The division of the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, represented years of preparation for responsible self-government in Nunavut. Northern planners played a central role in the development of the land reform planning process. While there was no Canadian precedent for this task, planners representing the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) worked within a five-year time-frame to develop, initiate, and implement the land reform components prior to division.