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(Wolfville, NS) - Five
years ago, Canada marked one of its most important political
achievements in recent history with the creation of Nunavut. Now,
Inuit policy makers and community leaders are preparing to reflect
upon and share their perspectives on the first five years of the
Nunavut government’s political achievements and challenges.
Nunavut at Five: The
Nunavut Policy Symposium, an international event celebrating the 5th
anniversary of the creation of the Canada’s newest territory and its
government, will be hosted by Acadia University May 5 - 7, 2004 at
the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre and Harriet Irving
Botanical Gardens.
With its quiet, rural
setting and world-class technological “info-structure,” Acadia
University provides both a comfortable environment for the
participants and the resources necessary to ensure that the policy
dialogue is inclusive and national in its reach. Using video and
teleconferencing, the workshop and the policy seminars will be
inclusive of Inuit community leaders and Inuit policy officials,
selected academics across the country, Inuit youth and elders, Nova
Scotia-based cultural communities, and appropriate elected
officials.
The symposium is being
organized to develop an Inuit-driven policy dialogue and research
network. Workshops will identify the Inuit-defined research agenda
and will direct four to six policy seminars to be held in the next
year, with the policy focus of each determined by the May meetings
at Acadia University.
As part of the three
day schedule, the Honourable Peter Irniq, Commissioner of Nunavut
will build an Inuksuk on the Acadia campus. The Inuksuk will be
constructed with Annapolis Valley granite and will be unveiled in a
ceremony at noon on May 5th.
Media will have access
to Nunavut government leaders, elected representatives and leading
academics. In addition, media are welcome to observe the
construction of the Inuksuk beginning Monday, May 3.
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