“This anniversary will be a time to look back on all that we have achieved”

By JANE GEORGE

Bright sun illuminated the interior of a large snow house built next to the Nunavut legislative building in Iqaluit on April 11.

And in this calm space, on benches covered by sealskins and warmed by a qulliq, cabinet ministers held a ceremonial cabinet meeting to mark the 20th anniversary of the signature of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

During the anniversary year, the Government of Nunavut plans to commemorate “the historic agreement that forever changed the people of a new territory and Canada’s place in the Arctic,” Premier Eva Aariak said.

“This anniversary will be a time to look back on all that we have achieved,” she said.

Aariak said she and her ministers met in the igluvigaq to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the NLCA signing, as well as “Nunavut’s rich heritage and the power that comes from piliriqatiginniq, or working together towards a common cause.”

During the short cabinet meeting, elder Inuapik Sagiatook lit a qulliq and two resolutions were read, a news release said (but, as no media were invited to attend, it’s uncertain exactly what those resolutions said).

Four Aqsarniit Middle School students, chosen to represent the future generations of Nunavummiut, also participated in the event as observers.

Deputy ministers also had a chance to sit in the igloo for a photo.

Then, afterwards, Aariak spoke to the crowd, saying that “this is also a time to look forward.”

“The next step in building Nunavut will involve taking back control over our lands, waters and resources under devolution,” she said.

Aariak said 2013 will open a “new chapter in our story as we begin negotiations to make that happen,” although no date has yet been publicly announced for the start of the talks.