History of Nunavut and Inuit self-government

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

1. 1.

   Claim: After sixteen years of negotiations, Inuit of what would become Nunavut voted on the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement in 1992; the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act both received royal assent in the Canadian Parliament on 10 June 1993, establishing the legal basis for a new Nunavut territory with its own legislative assembly and public government by 1999.

   • Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (Wikipedia) link, 1992-1993 agreement and legislation section. Source record
2. 2.

   Claim: Nunavut was formally created on 1 April 1999 through the division of the Northwest Territories, establishing a new Canadian territory of approximately two million square kilometres with its own public (not ethnically exclusive) legislative assembly and government, intended as a homeland for Canada's Inuit.

   • Nunavut's Unfulfilled Promise (Canada's History) link, 1 April 1999 creation section. Source record
3. 3.

   Claim: In exchange for surrendering broader Aboriginal title claims, Inuit secured collective ownership of about 18% of the land and water in Nunavut (roughly 360,000 square kilometres), mineral rights on about 35,000 square kilometres, a share of federal resource royalties, and more than $1.1 billion (Canadian) in compensation under the settlement.

   • Nunavut's Unfulfilled Promise (Canada's History) link, Compensation terms section. Source record