On January 20, 2026, members of the Nunavut Legislative Assembly raised the flag of Greenland in Iqaluit to show support for their northern neighbours. The ceremony resonated in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, where many families share cultural and familial ties with the people of Greenland.
The event was held in response to renewed annexation rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump about taking over Greenland. David Joanasie, Speaker of Nunavut’s Legislative Assembly, said in Inuktitut: “For the people of Greenland that are living here in Iqaluit or in Nunavut, we are thinking of you, we are with you, we stand with you and we will be vocal.”
Fred Pedersen, the MLA for Cambridge Bay, spoke about his Greenlandic family heritage at the ceremony. Pedersen — who has previously noted his roots in Greenland — said the gesture was deeply personal for many Nunavummiut whose families cross colonial borders.
The flag-raising follows steps by Greenland and Nunavut to deepen cooperation on fisheries, transportation and other areas. Greenland’s 2024 Foreign, Security and Defense Policy emphasizes the principle ‘Nothing about us without us’ and a push for greater Greenlandic involvement and self-determination. Canada’s 2024 Arctic Foreign Policy endorses a more inclusive approach to Arctic diplomacy and provides federal policy support for northern-led engagement that could enable stronger Nunavut–Greenland ties.
