On April 1, 1999, after decades of dreams and negotiations and years of planning, the Inuit-dominated territory of Nunavut came into being in Canada’s Eastern and Central Arctic. This was a momentous occasion, signifying not only the first change to the map of Canada in over half a century but also a remarkable achievement in terms of creating a new government from the ground up. Made in Nunavut provides the first behind-the-scenes account of how the Government of Nunavut was designed and implemented. Written by leading authorities on governance in the Canadian Arctic, this book pays particular attention to the most distinctive and innovative organizational design feature of the new government – the decentralization of offices and functions that would normally be located in the capital to small communities spread out across the vast territory. It also critically assesses whether decentralization has delivered “better” government for the people of Nunavut.

Political culture in Nunavut has long been characterized by different approaches to political life: traditional Inuit attitudes toward governance, federal aspirations for the political integration of Inuit, and territorial strategies for institutional development. Ailsa Henderson links these features to contemporary political attitudes and behaviour, concluding that a distinctive political culture is emerging in Nunavut. Drawing upon extensive fieldwork and quantitative analysis, this book provides the first systematic, empirical study of political life in Nunavut, offering comprehensive analysis of the evolving nature of aboriginal self-government in the Arctic and shedding crucial light on Inuit–non-Inuit relations.

The Nunavut story told in this book by authors who have all been involved with Nunavut and Inuit politics for a very long time is an important one for indigenous peoples around the world - and for anyone interested in indigenous issues. Stressing the political dynamics of the beginning of Nunavut's autonomous life, the authors provide a clear and accurate account of a remarkable political process. Following an introductory focus on three fundamental questions: Why did Nunavut come to life, what are the challenges and opportunities to come, and what is to be learned from this experience? - the book continues with an investigation of Nunavut, its history and structure and the most recent developments and their impact on the people of Nunavut.

In T is for Territories: A Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut Alphabet, acclaimed storyteller Michael Kusugak gives an A-Z tour of Canada's three territories, the northern region of the country that is a giant in size, history, and culture. Young readers can kick up their heels at the Arctic Winter Games with sports such as the one-foot high-kick, listen to world-renowned storytellers at Whitehorse's International Storytelling Festival, or experience Wood Buffalo National Park where sometimes visitors have to stop and wait for wildlife to get out of the way. Everyone will enjoy this alphabetical journey that showcases the riches of the territories.

In Canada's Eastern Arctic and Greenland, the Inuit have been the majority for centuries. In recent years, they have been given a promise from Canadian and Danish governments that offers them more responsibility for their lands and thus control over their lives without fear of being outnumbered by outsiders. The Arctic Promise looks at how much the Inuit vision of self-governance relates to the existing public governance systems of Greenland and Nunavut, and how much autonomy there can be for territories that remain subordinate units of larger states. By means of a bottom-up approach involving cultural immersion, contextual, jurisprudential, and historical legal comparisons of Greenland and Nunavut, The Arctic Promise examines the forms, evolution, and scope of the right to autonomy in these Arctic jurisdictions. Loukacheva argues that the right to autonomy should encompass or protect Inuit jurisdiction in legal systems and the administration of justice, and should allow the Inuit direct participation in international affairs where issues that affect their homelands are concerned. The Arctic Promise deals with areas of comparative constitutional law, international law, Aboriginal law, legal anthropology, political science, and international relations, using each to contribute to the understanding of the right to indigenous autonomy.

Images of Canadianness offers backgrounds and explanations for a series of relevant--if relatively new--features of Canada, from political, cultural, and economic angles. Each of its four sections contains articles written by Canadian and European experts that offer original perspectives on a variety of issues: voting patterns in English-speaking Canada and Quebec; the vitality of French-language communities outside Quebec; the Belgian and Dutch immigration waves to Canada and the resulting Dutch-language immigrant press; major transitions taking place in Nunavut; the media as a tool for self-government for Canada's First Peoples; attempts by Canadian Indians to negotiate their position in society; the Canada-US relationship; Canada's trade with the EU; and Canada's cultural policy in the light of the information highway.

Through an examination of the roles of relief and relocation in response to welfare and other perceived problems and the federal government's overall goal of assimilating the Inuit into the dominant Canadian culture, this book questions the seeming benevolence of the post-Second World War Canadian welfare state. The authors have made extensive use of archival documents, many of which have not been available to researchers before. The early chapters cover the first wave of government expansion in the north, the policy debate that resulted in the decision to relocate Inuit, and the actual movement of people and materials. The second half of the book focuses on conditions following relocation and addresses the second wave of state expansion in the late fifties and the emergence of a new dynamic of intervention.

Born at a traditional Inuit camp in what is now Nunavut, Joan Scottie has spent decades protecting the Inuit hunting way of life, most famously with her long battle against the uranium mining industry. Twice, Scottie and her community of Baker Lake successfully stopped a proposed uranium mine. Working with geographer Warren Bernauer and social scientist Jack Hicks, Scottie here tells the history of her community’s decades-long fight against uranium mining. Scottie's I Will Live for Both of Us is a reflection on recent political and environmental history and a call for a future in which Inuit traditional laws and values are respected and upheld. Drawing on Scottie’s rich and storied life, together with document research by Bernauer and Hicks, their book brings the perspective of a hunter, Elder, grandmother, and community organizer to bear on important political developments and conflicts in the Canadian Arctic since the Second World War. In addition to telling the story of her community’s struggle against the uranium industry, I Will Live for Both of Us discusses gender relations in traditional Inuit camps, the emotional dimensions of colonial oppression, Inuit experiences with residential schools, the politics of gold mining, and Inuit traditional laws regarding the land and animals. A collaboration between three committed activists, I Will Live for Both of Us provides key insights into Inuit history, Indigenous politics, resource management, and the nuclear industry.

"Nunavut is a land of islands, encompassing some of the most remote places on Earth. It is also home to some of the world's most fascinating bird species. The windswept tundra, rocky shorelines, and icy waters of this thinly populated land are integral to the survival of numerous breeding and non-breeding birds, including the colourful King Eider, the stately Snowy Owl, and the legendary Gyrfalcon. Birds of Nunavut is the first complete survey of every species known to occur in the territory. Co-written by a team of eighteen experts who have conducted a combined total of 300 seasons of fieldwork in Nunavut, they document 295 species of birds (of which 145 are known to breed there), presenting a wealth of information on identification, distribution, ecology, behaviour, and conservation. Lavishly illustrated with over 800 colour photographs (showing plumages, nests, eggs, and young for most breeding species) and 145 range maps, it is a visually stunning reference work on the birds that live in and visit Nunavut."--

Since the mid-twentieth century, sustained contact between Inuit and newcomers has led to profound changes in education in the Eastern Arctic, including the experience of colonization and progress toward the re-establishment of traditional education in schools. Heather McGregor assesses developments in the history of education in four periods � the traditional, the colonial (1945-70), the territorial (1971-81), and the local (1982-99). She concludes that education is most successful when Inuit involvement and local control support a system reflecting Inuit culture and visions.