The Republic of Nunavut?

Have we separated from Canada without realizing it?

A few months ago, I was on a flight coming into Iqaluit from Yellowknife. Right after touchdown, one of the flight attendants came on the PA system asking passengers who were going on to Ottawa to please go into the terminal and to go through security before re-boarding the plane “because this flight is going back to Canada.”

This past week, I was travelling from Ottawa to Iqaluit when our flight was cancelled. I wanted to call home to let my family know that our flight had been cancelled and decided to use the 1-800-COLLECT system that Bell Canada advertises.

I dialed 1-800-COLLECT and followed the instructions to punch in the area code and number. A recording came on telling me that the system “does not allow collect calls to foreign countries.”

I couldn’t believe what I had just heard and tried again. I got the same response.

The Republic of Nunavut? I wonder what kind of foreign aid we can expect from Canada?

John Amagoalik
Iqaluit