And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: "KOLA International Campaign Office" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: FIRST PREMIER OF NUNAVUT CHOSEN Date: Sat, 06 Mar 99 20:41:25 PST Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; X-MAPIextension=".TXT" http://newsworld.cbc.ca/cgi-bin/go.pl?1999/03/05/nunavut_prem990305 Newsworld Online People of Nunavut have a premier in waiting WebPosted Sat Mar 6 10:31:26 1999 IQALUIT - The people of Nunavut now have a premier. Members of the territorial legislature elected Paul Okalik to the post Friday afternoon. Okalik is a 34-year-old from the Baffin Island community of Iqaluit. He earned his law degree just three weeks ago and was called to the bar just three days before the territorial election last month. "It's been a good year so far. I hope it continues for the next five years, not just for me but for Nunavut in general," said a slightly taken aback Okalik. The election of Okalik came as a bit a surprise. He upset the candidate favoured to win, Jack Anawak, a former Liberal MP. Anawak's political past may have played a part in his defeat. As a member of the Chretien government in the early '90s, he voted in favour of the new firearms regulations, something that still riles many of the voters. The politicians were elected last month in preparation for next month's split of the Northwest Territories, creating the new territory of Nunavut. In such a new jurisdiction, the building of a government is taking place at the same time as the building of the legislature itself. Construction workers are putting the finishing touches on what is soon to be the seat of government for Nunavut's 25,000 residents. While the legislature is being built, the territory's first elected officials have been meeting down the road all week behind closed doors at the local cadet hall. Ed Picco, member for Iqaluit East, says it's a different way of doing things than in most other parts of Canada, where the premier is the leader of the majority party. The premier and the rest of the government will officially be sworn in when Nunavut officially becomes a territory April 1. That's the day the new territory divides from the Northwest Territories and changes the map of Canada. ---end article--- <+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+> In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. <+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+>=<+> &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
