New coast guard ship names a significant gesture toward reconciliation

For a while last week, it seemed like the federal government was striving for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples one coast guard ship at a time.

Inuit names and Inuktut placenames will be showing up on some of the Canadian Coast Guard’s new icebreakers, offshore patrol vessels and scientific research vessels as they’re built and put into service.

The federal government is in the midst of its National Shipbuilding Strategy, a long-term $100-billion plan to renew the fleets of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada.

The sudden spate of shipbuilding means there’s a sudden demand for names. Who are all these ships going to be named after?

In early August, the coast guard announced one of its new offshore patrol ships will be called the CCGS Sermilik Glacier, after a glacier in Sirmilik National Park on Bylot Island, north of Baffin Island.

Sirmilik means “place of glaciers,” which prompted a debate among Nunatsiaq News readers about whether Sermilik Glacier was redundant.

On Monday, Diane Lebouthillier, the federal minister for the coast guard, announced two new polar icebreakers will be named after Inuktut placenames — the CCGS Arpatuuq and the CCGS Imnaryuaq. The first is named for Akpatok Island in Ungava Bay; the second refers to an area Banks Island known as “big cliff.”

“Naming these vessels after significant Inuit locations signifies profound respect and is an important step along the path of reconciliation,” Lebouthillier said during a ceremony in Iqaluit on Monday to announce the icebreakers’ names.

Nunavik got some recognition too. The coast guard named a scientific research vessel — the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk — after a respected elder from Kangiqsujuaq.

Historically, when it came to naming its ships, the coast guard found its inspiration in an old-fashioned understanding of Canada’s history.

A lot of old white men got their names slapped on the sterns of icebreakers, research vessels and other ships.

For example, in 1966, a heavy icebreaker was named the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent after a Liberal prime minister in the 1950s.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the silver-tongued orator who was Canada’s Liberal prime minister at the dawn of the 20^th century, had a multi-tasked vessel named after him in 1986.

There was a young white man, too. The CCGS Terry Fox is a heavy icebreaker named after the inspirational Marathon of Hope runner in 1983.

A couple of women slipped through, including the pride of Niagara Falls, Judy LaMarsh, a Liberal cabinet minister (are you seeing a trend?) in the 1960s. A light icebreaker was named after her in 2021.

But now traditional Inuktut placenames are in and our parents’ prime ministers are out. What difference does it make to reconciliation?

Canada looks to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action for advice on how to repair Canada’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples.

The Commission’s recommendations are aimed at reforming the big issues of child welfare, education, health and justice.

One of the commission’s calls to action recommends the federal government work with Indigenous organizations and the arts community to include reconciliation in heritage and commemoriation.

It doesn’t specifically mention new coast guard ships.

But paying tribute to Indigenous people or incorporating traditional placenames into the names of new ships reflects a change in the way we think about Canada’s history.

It’s a tangible and enduring recognition of people who have been overlooked by many Canadians in their traditional understanding of history.