Hello everyone.    

It is great to be back home in Nunavut today to celebrate this important day with so many farmiliar faces.  What fantastic weather we are having.

I would like to wish everyone a great Nunavut Day.    

This day commemorates the hard work from the men and women who helped to create Nunavut.

The passing of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act and the Nunavut Act led to the creation of Nunavut on April 1, 1999. Inuit gained self-rule and control over their own institutions. This was the result of years of lobbying Ottawa and numerous plebiscites overwhelmingly in favour of self-determination.

But this vision didn’t just start then. It was about 30 years ago when Inuit leaders decided they wanted to negotiate their own land claim. I had a very small role in that. I worked with the office of the interim commissioner to help make sure the right infrastructure and staff were in place. So much has changed since then. We should all be proud of the effort we have all made to create such a strong territory.
 
Besides recognizing the work behind the creation of Nunavut, I would like to urge everyone to have fun today. Take this public holiday and spend time with your family and friends, and check out the traditional games, dances and communal feasts throughout this territory.