Nunavut: an example of consensus government in the Canadian Arctic.

• Author: Tootoo, Hunter
• Position: Agency overview

This article provides an introduction to the territory of Nunavut and its place in the Canadian federation. It also offers an overview of the Legislative Assembly's structure and operations. It concludes with a discussion of some emerging challenges and opportunities.

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The territory of Nunavut is over two million square kilometres in size and spans three time zones. Approximately 85% of our territory's 33,000 residents are Inuit. The Inuit Language (which includes Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun) and English are the major languages in Nunavut. There is a small Francophone community in Iqaluit.

There are 25 incorporated communities in the territory. Iqaluit, the capital, is the largest with a population of approximately 7,000 people. Grise Fiord, Canada's most northerly community, is the smallest, with a population of approximately 180.

Constitutional Evolution

In 1971 the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (1TC) was established to represent the interests of Canadian Inuit. During the 1970s, a number of proposals to negotiate a land claims settlement between Inuit and the Government of Canada were considered.

In 1982 responsibility for land claims negotiations with the federal government was transferred to the Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut (TFN), the regional organization representing the Inuit of the Eastern Arctic.

In 1990 an Agreement-in-Principle between the TFN and the Government of Canada was signed. In a plebiscite held in May of 1990, voters across the Northwest Territories approved the proposed boundary for division of the territory.

In November 1992, Inuit in the Eastern Arctic voted to ratify the proposed Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. Following ratification, the Agreement was formally signed on May 25, 1993. It contains forty-two separate articles. Article 4, Nunavut Political Development, provided for the establishment of a "new Nunavut Territory, with its own Legislative Assembly and public government."

The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act and the Nunavut Act were passed by the Parliament of Canada in 1993 to ratify the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, establish the territory of Nunavut and provide for its government's powers and responsibilities. The territory came into existence on April 1, 1999. The first sitting of the First Legislative Assembly of Nunavut was held on that day.

Unlike a province, Nunavut does not have complete control over public lands and resource management. The Government of Nunavut is pursuing a formal devolution agreement with the federal government that would see greater control over lands and resources transferred to Nunavut, and an agreement on the sharing of royalties from natural resource development, such as mining activities.

Legislative Assembly of Nunavut

There have been a total of three Assemblies to date:

* 1st Legislative Assembly (1999-2004)

* 2nd Legislative Assembly (2004-2008)

* 3rd Legislative Assembly (2008 -)

During our Assembly's recent spring sitting, we reached the milestone of our 500th formal sitting.

The federal Nunavut Act establishes the powers and jurisdiction of the Legislative Assembly and the government. For example, the Legislative Assembly has the authority to make laws in the areas of health, education, municipal governance, the administration of justice and direct taxation.

There are presently 19 Members of the Legislative Assembly, three of whom are women. The number of seats in the Legislative Assembly has remained unchanged since 1999.

An independent Electoral Boundaries...