Their first stop in the region of Qikiqtaaluk will bring Their Excellencies to the city of Iqaluit and the community of Qikiqtarjuaq. Their Excellencies will be officially welcomed in Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, and will meet with officials from territorial and municipal governments. The visit to Qikiqtaaluk will allow Their Excellencies to learn of the region’s sense of community by spending time with youth and elders, as well as educators and volunteers. They will learn about life in this part of Canada and the challenges faced by its people as they combine traditional values with modern influences. They will also take the opportunity to meet with leaders in research and development in the North by visiting the Nunavut Research Institute.

Their Excellencies will then visit the hamlet of Repulse Bay, located in the region of Kivalliq. Repulse Bay is a fishing community known for its Inuit carvers and is located right on the Arctic Circle. Their Excellencies will meet with the residents of Repulse Bay, as well as take the opportunity to exchange with local elders and explore its history by visiting a Thule site. Their Excellencies will also meet with students of the Tusarvik School and learn of initiatives to encourage youth to become engaged in Canada’s democratic system.

The official visit to Nunavut will then bring the Governor General and Mrs. Johnston to the region of Kitikmeot. Offering a rare glimpse at traditional life in the High Arctic, Their Excellencies will have the first-hand opportunity to meet with local residents of Kugaaruk, including elders and youth, and observe how the Inuit people live off the land for sustenance.

The last leg of official visit will bring Their Excellencies to the hamlet of Resolute Bay, the second most northern community in Canada, located in the Baffin region, where they will take part in Operation NANOOK 2011. As commander-in-chief of Canada, His Excellency will observe training exercises performed by members of the Canadian Forces posted in Canada’s Arctic. They will also meet the residents of Resolute and visit the Polar Continental Shelf Program, a program that provides support to numerous research projects conducting scientific activities in isolated areas throughout the Canadian Arctic.

Read the Full News Release and Itinerary at the Governor General of Canada's web site here: Itinerary - Official Visit to Nunavut

The Governor General of Canada will visit Nunavut Arctic College and the Nunavut Research Institute

Tuesday, August 16
Iqaluit, Nunavut

8:45 a.m.
Visit to the Nunavut Research Institute
Their Excellencies will be greeted by Ms. Mary-Ellen Thomas, senior research officer with the Nunavut Research Institute. Their Excellencies will then be taken on a tour of the Institute’s facilities, where they will learn about the varied research being undertaken in Nunavut, the value of science through educational programs, and the importance of encouraging training and hiring of local researchers, and of supporting research projects initiated by Nunavut-based organizations and agencies.

As a part of the Nunavut Arctic College, the Nunavut Research Institute strives to provide leadership in developing, facilitating and promoting traditional knowledge, science, research and technology as a resource for the well-being of Nunavut’s citizens. Since its inception, the Nunavut Research Institute has provided support to hundreds of research projects, including long-term studies of the marine environment and climate in the Frobisher Bay area. As the central body mandated to licence research, it serves as a touchstone for broad-scale scientific activity in the territory. For more information, visit www.arcticcollege.ca. Nunavut Research Institute, Iqaluit, Nunavut
OPEN TO MEDIA

10:00 a.m.
Discussion with Community Members Involved in Education
Their Excellencies will take part in a discussion with high school and college students, teachers and people involved in the education system, on the topic of education in Nunavut. The discussion will provide an overview of the different challenges they face, the solutions being undertaken, and innovative methods being used to keep students in school.

Nunavut’s education system has 43 schools across 25 communities, with a student population of 8 855. Ninety-seven per cent of the students are of Inuit descent. Formal education has a relatively short history in Nunavut; Grade 12 only became available in every community in 1997.
Nunavut Arctic College, Nunatta Campus, Iqaluit, Nunavut
CLOSED TO MEDIA