The signing of a devolution agreement in principle early morning Aug.15 capped a busy week of federal announcements in the capital.

The intent of devolution is to see a transfer of powers from Ottawa to Nunavut.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 just happy that this day came,SA国际影视传媒� said Premier Joe Savikataaq after the announcement.

SA国际影视传媒淲e barely got to this date.SA国际影视传媒�

Read:

During his speech, Savikataaq warned that SA国际影视传媒渄evolution doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 mean everything will be instantly different.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淩ather, it means that over time, with the benefits of NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 growing economy, our community will begin to see the improvements with infrastructure and increase in employment. By devolving federal responsibilities, Nunavummiut will have the ability and the means to manage their decisions on how our public lands, fresh water and non-renewable resources are used and developed,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Savikataaq, along with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) president Aluki Kotierk and Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett formalized the fourteen-chapter document five years in the making.

Devolution negotiations formally began in 2014, based on a protocol signed in 2008, and after an interruption in 2015 due to a change in the federal party in power, resumed in 2016.

Also, when Paul Quassa was premier, he replaced chief negotiator Simon Awa, who had been doing the job for four years, with Paul Okalik. One week later, when Savikataaq took over leadership, one of the first things he did was reinstate Awa.

Awa emceed the Thursday morning event.

SA国际影视传媒淒evolution has been a dream for the Inuit of Nunavut, in showing decision-making power rests here in our territory, by us and for us,SA国际影视传媒� said Awa, adding mutual respect among the parties, with an eye to the future of the territory, drove negotiations.

Bennett, as well as Kotierk and Savikataaq, repeatedly acknowledged negotiators, which currently, along with Awa, includes Carson Gillis for NTI and Fred Caron for the feds.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is indeed a milestone,SA国际影视传媒� said Bennett about the agreement in principle.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 think thereSA国际影视传媒檚 anybody in this room that doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 know was first envisioned in the development of the Nunavut Agreement more than 25 years ago. This unlocks the vision of self-determination, the vision of being able to look after your people, and their lands and waters, in the way that you know best.SA国际影视传媒�

Final negotiations have now begun, and will include offshore resources and consultations with other Indigenous groups. Offshore was off the table in these past five years of  negotiations, but will be a significant aspect of the next phase.

SA国际影视传媒淲e want to get offshore mainly so we can control it, royalties, too. We know that most of the known mineral resources are on Inuit-owned land. Even after devolution we donSA国际影视传媒檛 expect to get much for royalties off the land. So offshore is where we (GN) get our royalties. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 why itSA国际影视传媒檚 so important for us to negotiate this part of the final devolution agreement (to include) offshore,SA国际影视传媒� said Savikataaq.

SA国际影视传媒楩ather of NunavutSA国际影视传媒� satisfied

Elder, political leader and SA国际影视传媒楩ather of NunavutSA国际影视传媒� John Amagoalik, who has actively advocated for Nunavut Inuit since the 1960s, was a witness signatory to the agreement in principle.

He served in the same capacity at the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and the federal government at the historic apology held the day before.

SA国际影视传媒淚 feel very satisfied,SA国际影视传媒� Amagoalik told Nunavut News about the agreement in principle.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 taken a lot of patience for many, many years.SA国际影视传媒�

He said when he and others forged the political movement half a century ago that would see a land claim and Nunavut come to be, it was difficult to know how long it might take.

For Amagoalik, itSA国际影视传媒檚 taken a lifetime to see the results of years of hard work.

In the absence of translation, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Aluki Kotierk shared the thoughts she expressed in Inuktitut with those gathered with press after the event.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 good to get to this point. When Nunavut was created, Inuit expected they would be employees of the government. Article 23 (of the Nunavut Agreement) stipulates that there will be a representative workforce (in government) so I am particularly pleased that in the agreement in principle one of the things thatSA国际影视传媒檚 highlighted is there will be a human resource strategy established,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 hope thatSA国际影视传媒檚 another push to the governments to ensure that they actually live up to and implement Article 23.SA国际影视传媒�

She emphasized that recent developments, referring to numerous federal announcement related to Nunavut, have the intention of making life better for Inuit.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is one additional step in which we get additional hope that it will actually have a positive impact on Inuit lives.SA国际影视传媒�

Kotierk also stressed, SA国际影视传媒渋tSA国际影视传媒檚 through working together SA国际影视传媒� piliriqatigiinniq SA国际影视传媒� that we were able to achieve this.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 encourage us to continue to work together on all fronts, because thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what Inuit expect and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 how weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to achieve things for Inuit.SA国际影视传媒�