Nunavut Day in Canada / Jour Du Nunavut - July 9
Nunavut Day, which is annually celebrated on July 9, commemorates passing of two Nunavut acts. The Canadian Parliament passed the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act and the Nunavut Act on July 9, 1993. Nunavut officially split from the Northwest Territories and became a Canadian territory on April 1, 1999.
See the schedule on an attached file on the right -------------->
What do people do?
Many events are arranged on Nunavut Day. These include:
- Communal meals, including pancake breakfasts and barbecue.
- Speeches by local leaders.
- Traditional games and dances.
- Presentations of policies and initiatives to stimulate Nunavut’s cultural and economic sustainability.
- Competitions to increase the awareness of Nunavut’s history among young people.
The Nunavut Day Cultural and Academic Grants winners are also announced on this day. These grants are awarded to Nunavut residents to enable them to pursue academic studies or to increase their levels of traditional skills.
Public life
Nunavut Day is a public holiday in Nunavut and government offices are closed. Many stores and other organizations may be closed. Nunavut Day is not a public holiday holiday in other parts of Canada.
Background
The Northwest Territories were originally created in 1870. At that time, they covered a huge area and included parts of the modern provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan and the Territory of Yukon. In 1976, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami were involved in land claim negotiations with the Canadian Government during which the division of the Northwest Territories was discussed. On April 14, 1982, many residents voted for this division in a plebiscite (referendum).
On April 1, 1999, Nunavut officially split from the Northwest Territories and this date and its anniversary in 2000 became known as Nunavut Day. However, April 1 did not have any real meaning for the people of Nunavut. Nunavut Day celebrations were moved to July 9 in 2001 and have remained on that date since then.
