The Icelandic Canadian - 01.08.2002, Page 13

Vol. 57 #1
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
11
aux Meadows, Newfoundland, to Alberta
and Manitoba, focusing on the one hun-
dredth anniversary of Islendinagadagurinn
in Gimli. This trip re-established the con-
nection between here and Iceland, which
wasn’t dormant but there was not a lot of
activity.
When I was president of the Icelandic
National League, I had met with President
Vigdis in Vancouver in 1988 and we dis-
cussed the possibility of this trip. We had
hoped the Canadian Government would
follow through. I worked very hard travel-
ling to places across the country rounding
up people of Icelandic descent. Protocol
people were involved and very encourag-
ing. I worked along with the Executive
Secretary of the President in Iceland,
Kornelius Sigmundsson, but after much
preparation we became discouraged. We
thought we had failed. Finally, the invita-
tion came from the Governor General
Madame Sauve in May of 1989.
President Vigdis mesmerized the
whole country with her charm and intelli-
gence. She invited the Lieutenant Governor
of Manitoba, George Johnson and his wife
Doris, to bring an entourage to Iceland and
things started to happen. Then, Einar
Benediktsson, the Ambassador to
Washington, took a great interest in New
Iceland in Manitoba and the Icelanders in
Canada.
Neil and Mayor Ingebjorg Gisladottir in 1996.
Neil with David Oddsson in Iceland, 1996.
That trip in 1989, woke up a lot of
Icelandic genes. It was amazing to come
across people who would tell me, “My
Amma was Icelandic.” I now call it the
“Amma Button.” Icelandic Ammas have a
fierce pride in being Icelandic and have
instilled that pride in their children and
grandchildren. I found a network of sensi-
tivity to Icelandic things from people in the
highest ranks of Canadian society.
In preparing for the year 2000, I went
to Iceland with David Gislason, who had
been asked to chair a committee to set up
events. There 200 major events across the
country from l’Anse aux Meadows to
Snorri’s party in Ottawa, attended by the
President of Iceland, David Oddson, and
our Prime Minister, Jean Chretien were
planned. It was a high profile of very suc-
cessful events including the arrival of the
Icelandic Symphony Orchestra to
Winnipeg and major events in Vancouver
and Markerville. The story of Gudridur,
the first European woman to bear a child,
Snorri, in America, was interwoven
thoughout all of these events.
As a result, things began to happen.
President David Oddsson discussed with
the Canadian Prime Minister more flight
plans to Halifax. The University of