Here’s what the premier says to expect
‘We're aiming for a seamless transition,’ premier says of April 1 devolution date
Nunavut’s devolution takes effect on April 1, transferring responsibilities for Crown land and natural resources from the federal government to the Nunavut government.
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devolution → ’ → government
With less than six months to go, the territory is preparing to transfer some federal jobs to the Nunavut government, create a new department responsible for lands and resources and pass a series of legislative changes that implement devolution.
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The CBC’s Arty Sarkisian sat down with Nunavut Premier John Main to discuss how that work is proceeding and what Nunavummiut can expect.
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What kind of work has been happening in the background in terms of preparing for this day?
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There's been a ton of work just on multiple fronts, everything from legislation to looking at staffing, bringing over federal employees to the government of Nunavut, looking at capital, office buildings, staff housing units, looking at, what I call the guts of the devolution agreement around contaminated sites, around financial mechanisms.
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And as we get closer to April 1, things have been ramping up.
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things → get → April
We're aiming for a seamless transition when the responsibilities come over from the federal government over to the Nunavut government.
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responsibilities → aim → government
Just under 100 federal workers are expected to be passed on to the government of Nunavut.
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workers → expect → Nunavut
Has that process begun?
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process → begin → ?
Workers and the staff who are currently within the federal system who would potentially be coming over to work for the Nunavut government and our new department, they're one of the most important pieces of devolution.
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they → come → devolution
We can look at all the paperwork and the legal agreements and the money and the legislation, but without the people who know how to do the job, who know how to administer these services to stakeholders.
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who → look → stakeholders
Without them, devolution will face huge challenges.
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devolution → face → challenges
Nunavut signs devolution agreement-in-principle with Canada, Inuit organization
Nunavut has 1 year left before devolution comes into effect.
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devolution → sign → effect
So we've been working for months to build a relationship with the federal employees to answer their questions about what it would mean to work within a Nunavut government.
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it → work → government
And I'm pleased to say that we have delivered job offers as was required in the agreement.
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Ultimately, it's an individual decision in terms of the staff to decide whether they want to come over and work within the Nunavut government.
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they → decide → government
We really hope that we'll see most of them decide to come over and work for our government.
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most → hope → government
Do you know where the department is going to be located?
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department → know → ?
The department will have offices in a number of communities.
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department → have → communities
Most of the staff will be located here in Iqaluit.
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But we do have plans, intentions around decentralization or ways that we will make opportunities available for potential staff living outside of Iqaluit or outside of where positions are currently located.
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positions → have → Iqaluit
The Canada sign on the Qimugjuk Building in Iqaluit has been removed as the building will soon be for workers with the Nunavut government.
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building → remove → government
We have tools around Nunavut-wide work.
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At the end of the day, we want staff who know how to do the job and we also want to maximize the amount of Inuit staff that are within the new department.
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that → want → department
It's still something we're fully committed to.
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And that's where, as we get closer to devolution in the months and years that have passed, there has been effort around things like scholarships, around training programs to bring on more Inuit within the staff and complement.
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that → get → staff
One of the big things about devolution is what I think your predecessor called the final pen in terms of mineral explorations.
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How significant is that going to be for the territory in terms of royalties and in terms of those new potential mines?
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that → go → mines
The fact that it will finally go from a federal government minister having the final sign off on development in Nunavut, to a Nunavut government minister having the final sign off, that will be a huge shift that represents a step forward.
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It represents a maturing for our territory and for the government.
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And you know, I won't sugarcoat it, with responsibility comes burden.
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burden → know → responsibility
These are not easy decisions in terms of specific development and whether it should go ahead.
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it → go → development
There's a very real possibility that the future Nunavut government minister will have to make some very difficult decisions around development in the territory.
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minister → be → territory
That being said, it does represent a huge step forward.
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We are confident that we can administer land tenure, mineral tenure, tenure in a way that is seamless from where the federal system currently operates and one that's consistent with what Nunavummiut want to see from their government.
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In terms of mining, the industry has been facing some troubles in recent years.
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industry → face → years
Baffinland [owner of the Mary River Mine] has been having some financial troubles.
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Baffinland → have → troubles
In terms of Baffinland specifically, they are a major employer in the Qikiqtani region, they make big contributions to the territorial economy both through jobs, through contracting and then also in terms of royalty flows that go to landholders.
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that → make → landholders
And so we want to see Baffinland continue to operate and continue to succeed.
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For the jobs and for all the benefits to flow out of that operation, they need to be financially viable.
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they → flow → operation
…and 20 more, not listed.
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