On March 24, crewmembers of Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) William Hall ship’s company held a Northern Affiliation ceremony along with the Kivalliq Inuit Association and community leaders in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. The event, which took place at the Old Rankin Inlet Arena, marked the fourth affiliation between a Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) and a region of Inuit Nunangat.
Ship affiliations with the communities of the Inuit Nunangat strengthen the RCN’s understanding of the Arctic region and encourages relationship-building with Canada’s Northern communities. Learning from the northern communities is a crucial element for the RCN. The Canadian Arctic is a primary strategic consideration for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and is crucial to Canada’s national identity, security, and future prosperity.