The first time the flag of Nunavut was officially raised in Iqaluit on April 1, 1999, is a day remembered with much pride by well-known Inuit Elder Tagak Curley of Rankin Inlet.

Curley said thereSA国际影视传媒檚 really two parts to the process that created Nunavut. One was the fact the negotiations were primarily on the Aboriginal title. He said the federal government insisted early on that NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 public government was not negotiable. In the governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 view, it was not in the best interest of Inuit nor was it an Aboriginal right.

SA国际影视传媒淎t the time, most of our MLAs took it upon themselves to publicly continue to promote the idea of dividing the huge geographical territory of the Northwest Territories (NWT),SA国际影视传媒� said Curley.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat had to be persistently carried out and I was very much involved in that. I was elected to the legislative assembly of the NWT in 1979 and stayed there for eight years.

SA国际影视传媒淭he legislative assembly of the NWT became, at that time, sort of a public institution that was able to engage with the public on whether or not to support the idea of dividing the territory.SA国际影视传媒�

Curley said the land claims issue was not really a part of the deal until the negotiations were concluded.

He said, at that time, the NWT MLAs suggested to the federal government that because it was not negotiable, the public government could be enacted by then prime minister Brian Mulroney as a separate bill, as his own initiative to create the Inuit territory.

SA国际影视传媒淲e were, by gosh, somewhat surprised when he agreed to that and, as they say, the rest is history.

SA国际影视传媒淭he two bills were introduced at, pretty much, the same time, with one being their (the federal governmentSA国际影视传媒檚) own initiative, the Nunavut Act. The other one saw us very much engaged with negotiations on Aboriginal title, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, over a 20-year period.

SA国际影视传媒淚n the beginning, I never thought the land claims would be at where they are now. We gave up a lot in surrendering the title and use of land, which we call the extinguishment of the Inuvialuit Agreement,SA国际影视传媒� he recalled.

On June 5, 1984, the Committee for the Original PeoplesSA国际影视传媒� Entitlement, representing 2,500 Inuvialuit of the Mackenzie Delta and adjacent Arctic Coast became the first Indigenous group in the Northwest Territories to settle a comprehensive land claim, the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had to compromise on that,SA国际影视传媒� said Curley.

SA国际影视传媒淭hen-prime minister Brian Mulroney was woken-up at three oSA国际影视传媒檆lock in the morning by then-minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Tom Siddon, when the final drafts were negotiated, including the compensation clause, and the prime minister embraced Nunavut.SA国际影视传媒�

Curley said he was not particularly involved with the festivities in Iqaluit on April 1, 1999, when Nunavut officially became its own territory, even though he was living there at the time.

He said a tragic family event prevented that from happening.

SA国际影视传媒淢y late brother-in-law passed away after going missing out on the land near Baker Lake at about the same time. So, of course, we just couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 jump forward to celebrate with the rest of the public, given the circumstances.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was always convinced that land claims, itself, was simply not enough. We had to gain some other greater public involvement, so the idea of division SA国际影视传媒� dividing the NWT SA国际影视传媒� was the best choice for us.

SA国际影视传媒淎lso, with the Inuvialuit extinguishment, we needed a better offer from Canada and that was the creation of the Nunavut Territory and Inuit forming [their own government].

SA国际影视传媒淎s we speak today, I have not been disappointed. Nunavut is maturing slowly and we must be patient with the ongoing process.SA国际影视传媒�

Curley said all those involved with the creation of Nunavut have left a legacy that he believes will stand forever.

He said he will always remember watching the flag of Nunavut raised for the first time.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was such an emotional day (April 1, 1999) because it was something that we either lost or gained something from. Nunavut did that with the complex land claims agreement.

SA国际影视传媒淪ince I was living in Iqaluit at the time SA国际影视传媒� the infrastructure program was going full blast SA国际影视传媒� I saw the flag of Nunavut being raised at the Nunavut legislative building for the first time; where it is to remain forever.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat was a very, very big deal to so many of us. It was something that we will never forget. We have gone through a kind of roller-coaster ride of emotions since then because we donSA国际影视传媒檛 have the numbers (of population), only one MP and so on.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was quite significant for us to see a permanent symbol of Inuit being raised with the promise of much-greater involvement with public affairs.SA国际影视传媒�