Akitsiraq Law School Program in Nunavut – Phase Two

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Akitsiraq Law School Program in Nunavut – Phase Two

July 28, 2008 Mr. Markus Weber Deputy Minister of Justice Department of Justice Bag 1000 STN 500 Iqaluit NU X0A 0H0 Dear Mr. Weber: Re: Akitsiraq Law School Program in Nunavut – Phase Two It was a pleasure to meet with you last month and to have the opportunity to discuss the challenges facing the legal profession and the justice system in Nunavut. It is in this same spirit that I write to support the second phase of the Akitsiraq Law School Program in Nunavut and to urge your support for this program. This unique Program which was launched in 1999 in partnership with the University of Victoria, allowed 15 Inuit students to undertake a fully-accredited law degree program in Nunavut. Eleven students graduated in 2005. The Akitsiraq Law School Society is now seeking partners to implement the second phase of the Program. The Canadian Bar Association celebrates the success of the Program. It helped address the serious shortage of legal professionals in Nunavut and allowed young Inuit to access a rigorous legal education that meets the highest standards of Canadian university law programs. Based on its success, there is strong support to provide a second cohort of Inuit students with the same opportunity. We were made aware that Justice Canada recently agreed to support the planning and preparation phase of the program. The CBA commends this decision and hopes that the Nunavut Department of Justice will join in supporting the Akitsiraq Law School Society. During the last decade, there have been as few as five full-time resident private sector lawyers in Nunavut, none of whom speak the Inuit language. By providing for professionals with intimate knowledge of the specific challenges facing the residents of Nunavut, this program will allow Inuit to take their rightful place in the administration of justice and government in Nunavut and for the local bar to gain more stability and sustainability. 2 Please join the Canadian Bar Association and support the Akitsiraq Law School Program in Nunavut. Thank you for your consideration of this important project. Yours truly, (Original signed by Bernard Amyot) Bernard Amyot .

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