'It's high time': Nunavut officially takes over land, resource responsibilities from feds

Nearly 25 years after Nunavut became a territory, it has signed a final agreement with the government of Canada to have the final say over a long list of decisions that were, until now, usually made in Ottawa. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier P.J. Akeeagok and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Aluki Kotierk signed the agreement at a ceremony in Iqaluit this afternoon. 

It's the largest land transfer in Canada's history, Trudeau said — two million square kilometres of land and water.

The 239-page document outlines how Canada will give control over Nunavut's land and resources to the government of Nunavut — a process known as devolution.

The agreement officially begins April 1, and the parties will have until April 2027 to get it all done. 

"It's high time. It's a turning point for Nunavummiut," said Paul Quassa, a former Nunavut premier and land claims negotiator. 

Speaking just before the signing, Trudeau called it a "historic" day.

"A lot of work has gone into making today possible," he said. "Leaders, negotiators, officials of many stripes have all worked hard for many years to for the same goal: for Nunavummiut to have increased control for decisions on their land, waters and resources."

Nunavut first become a territory in 1999, and has slowly been negotiating with the federal government to have the final say over how many decisions are made. That's a process that both the Yukon and N.W.T. have undergone, as well.

One final area to be negotiated for Nunavut was land and water management, which covers resource development. That negotiation process began in 2008 and the territory signed an agreement-in-principle on devolution in 2019. 

Quassa was part of the land claim negotiations that created Nunavut. The signing of devolution, he said, is something he's imagined for a long time. 

"It's like honey, I guess — it's sweet," Quassa said. "This is something I've looked forward to since the day we started negotiating with the Nunavut government."

The devolution agreement also finalizes the terms for transferring administrative control of Nunavut's Crown lands and resources to the territorial government, and outlines the conditions of the post-transfer period. 

As of the transfer date, government of Canada employees whose jobs become territorial responsibilities, and who work in Nunavut, will be offered jobs with the territorial government.