In fairness, the vice-regal trip does include some worthy conferences and panel discussions people like Peter Adams of the Makivik Corp. in Kuujjuaq and Fibbie Tatti, the Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, might find useful. And a stop at the University of Helsinki will give Ralston Saul an opportunity to let Finnish intellectuals hear his end-of-globalization speech.
But overall, this trip looks like a waste of tax money. There might be no vice in it, but it's far too regal. If Clarkson suggested it, she shouldn't have. If the government suggested it, she should have refused.
Check for yourself whether this trip is a worthy use of Canadian taxpayers’ dollars:
Quest for the Modern North
Detailed Itinerary
· Russia
· Finland
· Iceland
Do look at Delegate Biographies for some of what it takes to be invited for a trip with our GG and her consort. As an example, delegates include Dyane Adam, our Commissioner of Official Languages.
[Dyane Adam is committed] to achieving social justice and the recognition of the minority rights of Francophones, . . . .
A researcher and lecturer, Dr. Adam is the author of many publications on bilingualism in Canada. Her most recent works include "Official Languages in the Canadian Sport System: Getting a Second Wind!" (2003), "Official Languages and Immigration: Obstacles and Opportunities for Immigrants and Communities" (2002) and "French on the Internet: Key to the Canadian Identity and the Knowledge of Economy" (2002).
or Fibbie Tatti, one of whose concerns is strategies for preserving Aboriginal languages and the development of Aboriginal language curricula in other jurisdictions in Canada.
She also undertook the task of developing the first Dene languages curriculum, enabling students from kindergarten to grade 9 to study in their own language. She has since assisted in the development of Aboriginal language curricula in other jurisdictions in Canada.
This experience led to her participation in a tour of Russia in 1990 during which she spoke on issues related to the development of educational curricula for Aboriginal students and on strategies for preserving Aboriginal languages.
Language -- key to personal and economic development for Canada and the North.
