“Coldest Canadians” seek honeymoon trip

Two Igloolik teachers need to convince the world that they are indeed the coldest Canadians.

And they need your help to warm up.

Caleb MacDonald and Larissa Geraghty have entered a contest called the “Coldest Canadian,” put on by a New Zealand airline.

Participants can submit videos depicting their chilly lifestyles in hopes of winning the grand prize – airfare, accommodations and a tour package for two to the region around Auckland, New Zealand.

That would make for a warm and inexpensive honeymoon for the couple, who are getting married this summer.

MacDonald’s friend sent him the link for the contest, which he laughed off.

“A week later, I went online and actually saw some of the videos,” MacDonald told Nunatsiaq News, “and I realized that we’re probably a lot colder.”

Videos came from British Columbia, Ontario, Newfoundland, he said and only one other video from the North, sent from Baker Lake.

The couple really just made the video for fun, one weekend when they were stuck inside after a blizzard, MacDonald said.

The video shows the two dressing to go outside, but their front door has been snowed in. So, the two shovel to get out of their house and open their shed, where they manage to start their snowmobile.

From there, MacDonald and Geraghty drive to Igloolik’s frozen beach, spread out towels and lie down to sunbathe.

“Over the last month, it’s dipped down to -60 C with the windchill and school’s been cancelled a few times,” MacDonald said. “We definitely love it here, but occasionally during the winter you dream about sitting on a beach.”

MacDonald encourages Nunatsiaq News readers to go online and vote for the video, which will be posted until Feb. 26. After that, the top ten videos with the most votes will be judged by a jury, who will select the winner.

MacDonald and Geraghty, both native Ontarians, met at a floor hockey tournament two years ago. MacDonald, who was teaching in Hall Beach at the time, moved to Igloolik to be with Geraghty last year.

The couple got engaged at Christmas.

Whether they win their dream honeymoon or not, MacDonald hopes that more Northerners will participate in the contest if it’s run again next year.

Watch their video and vote for the coldest Canadian here.