For Immediate Release
(January 18, 2024 – Iqaluit, Nunavut) Today Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) President Aluki Kotierk signed the Nunavut Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Nunavut Premier PJ Akeeagok.
Since August 15, 2019, when an Agreement-in-Principle was signed, NTI has worked with Canada and Nunavut on the transfer of Crown lands and resources from the federal government to the Government of Nunavut. Nunavut is the last of the three territories to have the transfer of management of Crown lands, oil, gas, and mineral resources in Canada.
“After 30 years of hard work since the signing of the Nunavut Agreement, Nunavut Inuit are seeing a momentous step towards realizing our goal of true self-determination,” said President Kotierk. “With the signing of the Devolution Agreement, and the accompanying Human Resources Development Strategy, Nunavut Inuit will have authority concerning the ultimate fate of our land.”
The devolution agreement is the largest land transfer in Canada’s history. Nunavut and Nunavut Inuit will now have decision making power over the management of public lands, freshwater, and non-renewable resources in the territory. Implementing the Human Resources Development Strategy will accelerate Inuit training, increase Inuit employment, and will lead to more jobs for Nunavut Inuit with the ability to decide the direction of development and conservation in Nunavut.
“Devolution is a crucial step towards Nunavut Inuit having autonomy over the land we’ve called home for centuries,” said President Kotierk. “In order to meet their obligations under Article 23 of the Nunavut Agreement, the Government of Canada and the Government of Nunavut must work to ensure Inuit employment in government is at a representative level, and consequently that Inuit rights and desires are a central part of governing Nunavut. Full implementation of the Devolution Agreement, and crucially the Human Resources Development Strategy, will go a long way to having Inuit shape the policies and future of land and resource development in Nunavut.”
NTI looks forward to working closely with the territorial and federal governments to carry out the Human Resources Development Strategy and to seeing the full transfer of responsibilities outlined in the Devolution Agreement, which will be completed by April 1, 2027.
-30-
Media Contact:
Kevin Kablutsiak
Director of Communications
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.