Morning mail from Greenland: A very special woman arrives in Nuuk and today helps open the Canadian consulate.

The hotels in this city are once again fully booked. A stream of diplomats, politicians, and international media have traveled to Nuuk to attend the opening ceremony of Canada’s consulate.

One of them, whose arrival is being closely followed here in Greenland, is Mary Simon—Canada’s governor general and a long-time advocate for Inuit rights.

The Inuit, an Indigenous people of the Arctic, live across several countries, including Greenland and Canada.

*Morningpost from Greenland* uses the official opening of Canada’s consulate to take a closer look at the woman who has repeatedly made history—and who today resides in a palace larger than the official residence of Canada’s prime minister.

Just a few days ago, Mary Simon met with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and King Frederik in Copenhagen.

“Canada’s long-standing approach is based on close and constructive cooperation, with a focus on stability, respect for sovereignty, and well-being in northern communities,” wrote the governor general on Instagram this week.

And that Mary Simon is visiting Greenland now is both significant and symbolic for the Greenlandic people and the Inuit.

That’s what Sara Olsvig says, who has served in the Danish Parliament for the IA party, holds a PhD in Greenlandic foreign policy, and is the international representative for the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC).

She has just arrived in Nuuk after attending an international Arctic conference in Norway, where Mary Simon also participated. Sara Olsvig describes the governor general as a prominent leader, particularly in her efforts to unite the Arctic nations.

“Her work has had great significance for all Indigenous peoples. It was groundbreaking that she, as the first person from an Indigenous background, was appointed as Canada’s governor general,” says Sara Olsvig.

Canada’s governor general Mary Simon at Arctic Frontiers in Norway this week. Also seen are Norway’s foreign minister Espen Barth Eide, EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and Greenland’s foreign affairs minister Vivian Motzfeldt. (Photo: © Javad, NTB/Ritzau Scanpix)

Mary Simon has repeatedly made history.

In the 1970s, she played a key role in negotiating Canada’s first modern land rights agreement for Indigenous peoples. In 2021, she became the first Inuk appointed as Canada’s governor general. The governor general formally represents the British monarch, today King Charles, and primarily holds ceremonial and constitutional duties.

This is because Canada has roots as a British colony and still has the monarch as its formal head of state.

When Mary Simon was appointed as governor general, it was a major event that people in Greenland also followed closely, explains Sara Olsvig.

“We are one people. We have lived and thrived here in the Arctic for thousands of years, long before the states existed.

“It wasn’t long ago that Inuit followed the seasons and moved back and forth across borders—the state borders that now exist are constructed across the territories where we have lived for thousands of years.”

Today, the connection remains through family ties and shared organizations across the Arctic. For example, the Arctic Council—a body that Mary Simon has helped lay the diplomatic groundwork for.

“She has been a completely foundational force in the creation of the Arctic Council and fought side by side with other Inuit and Indigenous peoples for the Arctic Council we know today,” says Sara Olsvig.

Here, Mary Simon, Canada’s governor general, is seen with, among others, the country’s prime minister Mark Carney, as well as British King Charles and Queen Camilla during a visit to Rideau Hall last summer. (Photo: © Andrej Ivanov, AFP/Ritzau Scanpix)

I bumped into a Canadian journalist downtown Thursday at lunchtime. Fortunately, he was polite and pronounced “about” as [a-båut]. According to him, Mary Simon enjoys respect in Canada that extends far beyond her formal position.

To complete the picture: As governor general, Mary Simon lives in Rideau Hall in Ottawa—a historic palace serving as the official residence and workplace of the office.

Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, meanwhile resides in Rideau Cottage, a far more modest official residence on the same grounds as the palace.

This is tradition for all governors general. But it’s an image I think you should keep in mind.

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**What is ICC and the Arctic Council?**

- ICC stands for **Inuit Circumpolar Council** and is an advocacy organization founded in 1977.

- It represents around 180,000 Inuit across Alaska (USA), Canada, Greenland, and Chukotka (Russia).

- It is a permanent member of the Arctic Council, though without formal voting rights.

- The Arctic Council consists of member states: the USA (due to Alaska’s Arctic location), Russia, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kingdom of Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands).

- Additionally, several organizations representing Indigenous peoples in the Arctic sit at the table, including ICC.

Source: ICC and Arctic Council

At the opening ceremony of the Canadian consulate, Sara Olsvig says a bow is being tied on decades of work.

The Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) was established in 1977, and even then, calls were made for more formalized efforts—state-to-state, people-to-people, she explains.

“And around 50 years later, the Canadian consulate opens. That’s why it’s extra symbolic and strong that Mary Simon is here in Nuuk for it.”

Unity is especially important at this time, emphasizes Sara Olsvig.

“We have certainly felt the support we’ve received from other Inuit, very, very clearly.”

Thursday afternoon, a delegation of nearly 80 people from Canada landed. According to the delegation, they are here to participate in the consulate’s opening tomorrow and demonstrate that Indigenous peoples from Greenland and Canada stand side by side.

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