CONFERENCE AGENDA
(All events are held at the Grand Ballroom, Southway Hotel)
2431 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario
(Free Parking; Free airport shuttle)
(613)737-0811 │ 1-877-688-4929
PRE-REGISTRATION │ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
Feb. 3│ 6:30−8:30pm│ Pre-Registration (refreshments provided)
Delegates are encouraged to pre-register to avoid lineups on Feb. 4.
DAY 1 │ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015
Feb. 4│ 7:45−8:30am│ Registration; Continental Breakfast
Feb. 4│ 8:30−8:45am│ Opening Remarks
Feb. 4│ 8:45−9:45am│ Opening Keynote Address
Hon. Tom Siddon, P.C., Ph.D., LL.D., Minister of Indian Affairs & Northern Development (1990-1993)
Feb. 4│ 9:45−11:00am
Session 1: Looking Back ─ A brief history of Nunavut, how it came into existence and where it stands today
To understand Nunavut’s successes as well as its many challenges, one has to look into its past. It has been said that the creation of Nunavut was a tremendous political achievement for both Canada and the Inuit. 15 years ago, Nunavut was full of hopes and promises. 15 years later, is Nunavut still part of a success story? Has Nunavut met our expectations?
- Land claim movement and negotiations leading to the creation of Nunavut
- Efforts between 1993 to 1999 regarding the establishment of Nunavut
- Promises and expectations for Nunavut on April 1, 1999
- Overall assessment of Nunavut’s successes and failures after 15 year
Speakers: Hon. Dennis Patterson, Hon. Paul Quassa, Tom Molloy, Barry Dewar, Rick Van Loon
Feb. 4│ 11:00−11:15am│ Refreshment Break
Feb. 4│ 11:15−12:30pm
Session 2: Are we better off? ─ A look at Nunavummiut’s health and social wellbeing
“Are we better off?” has been said to be the quintessential benchmark in measuring the effectiveness of a government policy/program. Since 1999, the GN and Inuit organizations have been undertaking tremendous amount of efforts to attempt to improve the health and social wellbeing of Nunavummiut. We will examine a few major government initiatives to see whether and what kind of progress has been made.
- Mental Health Strategy
- Suicide Prevention Strategy
- Family Violence Prevention Act and Family Violence Strategy
- Food Security Strategy
Speakers: Terry Audla, Dr. Maureen Baikie, Jack Hicks, Edward Kennedy
Feb. 4│ 12:30−1:45pm│ Lunch
Feb. 4│ 1:45−2:15pm│ Northern Keynote Address
Hon. Monica Ell, Deputy Premier & Minister of Economic Development &
Transportation, Government of Nunavut
Feb. 4│ 2:15−3:45pm
Session 3: Mining and devolution ─ The roles of the GN and potential impacts of devolution
Resource development has been one of the main pillars of the Harper Government’s Northern policy. The GN, however, has limited control over resource development in Nunavut as the federal government owns the Crown lands within the Territory. The GN has been increasingly aggressive in asserting itself in the mining sector and in pursuing the devolution agenda. What is the prospect of devolution negotiation in Nunavut? Will it help solve Nunavut’s challenges such as unemployment or infrastructure deficit?
- GN’s role on resource development and tools it has to make other players listen
- GN’s uranium mining policy, public consultation process and likely impacts
- History, status and prospect of the Nunavut devolution negotiation
- Potential impacts of devolution in Nunavut
Speakers: Tony Penikett, Bob Long, Paul Crowley, Adam Chamberlain
Feb. 4│ 3:45−4:00pm│ Refreshment Break
Feb. 4│ 4:00−5:30pm
Session 4: Against the tide ─ Reversing the loss of language and culture through legislation
Gradual loss of language and culture has been a major challenge for Aboriginal peoples including Inuit. Inuit Language Protection Act (ILPA) in 2008 has been celebrated as a major achievement by both the GN and Inuit organizations. Although Inuit organizations were not satisfied with the Education Act in 2008, it contains important provisions intending to promote bilingual education in Nunavut. How have these legislation been implemented? Are they making a difference?
- ILPA − History, accomplishments and deficiencies
- Will ILPA save the decline of Inuit languages?
- Education Act − History, accomplishments and deficiencies
- Will the Education Act bring about a bilingual population in Nunavut?
Speakers: Eva Aariak, Naulluq Arnaquq, Dr. Annis May Timpson, Hon. Paul Quassa
Feb. 4│ 5:30pm│ Conference Adjourns for Day 1
DAY 2 │ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
Feb. 5│ 8:00−8:45am│ Continental Breakfast
Feb. 5│ 8:45−10:30am
Session 5: What pays the bills? ─ Nunavut’s search for a sustainable economy
Although government spending will likely continue to dominate Nunavut’s economy in the coming years, there have been significant changes and shifts in the Nunavut economy in the past 15 years. The traditional harvesting economy has been shrinking while other sectors such as mining and tourism are growing. Will Nunavut be able to develop a sustainable economy in the foreseeable future?
- Overview of Nunavut economy and the role of government spending
- Contributions and prospect of mining sector in Nunavut’s economy
- Oil and gas development in Nunavut and the Arctic waters
- Harvesting economy and impacts of EU seals ban and other animal right movements
Speakers: Tom Paddon, Dr. Michael Byers, Paul Crowley
Feb. 5│ 10:30−10:45am│ Refreshment Break
Feb. 5│ 10:45−12:30pm
Session 6: Self-governance through public government ─ How has it been working so far?
Nunavut is the only jurisdiction in Canada where the majority of its population are Aboriginal. Inuit leaders chose a public government to effect their aspiration for self-governance, and both the Legislative Assembly and the Cabinet operate on a consensus form of decision making rather than a party system. The GN has also been pursuing a decentralization policy in the hope of bringing employments to smaller communities. How has the system been working for Inuit and those in smaller communities? Is the system working for Nunavut’s non-Inuit population?
- Self-government v. public government
- Effectiveness and deficiencies of consensus form of government
- GN’s decentralization policy and its impacts
- Roles of Inuit organizations as checks and balances for the GN?
- Interests of non-Inuit population in an Inuit-dominated public government
Feb. 5│ 12:30−1:45pm│ Lunch
Feb. 5│ 1:45−3:15pm
Session 7: A small piece in a big puzzle? ─ Nunavut in a Canadian and global context
Nunavut is at the forefront and converging point of many global and national hot issues such as Canada’s Arctic Policy and Northern Strategy, Arctic sovereignty and national security, climate change, the debate over the Northwest Passage and the rush to develop what is arguably “the last frontier” on earth.
- Canada’s Northern Strategy and how Nunavut fits in
- Arctic Sovereignty, Northwest Passage and the historical roles of Inuit
- Climate change and the potential impacts on Inuit way of life
- Canada’s claim on continental shelf and rights of Inuit
- Commercial fishing and developments in the Arctic ocean
Speakers: Dr. Michael Byers, Tony Penikett, Terry Audla, Dr. Terry Fenge
Feb. 5│ 3:15−3:30pm│ Refreshment Break
Feb. 5│ 3:30−5:00pm
Session 8: Looking forward ─ Major political, social, economic and policy challenges in the next 10 years
This conference started with the past. It will end with the future. Do you still believe in Nunavut? Do you still think Nunavut has a bright and promising future, like we hoped 15 year ago? Panel members at this session will provide an overview of major challenges facing the Territory in the coming decade, and their views on Nunavut’s ability to overcome these challenges.
- the prospect for a sustainable economy and the continuing challenge of balancing resource development and the negative impacts on environment and traditional lifestyle
- the critical shortage of infrastructure that negatively impact on economic development and quality of life of Nunavummiut
- the overwhelming challenge of solving unemployment and poverty issues in Nunavut
- the alarming loss of Inuit language and culture
- the future of relationship between the Government of Canada and Inuit/GN in the face of the Inuit’s one billion lawsuit against the Government of Canada
Speakers: Hon. Tom Siddon, Naullaq Arnaquq, Qajaq Robinson, Becky Mearns
Feb. 5│ 5:00pm│ Conference Concludes