Today, we would like to mark Nunavut’s 11th birthday. 
It was on April 1st 1999 when Nunavut became the newest territory to join Confederation. 

Nunavummiut invested a lot of time and energy to create the land claim agreement, which was the basis for creating the territory of Nunavut. It took years
of negotiating with the federal government. Since then, Nunavut has grown; communities are more developed; and the mining sector has expanded.

By continuing on with this spirit of cooperation and hard work, we are optimistic that we can make the next several years even more fulfilling. The Government of
Canada will continue to work with Northerners to build sustainable communities and develop the resources and tools Northerners need to play an even greater role in the Canadian economy. 

Nunavut has come a long way since it was created in 1999. We would like to congratulate Northerners for all of their hard work and what they have achieved. We look forward to working with all of you to advance Nunavut to its full potential.
 
Leona Aglukkaq
 
Senator Dennis Patterson