to be.

Here is a map of Nunavut's 19 electoral districts and a list of Nunavut's 19 MLAs.

This map [150k] shows the boundary between Nunavut and the remainder of the Northwest Territories. This map [50k] shows Nunavut in relation to the rest of Canada.

How was Nunavut created?

In 1994, Ottawa appointed another organization, the Nunavut Implementation Commission (also known by the commonly-used acronym "NIC") , to provide advice on the creation of Nunavut. On May 25, 1995, the NIC released "Footprints in New Snow " — a detailed plan for the design of Nunavut's government. In 1996, the NIC produced "Footprints 2."

On April 15, 1997, the federal government appointed Jack Anawak to serve as Interim Commissioner of Nunavut. Since then the Office of the Interim Commissioner (also known by the commonly-used acronym "OIC") has been responsible for carrying out the NIC's design work.

On October 1, 1998, Nunavut leaders approved the OIC's plan for creating a decentralized Nunavut government according to principles set out in the NIC's Footprints reports.

On April 1, 1999, Nunavut's elected government assumed responsibility for governing the new territory.

When was Nunavut's first election?

All eligible Nunavut voters — Inuit and non-Inuit — went to the polls February 15 to elect Nunavut's first legislative assembly. Nunavut's new legislators chose a speaker, a premier and a cabinet from among themselves. This was done according to conventions developed by the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.

One of their first tasks was to approve Nunavut's first budget.

How many people live in Nunavut?

You can find information about Nunavut's population, unemployment rate, etc. so at a site maintained by the Nunavut Bureau of Statistics.

What does the new flag and coat-of-arms look like?

You can see and read about Nunavut's new flag and coat of arms at www.nunavut.com/misc/english/flag.html

Where can I find more information?

Below you'll find a list of some of the most useful Nunavut and Arctic links on the Internet.

People and culture

nunavut.com The Avataq Institute (Nunavik) Susan Aglukark The Leo Ussak Elementary School Cape Dorset Artists

Politics and land claims

The Qikiqtani Inuit Association
The Kitikmeot Inuit Association
The Makivik Corporation (Nunavik)
The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
Northern Perspectives

Advertising
Specs, rates,
& maps
Multi-paper
buying services
About the market
E-mail ad dept

More Information