There are many buzzwords and slogans flying around about the signing of the final Nunavut devolution agreement on Jan. 18: autonomy, vision, power, resources, SA国际影视传媒淏y Nunavut, for Nunavut,SA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒淥ur land, our future.SA国际影视传媒�

These are just some of the terms that encompass the numerous themes and factors in this historic act billed as the shedding of the last vestiges of direct colonialism by a distant government in the south, promising true self-reliance for Nunavummiut. The term SA国际影视传媒淣amminiqsurniqSA国际影视传媒� attempts to encapsulate all these ideas, with the official translation reading as SA国际影视传媒渁chieving greater autonomy.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淣unavut devolutionSA国际影视传媒� it has a lot of deep meaning in terms of things like jobs, opportunities, resources, but also the political development of the territory as well,SA国际影视传媒� said Pauloosie Suvega, the Government of NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 chief devolution officer. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot that will be covered over the next [few] years, but I think what we want to focus on is ensure that everyone has a great understanding of what development will mean to them, not just to us, the three parties [GN, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and the Government of Canada].SA国际影视传媒�

Suvega acknowledged some points of disagreement and contention in the negotiations process since 2019 but he described a SA国际影视传媒渉igh degree of camaraderie, partnership, and cooperationSA国际影视传媒� overall.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think one of the biggest advantages we always have in Nunavut is that we know each other really wellSA国际影视传媒� we know what works up here, we know what doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 work up here,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of us that work on [negotiations], we live in the same communities, our children go to the same schools, we know each other really well, and that often tends to be a strengthSA国际影视传媒� and that really drove where the conversation went at the negotiating table.SA国际影视传媒�

Emphasis on Inuit workforce

A key portion of the Nunavut Agreement, outlined in Article 23, provides for representation of Inuit in the government workforce.

SA国际影视传媒淲e made the argument,SA国际影视传媒� said Alastair Campbell, senior policy advisor for the GN, SA国际影视传媒渢hat there had to be a focus on Inuit human resource development and training as part of the devolution process. It wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 enough just to transfer the responsibilities across [from the federal government to the territorial]SA国际影视传媒� NTI has pursued [Inuit resource development] fairly heavily from the start of negotiations.SA国际影视传媒�

In total, this means a ballpark figure of 100 civil service jobs in Nunavut, accounting for Inuit representation.

SA国际影视传媒淏y and large those positions will be based in NunavutSA国际影视传媒�. thereSA国际影视传媒檚 also those that weSA国际影视传媒檒l be targeting in terms of those that might not be in the workplace, maybe in the school or in post-secondary SA国际影视传媒� maybe theySA国际影视传媒檙e working in industry. So thereSA国际影视传媒檚 lots of different angles that weSA国际影视传媒檙e looking atSA国际影视传媒� to see how we can engage sectors in different ways with future employees,SA国际影视传媒� Campbell added.

SA国际影视传媒淭he human resource development strategy that has been jointly developed by the three parties that will largely guide the development of things like training, engagement, building up skills SA国际影视传媒� essentially building up a community of different professionalsSA国际影视传媒� weSA国际影视传媒檙e looking at identifying individuals in different fields and see how they can take advantage of that.SA国际影视传媒�

It was stated that the majority of these new positions would be situated in Iqaluit, with some located in Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay and, perhaps, Kuglutuk.

SA国际影视传媒淭he federal government is a huge supporter of the Inuit training and human resources development strategy,SA国际影视传媒� said Fred Caron, chief negotiator for the Government of Canada. SA国际影视传媒淎s you can see, weSA国际影视传媒檝e provided significant resourcesSA国际影视传媒� weSA国际影视传媒檙e fully behind it, and weSA国际影视传媒檙e anxious to see the results start happening.SA国际影视传媒�

Suvega noted that, based on previous negotiations, his team has gained SA国际影视传媒渢he ability to learn from their experiences and develop our own best practices.SA国际影视传媒�

Housing SA国际影视传媒榝ootprint of successSA国际影视传媒�

Other than local control over job creation and administration, devolution will involve SA国际影视传媒渉ousing as a huge part of this package,SA国际影视传媒� according to Mark Johnson, executive director and deputy of negotiations for the Government of Canada.

SA国际影视传媒淲e know thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a crisis weSA国际影视传媒檝e been in for decades,SA国际影视传媒� Premier P.J. Ageeagok told Nunavut News in regards to housing. SA国际影视传媒淎s a government, weSA国际影视传媒檝e put in a quarter of a billion dollars in the last two years to put our equity into the issue, but we really need a partner to get us to that finish line. So weSA国际影视传媒檝e been lobbying and working with Ottawa to make sure that succeeds, because we know that it has a direct impact on the fabric of Nunavut. We look at the social determinants, the health determinants, the education outcomes, among many. So at the root of it is really the housing crisis weSA国际影视传媒檝e been faced with. So weSA国际影视传媒檝e really found a creative way to build three times more [homes] than we normally do, and weSA国际影视传媒檝e lowered the cost by about 50 per cent. So weSA国际影视传媒檝e really put a footprint of success down, and weSA国际影视传媒檒l continue to have those conversations with Ottawa on key issues.SA国际影视传媒�