The strong ties between Norway and Canada started with the Viking visits to Newfoundland, their brief settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows, and continues through Roald Amundsen's successful exploration throught the Northwest Passage one hundred years ago. (1903-1906) During World War II Norwegian pilots trained at Little Norway, a training camp in southern Ontario. Today, our two countries share common visions on the international scene, we cooperate in fields such as Arctic Council, human security, the UN reform among others. Canada's gift to Norway recognizes the fondness our people have for each other and the importance of the relationship between the two.
It is especially poignant that the inuksuk is created by Joseph Suqslak, a resident of Gjoa Haven in Nunavut. Amundsen spent three winters in Gjoa Haven before his successful attempt at sailing the Northwest Passage. The name of the community bears witness of the visiting ship. Without the willingness of the Inuit to share their knowleddge and skills of survival in the arctic winter it is questionalble whether Amundsen would have succeeded in his attempt. The Inuksuk is a traditional inuit sculpture erected in the landscape for navigational purposes, it is also a symbol of friendship. The inuksuk next to Gjøa at Bygdøy was installed by Mr. Mattiusi Iyaituk, and artist and President of the Board of Directors of the Inuit Art Foundation in Canada.