Commissioner of Nunavut represent the Canadian monarch. The position was created in 1999 with the creation of the new Nunavut territory. Like other territorial commissioners, he or she is appointed by the Government of Canada and represents the Canadian cabinet in the territory. "Note." Prior to April 1, 1999, Nunavut was part of the Northwest Territories. See Commissioners of Northwest Territories. The role of Deputy Commissioner was added in 2005 by amending the Public Officer Act and Seals Act to be inline with the Yukon and Northwest Territories. The duties of the Commissioner is similar to that of the lieutenant governors of the
Melville Island (Northwest Territories and Nunavut) deposits. The island was believed to have deposits of coal and oil shale since the first half of the 20th century. The first Canadian Arctic island exploratory well was spudded in 1961 at Winter Harbour. It drilled Lower Paleozoic strata to a total depth of . In the 1970s, the northern portion of the island on the east side of the Sabine Peninsula proved to contain a major gas field, known as Drake Point. The lease was owned by Panarctic Oils, a joint operation with the Canadian Government. Melville Island (Northwest Territories and Nunavut) Melville Island is an uninhabited island