The Honourable Paul Okalik

After being re-elected to a second term as MLA for Iqaluit West on February 16, 2004, the Honourable Paul Okalik was chosen by his peers to continue serving as Nunavutís Premier.

His selection at the March 5, 2004 leadership forum in the Nunavut Legislature is the first time that a sitting Premier has received a second term in the non-partisan consensus government system that is in place in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Okalik was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut on March 5, 1999 and was subsequently voted in by his caucus colleagues to become the first Premier of Nunavut.
Mr. Okalik holds the portfolios of Justice, Aboriginal Affairs and Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs. His responsibilities as Premier have a tremendous impact on Nunavummiut and the growth of Nunavut.

During his second term, the Premier intends to meet his campaign commitments of economic prosperity and the promotion of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in government
Mr. Okalik is a person who cares deeply about Nunavut, its people and the role Nunavut plays within the rest of Canada and the circumpolar world. He strongly believes that lifelong learning and enhanced skills are the key to individual and national prosperity. As an advocate for innovation and the development of Nunavutís economy he is committed to seeing Nunavummiut develop the skills needed to build their territory. He is also developing means of bringing government closer to the people it serves.

Built on a consensus model of government, Nunavut operates within the principles of Canadian parliamentary democracy. All Members of the Legislative Assembly are elected as independent members. This type of government is the cornerstone of Nunavutís development. The system unifies the principles of parliamentary democracy with Aboriginal values.

In the early 1980s, Mr. Okalik worked as Deputy Chief Negotiator and Special Assistant to the President of Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut; which pushed for a settlement agreement that had been evolving for generations. Signed in 1993, the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement became the largest land claim in Canadian history.
Mr. Okalik went on to lay the groundwork for the creation of the Inuit Heritage Trust, Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Nunavut Implementation Training Committee and Nunavut Social Development Council.

Returning to school during the early 1990s, Mr. Okalik graduated from Carleton University with a degree in political science and Canadian studies. Eager to continue his post-secondary studies, Mr. Okalik completed his law degree at the University of Ottawa in 1997 and on February 12, 1999 was called to the Bar.
Mr. Okalik has two children, Shasta and Jordan. In his spare time, Mr. Okalik enjoys hunting, fishing and golfing. He is fluent in Inuktitut, English and is studying French.

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