Canada C3: Connecting Canadians Coast to Coast to Coast
$75.00
Connecting Canadians
Coast to coast to coast.
Toronto to Victoria: 15 legs, 25,000 kilometers, 150 days.
It would be a learning journey, like a Students on Ice expedition, but this time the students would span the age spectrum and come from all walks of life. Participants would be Indigenous and non-Indigenous, elders and youth, scientists, educators, artists, athletes, veterans, business leaders, chefs politicians, Canadians with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, and more. A microcosm of Canada’s astounding diversity would join the expedition. And afterwards, they would serve as ambassadors, sharing their experiences with the country and the world.
Designed as a Signature Project to mark Canada’s Sesquicentennial in 2017, the Canada C3 expedition (“Canada Coast to Coast to Coast”) saw the repurposed Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Prince sail from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage.
Its passengers were Indigenous and non-Indigenous, Canadians of diverse ages and interests, accomplishments and abilities, professions and perspectives – relative strangers willing to travel great distances in search of new experiences and bold truths.
This trip of a lifetime was divided into 15 legs, spanning 150 days, a 25,000-kilometre journey from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic, the Arctic, and finally Pacific waters, with stops at more that 75 communities. En route, Canada C3 engaged with local residents, explored breathtaking landscapes and waterscapes, and performed vital scientific research, the latter through 23 partnered projects.
Throughout the voyage, expedition members delved into C3’s four main themes: Diversity and Inclusion; Youth Engagement; Science and Environment; and Truth and Reconciliation. For many participants, cross-cultural encounters between First Peoples, Métis, Inuit and non-Indigenous Canadians created the most indelible memories and personal growth.
Brimming with insightful essays, journal entries, poetry and songs, as well as stunning photography and artwork, Canada C3: Connecting Canadians Coast to Coast to Coast is both a celebration and a historical record, a portrait of generosity and effective collaboration, a pan-Canadian chorus of voices that challenge us to collectively cherish but to continue building a country very much still in the making.
