Lt. General in town to help celebrate Aboriginal Day

The Lt. Governor, the Honourable Iona Campagnola was in town on Thursday to help in the celebrations for National Aboriginal Day and to hold a Community reception in the city Thursday evening.

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In addition to all that excitement, she is to hold a lunch reception with the crew of HMCS Vancouver which pulled into port during one of its Northern waters patrols.

Originally from Prince Rupert, Campagnola will also no doubt try to fit in some time with a few old friends before heading off to the Charlottes and a continuation of her Northern tour.

She will also stop in at Campbell River to tour the recently completed First Nation-themed Wei Wai Kum Cruise Ship Terminal.

The Daily news featured all the details of the Lt. Governor's trip as well as the Aboriginal Days itinerary on its front page on Wednesday.

Aboriginal Day drawing big names
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Page one

Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo will be in Prince Rupert on Thursday to help celebrate National Aboriginal Day.

The trip is part of a three-day tour that includes stops in Prince Rupert, Lax Kw'alaams, the Queen Charlotte Islands and Campbell River.

Campagnolo will also spend time with the crew of the naval vessel HMCS Vancouver during a lunch reception after it arrives on the North Coast.

"The HMCS Vancouver is up in the area doing patrols and they wished to do something with her honour," said Heidi Elliott, programs manager for Government House.

"And there are communities on the Queen Charlotte Islands that she has never visited."

Campagnola, who grew up in Prince Rupert, will take part in the ninth-annual National Aboriginal Celebrations at Rotary Waterfront Park (or if it rains the Civic Centre.)

The event runs from noon to 9 p.m. and should be extra busy because there will also be a cruise ship in town with about 2,400 people aboard.

The main entertainer will be Cheri Maracle and Band, Cheri and her sister, who is part of the band, graduated high school in Prince Rupert. She is a Tyendinaga/Six Nations Mohawk and Irish actor/singer/songwriter based in Toronto, Ontario.

There will also be other local entertainers including Rudy Kelly, Nassville 5, Sylvia Hill, Cedar Road Headstart Children, Smhalaayt Dancers, Sugyigyet Dancers, Gitmaxmak'ay Dancers, Kwe Unglis Dancers and Metis Dancers. Also kindergarten students from the Conrad and Roosevelt Schools will perform songs and dances and the Style Force Crew, a group of break dancers from Terrace will be in the line-up.

Campagnola will also attend a community reception at the Chatham Building at the Museum of Northern B.C. starting at 5:30 p.m. and the public is welcome to attend.

The Honourable Iona Campagnolo is the 27th Lieutenant Governor of the province, installed on Sept. 25, 2001.

Her six-year term was extended by the Prime Minister last year and at the moment, her term is set to expire this September.

Her career path has included broadcast media, public office and public service as well as in international advocacy supporting democratic development and human rights, as well as a political career that began on the Prince Rupert school board.

She also sat as Member of Parliament representing the people of Prince Rupert.

On the last leg of her visit, Campagnolo will visit Campbell River to tour the newly opened Wei Wai Kum Cruise Ship Terminal.

The first of its kind in the world, the First Nation-themed Wei Wai Kum Cruise Ship Terminal opened June 5 with the arrival of Regent Cruises' 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner. The $24.5 million terminal is owned and operated by the Campbell River Indian Band.