Potential being realized.

• Author: Bryant, Marian
• Position: Viewpoint

Nunavut celebrates 10 years as a Territory this year: a significant anniversary and a time for reflection and for looking to the future. Reading the Nunatsiaq News for the week I am writing this article, (June 12, 2009) what strikes me is that Nunavummiut are daily engaged in solving cultural, territorial, national, and international issues. The diversity of topics discussed in the newspaper reflects a society working in community, intent on realizing the potential of this beautiful Territory and its people. What will be the effect of global warming? How will mining and mineral exploration and extraction be managed? What about the growing population, where at present over 50% are under 25 years of age? How will Nunavut educate and train young people? How does Nunavut keep its languages and culture alive in these changing times?

Here are some examples of the newsworthy subjects with a national and international flavour covered in the Nunatsiaq News June issue.

It is predicted that by 2030 the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free. One newspaper correspondent reports on a national planning conference held in Ottawa involving Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (the national Inuit organization representing the Inuit regions of Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region), the University of Calgary's Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, and the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee. Issues discussed included the Canadian northern strategy, the potential impact of the global search for scarce resources, and environmental protection. In this issue of LAW Now Brian Lannan discusses issues about Arctic sovereignty and the interesting perspective of members of the international community.

On the local level, in Iqaluit, the city is holding a series of neighbourhood meetings to discuss a prospective 20-year housing development plan: it is anticipated the population of Iqaluit will almost double from the current population of around 7000 people to 12,000 in 2030. There was enthusiastic participation at these meetings and Iqalummiut are making their voices heard on suburban planning, transit problems, architecture, landscaping, and mixed-income housing.

On June 4, 2008 the Nunavut legislature passed the Official Languages Act. It was then passed by the Senate of Canada in June 2009 and will soon complete its progress through Parliament. Susan Hardy writes about the importance of an initiative to support the use of the Inuit language in the...