The Pope’s plane arrived in Iqaluit at about 4 p.m. ET and the pontiff was greeted by local officials, including Nunavut Premier PJ Akeeagok and Commissioner Eva Aariak. It marks the first papal visit to Canada’s newest territory, and for some, a potential turning point in a century-long relationship between the Catholic Church and Canada’s Inuit. “Once the pope apologizes, we have to find a way to move on from this. To start moving forward,” said Mary Ajaaq Anowtalik, an 84-year-old elder from Arviat, Nunavut, speaking in Inuktitut ahead of the papal visit. Anowtalik will be part of a throat-singing performance before the Pope in Iqaluit. Eighty-four-year-old Mary Ajaaq Anowtalik, right, necked by singer Lois Suluk. The two will sing for the Pope on Friday afternoon. (Kate Kyle/CBC) Anowtalik sees the visit as an opportunity for the Pope to “start on a different path.” “In the old days, if there was someone who needed guidance, they were brought to the elders, for life skills, guidance,” he said through a translator. Anowtalik’s comments hint at a dynamic shift that has occurred in recent years amid debates about colonialism, reconciliation and the legacy of residential schools. Where the church and its leaders once presented themselves as spiritual guides for aboriginal people, they are now seen by some in Nunavut as those in need of guidance. Pope Francis arrives in Iqaluit on July 29, 2022, for the final leg of the papal visit to Canada. The quick, hours-long stopover, before departing for Rome, marks the first time a pontiff has traveled to Nunavut. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) “I just want to hear him say that the church is open without prejudice to everyone,” said Aksaqtunguaq Ashoona, who will be among a group of Inuit to greet the pope when he lands in Ikaluit. “That’s all I want to hear him say. Like, apologize and open the church doors again.” There is a small Catholic parish in Iqaluit and the town is one of 16 communities in the Canadian Arctic with a Catholic population. Some communities have permanent missions with a priest or sister, others are attended by visiting priests or sisters. Speaking to Vatican News recently, the Catholic bishop of Ikaluit, Anthony Wieslaw Krótki, acknowledged that Ikaluit does not have a large native Catholic population and that most Inuit in the city are Anglicans. Iqaluit was chosen for the papal visit simply because of logistics, he suggested. But the church’s historical legacy looms large in many parts of the territory. A cross hangs outside the Roman Catholic church in Kugaaruk, Nunavut, in 2020. (John Last/CBC) The first permanent Catholic mission in Canada’s eastern Arctic was established on the west coast of Hudson Bay at Chesterfield Inlet in 1912 by Arsène Turquetil. Decades later, the student residence named for him in Chesterfield Inlet – Turquetil Hall – would become notorious as a site for the physical and sexual abuse of young Inuit. Between 1955 and 1969, hundreds of children were sent there, away from their homes and families. Many other Inuit children were sent to the equally notorious Grollier Hall, in Inuvik, NWT Some school survivors will be in Iqaluit on Friday, including former Nunavut commissioner Piita Irniq, who will be part of the official delegation greeting Pope Francis. According to a draft itinerary of the Pope’s visit, Irniq will have about five minutes to testify before the Pope. The Pope will spend about two and a half hours in Iqaluit, arriving just before 4 p.m. ET and departing around 6:20 p.m. ET.
Where to watch the Pope’s visit to Iqaluit
Pope Francis arrives in Iqaluit.
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET Where to watch: CBC News Network
Meeting with school survivors in Iqaluit.
Time: 4 p.m. ET Where to watch: CBC News Network Where you can listen: CBC Radio One in Nunavut will broadcast a live radio show in Inuktitut
Pope Francis tours Iqaluit with members of the community, then departs Canada.
Time: 5 p.m. ET Where to watch: CBC News Network, CBCNews.ca, CBC News app, CBC Gem
Support is available for anyone affected by residential schools and those triggered by the latest reports. The Indian Association of Residential School Survivors (IRSSS) can be reached toll free at 1-800-721-0066. A national crisis line for residential schools in India has been set up to provide support to ex-students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419. In addition, the NWT Helpline offers free support to residents of the Northwest Territories, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is 100% free and confidential. The NWT Helpline also has an option for follow-up calls. Residents can call the helpline at 1-800-661-0844. In Nunavut, the Kamatsiaqtut Helpline is open 24 hours a day at 1-800-265-3333. People are invited to call for any reason.
