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The following article along with a map appeared in the San Francisco
Chronicle a few days ago. No mention of "Bob."
New Territory In - Canada's Northland
26,000 live in area larger than Alaska
By David Crary
Associated Press
Toronto
The one-year countdown is about to start for the biggest change in the map
of North America in 40 years: the creation of the new territory of Nunavut
across the eastern half of Canada's rugged northland.
Nunavut, bigger than Alaska, will be governed by the Inuits, or Eskimos,
who make up 85 percent of the 26,000 people living in 28 isolated towns in
a region of tundra, pine forest and ice fields straddling the Arctic Circle.
Under a deal approved by the region's voters in 1992, Nunavut will become
a reality on April 1, 1999 - splitting away from the western part of what
is now the Northwest Territories.
In the Inuits' language, Inuktitut, Nunavut means "our land" a name
conveying the historic nature of the change. Nunavut will be the first
full-fledged political region in North America governed by aboriginals.
"There's nowhere else on this continent where people have that kind of
potential to develop the kind of government they want," said Graham White,
a University of Toronto political scientist who has made several trips to
Iqaluit, Nunavut's capital-to-be.
There are tentative plans to adopt educational and judicial systems
reflecting Inuit traditions for example, criminals might be assigned to
live at isolated camps rather than be jailed in prisons.
"It won't solve all our problems overnight," said John Amagoalik, chairman
of a committee overseeing Nunavut's creation. "But people will have a
government they can relate to - a government that speaks and understands
their language."
Iqaluit, formerly called Frobisher Bay, is home to 4,400 people on Baffin
Island. It has a mean temperature of minus 22 Fahrenheit in January and
will move ahead of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, as North America's
northernmost capital.
At the Skokie, Ill., headquarters of mapmaker Rand McNally, planning for
Nunavut is well under way.
"It's the most significant change in the North American map since Alaska
and Hawaii became states (in 1958 and 1959)," said chief cartographer
Michael Dobson. "There's also a lot of significance in the kind of
statement it's making regarding the status of native Americans."
But Rand McNally cannot print new maps yet - the western portion of
Northwest Territories has not decided what it will call itself after the
split.
There are other unsettled matters. Representatives from the two regions
are trying to decide how to, divide assets, federal subsidies an the
territorial debt. The new government will confront an array of economic
and social problems compounded by one of the continents's highest
birthrates. Nearly' 60 percent of Nunavut's population is under 25,
compared to 35 percent for Canada as a whole.
Officials expect the territory t rely on federal funding for about, 98
percent of its budget, at least initially.
Geography:
--770.000 sq. miles 45 percent on Canadian mainland;
--Hundreds of islands comprise 55 percent
Capital:
--Iqaluit (formerly Frobisher Bay)
Population:
--26,000 (85 percent Inuits);
--60 percent under age of 25.
Economy.
--Biggest employers are territorial and federal governments
--Potential for oil and mineral development but federal funding needed
At 07:36 AM 3/31/98 PST, you wrote:
> Could the Canadians on the list give me some information on what I
hope is
>a joke. Someone on another list commented that the Northwest Territories of
>Canada are going to be split into two provinces, the Eastern part to be named
>Nunavut, and the Western part Bob. I can accept all but the Bob part. If I
>remmember my Canadian history course correctly the new province is not the
>first to be carved out of the Northwest Territories, so you could use "bob"
>to mean a small piece???
>
>Johnnie Sutherland
>University of Georgia
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>