Nunavut Implementation Commission

Nunavut Implementation Commission
Name	Nunavut Implementation Commission
Formation	1993
Dissolution	1999
Headquarters	Iqaluit
Region served	Nunavut
Leader title	Chair
Leader name	John Amagoalik
Parent organization	Government of Canada

Nunavut Implementation Commission is the federal-provincial-territorial body established to oversee the transition leading to the creation of the Territory of Nunavut. It coordinated settlement implementation arising from the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement between Inuit and the Government of Canada, interfacing with Inuit organizations, territorial offices, and federal departments to operationalize governance, administration, and public services in the eastern Arctic.

Background and formation

The Commission was formed in the wake of decades-long negotiations culminating in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA) and parallel developments such as the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada advocacy, the work of John Amagoalik, and political momentum generated by the Meech Lake Accord debates. Its establishment followed federal legislation including the Nunavut Act and was shaped by precedent from the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement and institutional models like the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Founding involved consultation with entities such as Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Qikiqtani Inuit Association, Kitikmeot Inuit Association, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, and the Territory of Northwest Territories administration. Major interlocutors included ministers from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, leaders from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, and representatives of the House of Commons of Canada and Senate of Canada.

Mandate and objectives

The Commission’s core mandate derived from the NLCA and the Nunavut Act to facilitate implementation of land, resource, fiscal, and governance provisions. Objectives included designing administrative frameworks in collaboration with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, establishing public service arrangements with the Public Service Commission of Canada, and advising on territorial capital logistics in Iqaluit. It aimed to operationalize Inuit harvesting rights and land tenure settled under the NLCA, manage transfer of federal responsibilities exemplified in agreements with the Government of Canada and coordinate with agencies like Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Parks Canada on conservation and co-management. The Commission also targeted development of justice institutions consistent with provisions involving the Supreme Court of Canada jurisprudence on Indigenous rights.

Organizational structure and membership

Chaired by figures including John Amagoalik, the Commission brought together Inuit leaders, federal appointees, and territorial representatives drawn from organizations such as Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Qikiqtani Inuit Association, Kivalliq Inuit Association, and Kitikmeot Inuit Association. Membership linked to federal departments like Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and regional offices in Iqaluit, with stakeholder participation from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Territorial Court of Nunavut planning units. The structure featured working groups on land, wildlife, economic development, education and health, cooperating with institutions such as the University of the Arctic, College of the North Atlantic, and the Nunavut Arctic College planning committees. Liaison roles connected the Commission to parliamentary committees including the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and to Inuit political bodies like Tapiriit Kanatami.

Key activities and programs

The Commission developed transition plans, staffing frameworks, and legislative drafting support to establish institutions including a territorial legislature modeled on practices from the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories and informed by consultations with the Legislative Assembly of Yukon. It oversaw programs for public service recruitment, training in cooperation with Nunavut Arctic College, and protocols for Inuit employment consistent with Nunavut Agreement targets. The Commission coordinated transfer of land administration, resource management, and wildlife co-management regimes aligned with boards like the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board and the Nunavut Planning Commission. It organized community engagement tours across hamlets like Rankin Inlet, Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, Arviat, and Cambridge Bay to implement local governance arrangements, and liaised with infrastructure initiatives involving Indigenous Services Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation on housing and capital projects.

Role in the creation of Nunavut Territory

Acting as the operational engine between legislation and on-the-ground establishment, the Commission translated the NLCA and the Nunavut Act into functioning institutions for the new territory proclaimed on April 1, 1999. It coordinated the enumeration of land parcels and Inuit-owned lands as specified in the NLCA, worked with the Surveyor General of Canada and the Canada Lands Directorate on land titles, and assisted in creating the territorial public service, electoral boundaries endorsed by Elections Canada processes, and court services with Justice Canada input. The Commission’s activities intersected with federal proclamations, administrative orders, and intergovernmental accords that enabled transfer of responsibilities from the Northwest Territories to the new territorial administration.

Legacy and impact on governance and Indigenous rights

The Commission’s legacy includes the institutionalization of Inuit self-determination arrangements embedded in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement and operational structures that influenced subsequent Indigenous governance frameworks such as modern self-government accords and co-management regimes across Canada. Its work underpinned the formation of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, contributed to policy models adopted by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples follow-on initiatives, and shaped debates in forums like the Assembly of First Nations and Inuit Circumpolar Council. The Commission’s implementation efforts produced enduring mechanisms for Inuit participation in land and resource decisions, influenced jurisprudence in the Supreme Court of Canada on Indigenous title, and informed federal approaches to northern policy through agencies including Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada.

Category:Politics of Nunavut Category:Indigenous rights in Canada Category:History of Nunavut