Lögberg-Heimskringla - 06.12.1985, Qupperneq 1

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■ L 'LÖGBERG Stofnað 14. janúar 1888 HEIMSKRINGLA Stofnað 9. september 1886 ^
99. ÁRGANGUR WINNIPEG, FÖSTUDAGUR 6. DESEMBER 1985 NÚMER 42
Icelandic
T.V. programme
from Winnipeg
The Icelandic TV recently had a
reporter, Sigrún Stefánsdóttir, to visit
Winnipeg along with a cameraman
from Minneapolis. Sigrún has been
studying in Minneapolis for some
time and has used the opportunity
while in North America to prepare
programmes on Icelanders and their
activities for the Icelandic National
TV:
During her brief stay in Winnipeg,
she visited the Icelandic Chair and
the Icelandic Special Collection at the
University of Manitoba. There, she
interviewed Professor Haraldur Bes-
sason and the librarian, Sigrid
Johnson. Both explained the function
of their departments. Later the same
day, Sigrún visited the offices of
Lögberg-Heimskringla and chatted
with yours truly and Mr. Einar Ar-
nason. Mr. Arnason gave an excellent
insight into the history of Lög-
berg-Heimskringla while the Editor
attempted to explain the daily
operation.
The following morning (Saturday)
a large crowd was on hand at the
Scandinavian Centre, ready to be
filmed in action. These were the stu-
dents of Icelandic, young and old,
who for quite some time have
studied the language of their forefath-
ers at the Centre. Each class was
filmed and students interviewed.
Also on hand were Mrs. Norma Krist-
jansson, President of Frón in Win-
nipeg and Mr. Snorri Jónasson, who
has been on the Scandinavian Cen-
tre Board for some time.
As is born out from the above, the
purpose of this visit to Winnipeg by
the Icelandic TV was to examine the
Icelandic community in the city. It
should be pointed out that all those
interviewed spoke in Icelandic but
one of the questions many Iceland-
ers (in Iceland) ask is: Does anyone
speak Icelandic any more in Canada?
Sigurður Ýmir Sigurðsson
Katrín Sif Þór
Katrín and Sigurður were both born in Iceland but have lived in Win-
nipeg since 1977. They were both interviewed by Sigrún Stefánsdóttir.
This programme will therefore
answer that question once and for all.
The last Lögberg-Heimskringla heard
from Iceland was that the pro-
gramme had already been aired.
J.Þ.
Ships' Masters Learn their Craft in Selkirk
Inga Thorsteinson has been a deck-
hand and second mate on the Lord
Selkirk; a helmsman on a Top Sail
Schooner out of Virginia — one of the
Tall Ships that sailed to Quebec last
summer — and ship's keeper of the
Nonsuch at the Museum of Man and
Nature.
"I jump back and forth between
museum ships and modern ships; the
museum ships for love — the modern
ships for money,” she says.
So she can indulge her love of sail-
ing ships, Thorsteinson is getting on
with the practical side of earning a
living.
She is one of ten students aiming
for a Master of a Minor Waters Certi-
ficate at Red River's extension course
in Selkirk, Manitoba.
The certificate will entitle her to be
master of any ship on the inland
waters of Canada, such as Lake Win-
nipeg, Great Slave Lake, the Macken-
zie River; in the bays and inlets of the
Great Lakes, and on either of
Canada's coastlines.
The Selkirk classes include prac-
Two Colonies
Comment by Eric Wells
Broadcast CJOB
In looking at a world almanac it is
easy to note the similarities between
the republic of Iceland and the lOth
province of Canada —
Newfoundland.
Both came into the orbit of Euro-
pean discovery about the same time,
about one thousand years ago when
the Vikings were ranging far across
the unknown seas.
They were islands about the same
size, and eventually they evolved as
colonies of the Europeans, though
both were to win the right to self
government.
For openers they were both heavi-
ly dependent on a common resource
base — fishing — but Newfoundland
had a big resource margin through its
timber, pulp, and paper. Later, New-
foundland acquired a colony of its
own — Labrador on the mainland,
twice as big as the original island and
with immense hydro power
resources.
There were no big economic dis-
coveries for Iceland, no new land
acquisitions. What the Vikings found
remained unchanged, but the
Icelanders converted their small
island into a highly viable economic
social order, much envied through-
out the world. And Newfoundland
meanwhile was never able to escape
the ravages of perpetual poverty.
In Newfoundland they now live in
hopes that a vast bonanza of Atlan-
tic oil will at last resolve the
economic problems of that depress-
ed province, but Iceland hasn't dis-
covered any new bonanza for its
economy, yet still it is prosperous.
Looking at the almanac gives us
much cruious data to think about but
we don't find the answers, at least
not on the reasons why Iceland ticks
while Newfoundland doesn't.
tical work in navigation and radar
equipment, shipboard routine and
safety, charting, crew organization
and ship construction.
Course instructor is Captain Wyn-
ford Goodman, Harbor Master of the
Port of Churchill and former Captain
of the Lord Selkirk.
Goodman says ail students in the
14-week course must have at least
one year's sea experience before try-
ing for a Master's certificate.
''When this course is successfully
completed, they take a three-week
Marine Emergency Duties course in
Port Colborne, Ontario; then they're
eligible to captain a vessel anywhere
in Canada."
Walter Lea, for ten years First Mate
on the M.S. Goldfield, a Lake Winni-
peg freighter, and Pat Cook, a former
deckhand with the Coast Guard, the
Lord Selkirk and the Naval Reserves,
look forward to a Master's certificate
and the chance to captain a ship.
According to Goodman, there are
good opportunities for all his
students.
"We tend to forget about all the
waterways in Canada, and all the
vessels on our rivers and lakes; they
all need captains. A graduate should
have no problem getting a job."
Courtesy of R.R.C.C. Newsletter