We welcomed a new RCGS President

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society is pleased to announce that the Honourable Lois Mitchell is our new President. Mitchell served as the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from 2015 to 2020 and is a longstanding member of Canada’s dedicated corps of community volunteers. In 2018, she received the Society’s Louie Kamookak medal. Throughout her time in office, Mitchell chose to make history education a priority and became the founding patron of the History and Heroes Foundation, of which she is now the chair. 

“It’s an honour to become the President of the Board of Governors of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, especially at such an exciting time in the Society’s history,” said Mitchell in opening remarks at the dinner. “As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to contend with the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, the Society remains more committed than ever. We are helping Canadians foster a greater understanding of our geography, and the changes affecting its people and the environment.”

We thanked a departing governor and president 

After reflecting on another successful year for the RCGS, CEO John Geiger acknowledged departing Governor Wendy Cecil and Past President Gavin Fitch. As an indispensable member of the board for several years, Captain Dr. Wendy Cecil served as both a Governor and Vice-President. Geiger also recognized Fitch with the Society’s Executive Standard. Fitch served on the board for 12 years, including two terms as President, and has been part of many significant moments in the Society’s recent history. 

Adam Shoalts returned his expedition flag

Explorer Adam Shoalts embodies the Society’s mandate to make Canada better known to Canadians and the world. Shoalts is the author of four bestselling books on Canadian history and his own expeditions into the wilderness. This past summer, he embarked on yet another expedition, tracing bird migration routes by canoe from Long Point on Lake Erie to Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik. Shoalts shared some insights into his route — including his portage around “a rather large waterfall” between lakes Erie and Ontario — and returned the RCGS flag he has carried with him on every expedition since 2011. In recognition of his many contributions to the Society as a writer, speaker and Westaway Explorer-in-Residence, Shoalts was also presented with the Society’s Louie Kamookak medal.

We witnessed an amazing performance

The evening featured a riveting performance by award-winning songwriter Beatrice Deer. An Inuk and Mohawk singer-songwriter from Nunavik, Deer sings in Inuktitut, English and French, often infusing traditional Inuit throat singing into her songs. In addition to performing two songs, Deer schooled guests in the proper pronunciation of Kangiqsualujjuaq.

We got a glimpse at the future of human spaceflight

The first human who will walk on the surface of Mars is probably alive right now. That was just one of many inspiring ideas shared by Colonel Joshua Kutryk, Canadian Space Agency astronaut, engineer and test pilot in a keynote address that also touched on the astronaut selection process, the Artemis missions and lunar geology training with Western University’s Dr. Gordon Osinski in Labrador. The second phase of the Artemis Program, slated to take place in 2024, will see a human crew fly to the moon and back again for the first time since 1972, and a Canadian astronaut — yet to be chosen — will be among them. Canada is also contributing to the construction of the Lunar Gateway, a space station that will serve as a base for future lunar exploration.

“Space has opened my eyes to what we can do when we work together,” said Kutryk. “It’s opened my eyes to an optimistic future.”