Canada page4-14
   Nunavut:   
A New Chapter in Canada's Nation Building History


On April 1, 1999, the map of Canada changed with the birth
of the new territory of Nunavut.

Nunavut means "our land" in Inuktitut, the Inuit language.
It is a vast territory - larger than Newfoundland,
Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec
combined-that contains one fifth of Canada's land.
This is the first major change to the map of Canada since
Newfoundland joined Canada 50 years ago, in 1949.

Nunavut's lands are made up of the central and eastern portions
of the Northwest Territories (NWT).
To Inuit, this land, their ancestral home for thousands of years,
has always been Nunavut.
The idea for the territory with its own government was
articulated by Inuit leaders in the 1970s.

As the newest partner in the federation, Nunavut is the
latest development in Canada's nation building.
All Canadians can take pride in the outstanding achievement
the birth of the new territory represents Canada has redrawn
its map peacefully, democratically and in partnership.

The creation of Nunavut also marks a profound shift in how Canada
relates to Aboriginal people.
Inuit, as the majority population of Nunavut, are shaping
the territorial government in keeping with their culture,
traditions and aspirations.

The Government of Nunavut is elected by all residents of
the territory regardless of their origin.
All citizens have the right to vote and run for office.
Jobs in the government of Nunavut's public service
are open to all residents.

Inuktitut is a working language of the government.
Government services are also available in English and French.
The government intends to incorporate the best of traditional
Inuit and contemporary government systems.

Respect for its citizens' diversity is an essential element
of Canada's nation-building process.
The creation of Nunavut demonstrates that Canada can adapt its
governance to respect the values and traditions of Aboriginal people.

Over the millennia, Inuit have adapted successfully to one of
the harshest climates on earth.
Blending this tradition with modern technology and government
organization will be the hallmark of the new government.
Nunavut brings a distinctive voice to national policy and direction.
It is helping to make Canadians more aware of the challenges
of day-to-day life in this vast territory.

The Government of Nunavut is highly decentralized,
the better to respond to the needs of its 28 far-flung communities.
State-of-the-art communications technology plays a crucial role
in this decentralized structure.

The Government of Nunavut faces enormous challenges,
not the least of which is to re-establish self-sufficiency
for future generations.
About 56 percent of Nunavut's residents are under the age of 25.
The government must work to create employment opportunities,
increase education and income levels, and cope with a cost of
living two to three times higher than that of southern Canadians.

The creation of Nunavut restores to Inuit their
self-determination as practised for thousands of years
before the arrival of Europeans.
The new government puts Inuit of Nunavut on an
equal footing with other Canadians in terms of
having control over and being accountable for
their social and economic well-being.


           

   Canada    Yukon
   Northwest Territories    Nunavut
   British Columbia    Alberta
   Saskatchwan    Manitoba
   Ontario    Quebec
   Newfoundland    New Brunswick
   Prince Edward Island    Nova Scotia


           



           








I call This Page
The Ever Changing page
This month Happy Easter

Page 12: Page 13: Page 14:
Page 15: Page 16: Page 17:
Page 18: Page 19: Page 20:
Page 21: Page 22: Page 23:

           

This
Maple Leaf   Proud CanadianMaple Leaf
Page
has been visited times.