Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

NUNAVUT
Gov. Gen. David Johnston avoided the controversy his predecessor faced two years ago when she visited Nunavut, but that may be because seal meat is out of season.

David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, greets one-year-old Thor Chemko during a community feast on Aug. 16 in Iqaluit. Johnston's wife Sharon is on the right. - Terrence McEachern/NNSL photo

However, Johnston, who was in Nunavut from Aug. 15 to 21, ate other country foods at a community feast in Iqaluit last Monday. Johnston ate raw caribou, Arctic char and beluga whale that was cut and handed to him by Cathy Towtongie, president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.

She said he seemed to enjoy the meat.

"In fact, he wanted some more," she said. "He was really impressive."

Towtongie remembers handing Johnston's predecessor Michaelle Jean a piece of seal heart during her 2009 visit to Rankin Inlet, which she ate, stirring up controversy with anti-sealing groups. There was no seal heart at the feast in Iqaluit because seal meat is out of season, she said.

Johnston commented on his visit in an e-mail on Aug. 18 from Repulse Bay. He complimented the residents of Nunavut for how they "preserve and enhance the best of their traditions while adapting to new and emerging technologies."

He added "Sharon and I have especially enjoyed the Arctic char, caribou and bannock as well as chocolate cake made by a young man named Simon, a Grade 12 student and budding chef from Repulse Bay."

At the community feast, Johnston, who became Canada's 28th Governor General on Oct. 1, 2010, listened to throatsingers perform, greeted about 300 people in attendance and presented Iglulik filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk with the Governor General's Northern Medal.

Towtongie said Johnston was reluctant at first to accept three prints as a gift from Cape Dorset artist Peter Raglee, and instead asked her to make donations to charity.

But Towtongie said she insisted, and explained the importance of art as a means of earning a living in the North. It's her responsibility as NTI's president to promote Inuit art and culture to the "highest offices," she said.

Johnston was scheduled to visit Qikiqtarjuaq Wednesday to meet Mayor Loasie Audlakiak, attend a community gathering and visit Auyuittaq National Park; however,

bad weather forced the cancellation of his flight and his visit to the community, said Christelle Legault, the Governor General's media relations officer.

He was in Repulse Bay on Thursday, where he participated in Tusarvik School's Terry Fox run. On Friday in Kugaaruk he was to participate in a kayak-making workshop.

During Johnston's visit to Iqaluit, he discussed business development and education with Towtongie and Terry Audla, NTI's chief operating officer. Towtongie also found time to talk to Johnston about his farm and how he works with horses to try to get some tips on how she could apply the methods to her sled dogs. She said Johnston invited her to visit his farm, and that she's considering the offer.

Johnston was to fly to Resolute Friday night, where he was expected to spend the weekend observing the Canadian Forces exercise Operation Nanook, as well as visiting the Polar Continental Shelf program.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.