Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to congratulate the 16 students who have graduated successfully from the first community land administration certificate program.
A graduation ceremony was held for graduates last month in Iqaluit, where the first course was held. In particular, I wish to acknowledge the four students who were named to the honour roll for outstanding achievement: Geoff Kusugak, Rankin Inlet; Levi Killiktee, Grise Fiord; Allen Oniak, Kugluktuk; and, Jerry Panigoniak, Arviat.
Mr. Speaker, article 14 of the Nunavut land claims agreement provides that title to municipal lands will be transferred to the communities of Nunavut by July 9th of this year. With ownership of the land comes community responsibility to administer the land.
To assist communities with this responsibility, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in collaboration with Nunavut Arctic College, developed the community land administration certificate program. The goal of this program is to provide a northern training opportunity for municipal land administration.
Funding for the program was made possible through the support of the Nunavut Implementation Panel, which consists of members representing Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
The first program began in 1995, at the Nunatta Campus of the college in Iqaluit, and 17 of the 25 Nunavut municipalities sponsored students in the program,
Mr. Speaker, the 16 graduates of this first program are now working in their communities, helping to manage and administer municipal land.
Mr. Speaker, when I spoke recently to Members about the department's land reform initiatives, I indicated that training of community staff was a key cornerstone of our plans. We can point to their first class of graduates as concrete evidence of our commitment to this training and one of the examples of our efforts to empower communities.
Our efforts to train community land administrators will continue. Earlier this year, a second group of students began the community land administration program. This course is being offered in Rankin Inlet and we have 13 students; eight from Nunavut and, for the first time, five from the Western Arctic. The department is discussing plans for a similar program in the Western Arctic with Aurora College.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, the first graduates of the community land administration certificate program are already making an important contribution by helping community councils take over authority for lands within their boundaries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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