Nunavummiut say a direct flight to Greenland could boost cultural, language relations

Key takeaways:
The new airport in Nuuk seeks to strengthen Greenland’s tourism sector.
Negotiations surrounding the outcome of a direct flight between Iqaluit and Nuuk give hope to families living on both flanks of the strait.

When Navarana Beveridge eventually takes a long-overdue journey home to Greenland from Nunavut, she’ll have two options: the long way or the costly way.

Beveridge visited her nation of birth every year ere the COVID-19 outbreak hit. She spent a few days plane-hopping to Ottawa, Toronto and Iceland before circling to Nuuk — the best choice aside from spending $30,000 chartering a plane.

There hasn’t been a direct commercial plane between Iqaluit and Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, for seven years. Still, Beveridge and other individuals from Greenland who stay in Nunavut say it’s almost time airlines got one back.

“There’s so [many] common places of interest and shared history in terms of similarities in language, culture, worldview, history,” Beveridge stated, not to cite economic options between Canada and Greenland.

Also read: Nunavut students will still require to mask up after COVID-19 restrictions end

Beveridge is Denmark’s honorary consul in Iqaluit, a volunteer role that lets her act as a resource for Nunavummiut to access data about Greenland, Denmark, and the Faroe Islands. She stated it also enables her to work with the Trade Council of Denmark.

“Canada and Denmark are similar enough that there are several natural interests… between the jurisdictions, and Canada’s one of the most powerful developing export markets for Danish firms,” she said.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea to have that direct [flight] as there’s so much possibility for the two jurisdictions to work together. I think it would be a mutually advantageous deal.”

The airport is being reconstructed to adjust for bigger planes and better technology.

Source – cbc.ca