Oh! Canada!!!!!

When I received this little item today from my friend David Smith I wasn't surprised. Frankly nothing that comes out of the office of any political party in Canada surprises me anymore. But when such stupidity comes out of the Office of the Prime Minister I cringe with embarrassment.

OTTAWA - An unfortunate blunder by the Prime Minister's Office has residents of Nunavut alternately chuckling and cringing.

A news release sent out Monday outlined Prime Minister Stephen Harper's itinerary as he began a five-day tour of the North. The release repeatedly spelled the capital of Nunavut as Iqualuit - rather than Iqaluit.

The extra "u" makes a world of difference in the Inuktitut language.

Iqaluit, properly spelled, means "many fish."

Spelled with an extra "u," the Nunavut language commissioner's office says the word translates as a derogatory reference to "people with unwiped bums."

Bloggers from Iqaluit were quickly online ridiculing the gaffe - some light-hearted, some angry.

Iqaluit was named capital of Nunavut when the territory was created in 1999.

A news release today from the PMO spells Iqaluit correctly.

From Canadian Press

Oh! Canada! What the hell is happening to you?
18 agosto - Sant'Elean Imperatrice