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Employment and demography in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut

University of British Columbia

The Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut is the focus of this study. Composed of the communities of Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk (Coppermine), Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak, Pelly Bay and two small settlements, Baychimo and Bathurst Inlet, this region will join with Kivalliq (Keewatin) and Qikiqtaaluk (Baffin) to form the thirteenth political unit of Canadian Confederation, Nunavut ("our land"), on April 1, 1999. At this time the Inuit, who form the majority within Nunavut, will have achieved and legitimized a form of public self-government to guide their political aspirations to the future, What remains to be determined is the economic future. The thesis is an exercise in determining what this economic future will hold in one of the three political units of what will become Nunavut: the Kitikmeot. It is an attempt to answer two primary questions. The first is "what is it that people presently 'do' to earn a living in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut?". In this regard, the thesis offers as original research a compilation and analysis of employment practices and demographic structure for the regional population for two one-year time periods: July 1, 1991 - July 1, 1992, and January 1, 1993 - January 1, 1994. Following upon this format, the thesis projects this data forward in a logical sequence in order to answer the second question of inquiry: "what is it that people within the Kitikmeot Region will likely 'do' to earn a living in the future?" In this regard, the major finding of significance is that a large "bulge" of the population will be entering the work force within the next several years, Opportunities for employment must be provided for this group: the thesis quantifies the magnitude of this task. The basic theme that emerges from this exercise is that, within this region, demographic structure and employment opportunity are intrinsically allied. Job creation mast keep pace with a rapidly expanding population base for there to be a viable economic future. In this regard, the thesis indicates that there may be a means of providing for sufficient employment opportunity, and for an economic base within the Kitikmeot: the trade-off of abundant non-renewable resources for jobs, and investment opportunity, in an area in which under- and unemployment exists alongside the prospects for the creation of wealth, the thesis argues that the ultimate alleviation of one with the other may become inevitable as demonstrated employment need grows over time.

Thesis/Dissertation

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2009-03-16

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/6063

Geography

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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