 Message from the President
The Nunatsiavut Government's creation has been the result of much hard work by many people over long, sometimes challenging years. But we now have self-governance that we can take pride in. We can build our future together. I am very proud to be able to lead this government and I thank you for the confidence you have had in me from our LIA days to today.
Our government has been working very hard to put together departmental structures and a civil service dedicated to Nunatsiavut beneficiaries. We have been successful in building a Ministry, placing people in important civil service roles, and preparing for elections in the fall of 2006. This work will continue so that we can fulfill our promise of having a fully-functioning democratic government. The way for our people to choose our destiny is to have them choose Labrador Inuit to lead their government. I look forward to the day, coming soon, when Labrador Inuit vote for the president and leaders of a government.
Everyone who works for the Nunatsiavut Government works for the Labrador Inuit. Many of us have worked many years for our people. Many of us have had your support for those years. We do not forget our people, your support, or our commitments. We all work each day to continue to deserve that support and meet those commitments.
William Andersen III
President, LIA
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Biography - William Andersen III
President, Nunatsiavut Government
William Andersen III became President of Nunatsiavut on December 1, 2005 when the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement and the Labrador Inuit Constitution came into effect. He had been elected for the second time as President of the Labrador Inuit Association (LIA) in 2003, having served before as President from 1984 to 1993. President Andersen has been involved in all aspects of LIA, especially the Labrador Inuit Land Claim Agreement. He was a leading force in its ratification by an overwhelming 76 per cent of eligible voters on May 26, 2004, by the Provincial House of Assembly on December 6, 2004 and by Canada's Parliament on June 23, 2005. He is now leading the transition to Nunatsiavut government.
Utilizing the Inuit principles of compromise, consensus building and negotiation, Andersen achieved many major accomplishments while President from 1984 to 1993, including a 600% increase in federal operating grants for the Labrador Inuit Development Corporation (LIDC); development for the Ten Mile Bay Anorthosite quarry; construction of the LIDC Caribou Plant and LIA head office buildings in Nain; negotiations and implementation of the agreement in principle' that outlines the Labrador Inuit rights to hunt, fish and gather in northeastern Quebec; negotiations with the Innu Nation and the Inuit of Nunavik on overlapping land claims in Labrador and Northern Quebec, and secured a direct funding agreement for the Post Secondary Student Support Program and the Non-Insured Health Benefits program.
In addition to experience gained during over a decade as President of LIA, Andersen has a wealth of experience from many other positions he has held, including a diamond bit driller, provincial Wildlife Protection Officer, interpreter/translator for LIA and fisherman. He also served as Mayor of Nain from 1978 to 1984. As a Member of the House of Assembly, representing the Torngat Mountains District, Andersen sat on the Resource Estimates Committee. During his time as a Land Selector/Negotiator for LIA, Andersen was involved in negotiations with federal and provincial governments and community consultation and mapping of proposed Labrador Inuit lands. Community minded, Andersen served on many committees, from the Inuit Circumpolar Conference to the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada and the Inuit Committee on National issues.
An ambassador for Labrador Inuit, Andersen has attended many international conferences around the world. Andersen is fluent in spoken and written English and Inuttitut.
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