It has only been 13 years since Nunavut became Canada’s newest federal territory. But Premier Eva Aariak envisions great economic prosperity ahead for Nunavut and its people.
“There’s a young population here that is eager to learn new skills. That will help turn Nunavut into an economic powerhouse in the future,” Aariak said on Monday on CTV’s Canada AM.
“We have a rich culture. We have such potential in natural resources and mineral resources. The potential is enormous,” said Aariak.
The CTV morning show made its first trip to Nunavut for a special live broadcast from Iqaluit, the region’s capital.
The broadcast coincided with Iqaluit’s celebrations of Nunavut Day. The holiday marks the passing of the Nunavut Act on April 1, 1999, which established the new territory of Nunavut.
Like any homegrown politician, Aariak spoke with pride about the region she represents inside Nunavut’s Legislative Assembly. However, unlike other legislative assemblies which feature stately décor, a humble sled sits on the floor of these offices as a reminder of Nunavut’s past, in which generations hunted and travelled across the region by these means.
“The sled is the only way we used to travel,” Aariak told Canada AM co-host Beverly Thomson.
Even the back of the members’ chairs, which are covered in seal skin, are reminders of the region’s history in this modern-day legislature.
“Seal is very important to us as food and as clothing,” Aariak said.
Aariak is Nunavut’s second premier and was elected to the legislature in October of 2008.
Aariak is also Nunavut’s first female premier and the only woman elected to the legislature.
That move is one of many steps that is taking Nunavut and its tax-paying citizens into the future. Even so, Nunavut still retains a style of governing that is unusual for Canada.
“We have a consensus style of government,” said Aariak.
“We don’t have political parties. This will be surprising to the rest of Canada. But it’s connected to the way we in Nunavut operate in making collective decisions,” she said.
The creation of Nunavut resulted in the first major change in Canada’s political map since 1949, when the province of Newfoundland was incorporated into the country.
“Nunavut is the size of Germany. That’s huge,” said Cathy Towtongie, the president of Nunavut Tunngavik, the legal representative of the Inuit of Nunavut.
Indigenous people have called this region home for approximately 4,000 years.
According to a 2011 Census, the population of Nunavut was 31,906, which represented an 8.3 per cent increase from 2006.
“We have 25 communities, and we have a young population that is looking ahead as it retains its culture,” said Aariak.
According to Aariak, Nunavut’s rich supply of natural resources should help sustain the region’s growth in the years ahead.
“We saw our first gold bar poured here a few years ago,” she said.
“The potential here is enormous.”
