This course continues from Community Government: Office Systems and introduces more advanced concepts, skills and techniques. Topics include:

1.    Sources of municipal governments authority;
2.    Organization of meetings;
3.    Tasks and office responsibilities relating to contract documents;
4.    Management of office correspondence; and
5.    Business documents.

Basic Marketing is an economic development activity that involves seeking opportunities, taking advantage of them, and working to facilitate economically beneficial exchanges. This course provides general information about marketing in any environment with suggested learning activities that apply marketing concepts directly and specifically to Nunavut.

The learning activities are the key to making this course relevant. Learners are encouraged to select the activities that have the greatest relevance for their goals in the field of marketing and economic development in Nunavut. By completing the learning activities students will gather current information about marketing opportunities and challenges in Nunavut.

Learners will be introduced to basic definitions and concepts that guide the marketing process. They will apply these concepts to the development of a marketing plan and explore some of the communication, research and presentation skills that marketers need for success.

This course is one of five courses in the Office Administrator stream of the Municipal Government Certificate Program (MGP).  The purpose of the MGP is to provide skills for staff in municipal governments.

Administrative support includes the work done by receptionists, typists, data entry clerks, bookkeepers and others working in municipal government organizations.  Other community organizations are also supported through the Nunavut Arctic College and MTO mandate of capacity building in communities.

The course is designed as a reference that will be supported by other resources chosen by instructors to meet the needs of course participants in specific Nunavut communities and regions.  This course provides the basic concepts for a solid foundation in such topics as cash and deposits, purchases and payments and sales and receipts.  The learning exercises in the course will also help participants practice their skills in these areas.

The five courses in the Office Administrator stream are:

1.    Municipal Government:  Office Systems
2.    Municipal Government:  Advanced Office Systems
3.    Municipal Government:  Business Communications
4.    Municipal Government:  Bookkeeping
5.    Municipal Government:  Advanced Computer Applications

Municipal governments are charged with the responsibility of providing a broad range of services to their residents.  These services include: water and sewer services; fire protection; recreation facilities; land planning and administration; economic development; capital infrastructure replacement; and capital operations and maintenance.  The exact nature of the services provided varies, and will depend upon the size of the community.  Many communities also provide a wide variety of services, under contract from other levels of government.  These can include such services as post offices and airport maintenance, management under contract from the federal government, as well as income assistance and social housing from the Nunavut Government

While demand for services continues to increase, constraints continue to be placed on the revenue available to pay for these services.  As a result, municipal governments must carefully review local expenditure plans to ensure that all services are planned and provided for, within the level of funds available.  Additionally, the resource plans must address the needs of the community.

To achieve the best results in the planning for the delivery of community services, key financial, economic, and social factors relating to these services must be brought together under a single process.   This process is known as the budget.

The budget process is the main instrument for estimating and controlling local spending.  It must take into account community needs and legal obligations. It should also serve as a valuable tool to monitor the performance of the municipal government’s management.

This course expands the student’s knowledge of the public relations aspect of office administration. The student will learn how to deal with conflict, build positive relationships and identify and manage stress. The student will learn how to improve performance at work as a result of making good decisions, setting goals and acknowledging different perspectives and needs.

Study of mathematical concepts in a business context.  Emphasis is placed on:

•    A general review of mathematical fundamentals: arithmetic, algebra, ratios
•    Borrowing money 
•    Business analysis

This course is designed to provide municipal works foremen in Nunavut with an introduction to capital planning and the management of projects that involve capital planning.

In the first half of the course, participants will gain a working knowledge of the capital planning process, and the reasons for capital planning.  Participants will also learn how to identify community needs, evaluate the useful life of existing capital assets, determine minimum community requirements, and ensure compatibility between proposed capital projects, program requirements, and existing infrastructure. Methods for prioritizing projects and evaluating future community needs will be presented, as well as methods for estimating capital costs that include O & M values in first-cut 5-year capital plans.

In the second half of the course construction projects are used as examples for studying project management principles and practices.  Participants will learn how projects are managed by learning how to estimate, develop tenders, schedule, and document a project.

This course provides participants with an understanding of the process of community planning, and the documents and procedures needed to plan and regulate land use at the community level.  Topics include: the community planning process, plan preparation, plan implementation, plan administration and enforcement, zoning by-laws, development applications, public participation, and land development.  There is an emphasis on how community planning and zoning (land use by-laws) can help a municipality make informed decisions on land management.

This course introduces students to the concept and application of community planning.  The steps in the community planning process are reviewed and the importance of involving Council and community members is emphasized.  Implementing and reviewing the community plan is also discussed.  The course discusses the importance of public participation in the planning process.  It also reviews the various types of oral communication that can be utilized during the planning process.

This course is an introduction to drafting and graphics techniques and the role they play in the planning and land administration process.  Participants will learn to prepare sketches that are suitable for lease contracts.  The basic elements of surveying will also be examined, including the practical application of surveying in communities.  This includes finding the location of legal survey pins and the layout of the building envelopes on typical residential lots.

Facility Operations includes all aspects of managing a Recreation Facility.  The safe and effective operation, maintenance, and management of existing and future facilities in Nunavut will be achieved by training competent recreation facilities personnel.  By completing the learning activities in this course, participants will understand the overall management of a recreation facility and have the opportunity to become better team leaders and supervisors who are capable of dealing effectively with facilities, people and situations in Nunavut.

This course introduces students to the field of human resources management, from a community government perspective.  In addition to identifying factors that impact on human resources development, a variety of other topic areas are discussed, including: human resources legislation, employment equity, recruitment, selection, compensation, benefits and administration, job design, training and development, employee relations and personnel administration.

The Planning and Lands Administrator (PLA) is responsible for two important activities in a municipality.  These are community planning and land administration.

The planning responsibility of the PLA is to assist the municipality in guiding how land is used in the community.  The PLA will do this by assisting in the preparation of plans and implementing the community plan.

The PLA also helps the Municipality administer and enforce the Land Use Plan, usually through a document called the Zoning By-Law Management of municipal lands must be clearly in the public interest, following procedures that are fair and equitable to all concerned.

The PLA may also manage other government’s lands in the community, such as federal and commissioner’s lands.

Community development is a concept that affects and shapes the lives of organizations, communities and individuals.  Recent trends in political awareness and involvement, control of schools, resources and programs, and the socio-cultural evolution of Nunavut point to the need for community development.  This course will present the learner with the opportunity to explore contemporary community development, allowing learners to integrate traditional and modern models of community processes, decision-making, and planning used in their traditional territory.  Holistic approaches based upon cultural and traditional knowledge will be used.

This course provides an overview of contemporary community economic development approaches and activities.  The key to community development lies in people from the community working together to meet the social and economic needs of the community.  This process is discussed in the companion course, Introduction to Community Development. This course studies Community Economic Development (CED) more specifically as “…,a community-based approach to planning and development that combines economic, social, cultural and environmental priorities and goals. It is social and economic development in the community, for the community, by the community.” This course will present participants with the opportunity to explore contemporary community economic development.  Participants will explore the following stages of community economic development: organizational development, community assessment, setting goals and strategies, project implementation and evaluation and apply them to Nunavut communities.

This is a study of the evolution of northern government and Nunavut government in particular. Key sections will look at government in Canada, territorial governments, Aboriginal rights in Canada, Inuit land claims, Self-determination through Nunavut, the Nunavut Government, Community and municipal governments.