Royals to enter Canada via Nunavut capital
Royal visit culminates in Iqaluit community feast
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 20, 2017
IQALUIT
Nunavut's Chief of Protocol Maatalii Okalik's job is to lead the GN through protocol-related events, and these days that means preparing for the coming June 29 visit of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.
Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall are scheduled to arrive in Canada June 29 when they land in Iqaluit for a three-hour visit. - photo courtesy Canadian Heritage
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"As you can imagine, she has been very busy supporting plans for this visit," said Cate Macleod, director of communications for the GN's department of executive and intergovernmental affairs.
The task of greeting Prince Charles and wife Camilla upon their arrival to Canada - the couple flies directly to Iqaluit from Britain that morning - falls to Governor General of Canada David Johnston, Commissioner of Nunavut Nellie Kusugak and Premier Peter Taptuna.
"The last Royal visit was on September 13, 2012 of Their Royal Highnesses Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex," said Macleod.
"The last time His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales visited the eastern Arctic was in 1972, when he went to Pangnirtung. This will be His Royal Highness' first trip here since the creation of Nunavut."
The Prince of Wales last visited Iqaluit, then Frobisher Bay, in 1970, with his mother. The Queen visited Iqaluit in 2002 on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee.
"There are some protocol considerations that are unique to Nunavut compared to other jurisdictions. These include the acknowledgment of Inuit governance through the Nunavut Agreement. This is Nunavut-specific protocol, that all levels of dignitaries should be aware of and respectful of," said Macleod.
"In terms of other protocols that are to be observed, as it differs with each visitor, for the upcoming visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, protocol considerations include greeting them as 'Their Royal Highnesses' or 'His Royal Highness' or 'Her Royal Highness' individually."
According to the royal family's website, the following formal greetings are suggested:
"For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way," the website states.
Okalik, as president of the National Inuit Youth Council, had the occasion to curtsy when she met Prince Charles in December of last year on his home territory of Wales.
As for verbal greetings, the royal website suggests that after first greeting the royals as Your Royal Highness, sir or ma'am is appropriate.
Feast fit for royals
Iqalungmiut will have two opportunities to be on their best behaviour, first at the Legislative Assembly at 11.30 a.m. and at later at a community feast at Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park. Starting at 1.55 p.m.
"Though there is protocol involved with this visit, it isn't something to be worried or overwhelmed about," said Macleod, adding the Premier will host the feast featuring Inuit culture, language, art and food.
According to Joel Girouard, director of state ceremonial and protocol for the department of Canadian heritage, once at the Legislative Assembly The Prince of Wales will meet with key groups working on the preservation, maintenance and promotion of the Inuit language.
In 2016, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami's Atausiq Inuktuk Titirausiq, a language committee tasked with moving toward a standardized written language for all 60,000 Inuit across Canada, was invited to Wales by Prince Charles in his role as president of Prince's Charities Canada. Along with discussing language, Prince Charles will be shown the Inuktitut translation of a children's book he wrote inspired by The Old Man of Lochnagar.
The Duchess of Cornwall, meanwhile, will meet with organizations dedicated to improving the health and life of women in the North.
Prince Charles will also visit the Nunavut Research Institute where he will discuss the work and research initiatives taking place in Nunavut on the environment and climate change, and meet students and researchers engaged in this work. The Prince will then visit the community greenhouse.
A little more than three hours after their arrival, the royal couple will fly to the south, where on July 1 they will celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa.
