Iqaluit (Aug 18/03) - Jean Chretien is expected to be in Iqaluit this week to officially declare Wager Bay a national park.

Nunavut MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell said last week that "as far as I know the PM will be doing the signing ceremony."

The ceremony will take place on August 23 in Iqaluit, and for at least one person, that's a fitting end to a long process.

"I've been working on this for 13 years," said Elizabeth Seale, Parks Canada superintendent for Nunavut field unit.

Seale was one of the negotiators for this park near Repulse Bay, and admits it's her favourite of the Nunavut national parks.

The park, named Ukkusiaksalik after the soapstone found in the area, will encompass 20,500 square kilometres.

The exact details for the signing ceremony have not been completed, but Karetak-Lindell has been working on including as many people from the Keewatin region as possible.

"We obviously can't take everyone but asked KIA (Kivaliq Inuit Association) to send a list of priority people who should be at the ceremony.

"We want all the communities in the Keewatin region and those people attached to Wager Bay to take part," said Karetak-Lindell.

The premier of Nunavut and the minister of sustainable development will be announced as the territorial representatives for the ceremony when the federal government officially announces Aug. 23 as the date for the ceremony.

A second ceremony will likely take place in Repulse Bay, but on a smaller scale.

"We have been working for the last three years to have something in Repulse. We will try to work something out for the community," said Karetak-Lindell, adding that financial constraints will limit the size of that celebration.

Repulse Bay will also see the arrival of a Parks Canada office in the near future.