Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Aug 28/00) - When Siobhan Arnatsiaq-Murphy was in Grade 11, she dropped out of school. She was the only aboriginal in her Ottawa school.

Now the 23 year-old is president of the Akitsiraq Law School Society and is helping spearhead a project to establish a law school in Iqaluit. It is a joint project between the University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C. and the society.

Arnatsiaq-Murphy currently works in policy analysis for the Government of Nunavut's Department of Justice.

She plans to attend the school when it begins operations in September 2001.

"I want to see the quality of life increase in Nunavut," said Arnatsiaq-Murphy. "The only way is through further education."

Susan Enuaraq went homeless in Toronto while she was attending Ryerson University 10 years ago. For a month she went from cheap motel to cheap motel. She dropped out after her first semester.

Now Enuaraq -- also a member of the law society -- works for the Department of Justice and has done everything from working with legal aid to prosecuting summary offenses.

"I've always wanted to be a lawyer," she says, "It's my calling."

Both Enuaraq and Arnatsiaq-Murphy believe it's necessary to have Inuit play a crucial role in all aspects of Nunavut's society.

"This new law-school is another avenue for Inuit," said Arnatsiaq-Murphy.

The society has been trying for years to set up similar programs in the North but to no avail.

The proposed law school -- in its second year of planning -- is marking new territory.

In a UVic press release, Jamie Cassels, Dean of Law at UVic, stated that this project is the first of its kind in Canada.

The four year program will accept 10 to 15 students in its first year. The students will be the only ones in the program until the end of four years.

It normally takes three years of study to obtain a law degree but an extra year has been added because many students in Nunavut have not attended university.

The criteria for admission is still in development but basically it will depend on life experience, academic ability and leadership in the community.

In July, the federal department of Justice gave $100,000 to the project for the recruitment of a Northern co-ordinator.

It will cost each student $30,000 per year. Their tuition will be covered by both government and private funds.

The society is currently looking for a building to house the school. Nunavut has one Inuk lawyer, Premier Paul Okalik.