Mr. Speaker, today I would like to say that the Premier of Nunavut, Paul Okalik, is pleased to be back in Ottawa for a few days on government business.
As hon. members know, the Government of Nunavut celebrated its first year anniversary on April 1, 2000. One year ago the world watched as this historic event changed the face of Canada.
In these last 12 months the Government of Nunavut has demonstrated stability and strong leadership in establishing the policies, programs and partnerships to benefit the lives of Nunavut residents.
Despite the excitement of a new government, there are many challenges facing both the Government of Nunavut and the federal government toward improving the quality of life of Nunavummiut. The federal and the territorial governments must work hard to deal with such significant issues as lack of housing, unemployment and education.
I am very happy to see Premier Okalik in Ottawa meeting with federal government officials to dialogue on the opportunities and challenges facing his territory.