Month: August 2025

Lt.-Gen. (Retd) Ashley became the first and only Royal Canadian Navy officer to command Canada’s Air Force

August 9, 2025                          Halifax, Nova Scotia                            Parks Canada

The Government of Canada proudly honours a Canadian whose service helped shape Canadian military capacity during the Cold War.

On Saturday, August 9, 2025, the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth–Cole Harbour, paid tribute to Lieutenant-General (Retd) Larry Ashley through Parks Canada’s Hometown Heroes program on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages. The ceremony was held at the Shearwater Aviation Museum in the Halifax Regional Municipality in the presence of dignitaries and family members.

Born and raised in Simcoe, Ontario, Lt.-Gen. (Retd) Ashley was the first and only Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) officer to command Canada’s Air Force. He helped pioneer the use of helicopters at sea and worked to make Canada’s naval aviation community one of the most capable in the world during the Cold War. Destined for high command, he held key roles with Air Command (now the Royal Canadian Air Force) in Winnipeg, commanded CFB Shearwater, and contributed to NATO operations in Europe, where he was instrumental in implementing the crucial Airborne Warning and Control System, designed to detect aircraft, ships, and vehicles at long ranges and to control and command the battle space in an air engagement. Upon returning to Canada, he became the commander of Air Command, serving in this role until his retirement in 1989.

Throughout his career, Lt.-Gen. (Retd) Ashley worked to benefit his community. He has been involved with the Shearwater Aviation Museum for most of his life and was a founding Director of the Canada Science and Technology Museum Foundation. Forever the sailor, he served two decades on the board of Bytown Brigantine, a sailing program to benefit underprivileged youth.

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Inauguration of Um’tgi Wapg – Land of the Dawn

August 8, 2025                                Gaspé, Quebec                                Parks Canada

Today, the Nation Micmac de Gespeg and Parks Canada are proud to inaugurate Um’tgi Wapg – Land of the Dawn, an immersive experience in traditional accommodation in Forillon National Park.

In addition to being a new tourism offering on the ancestral Mi’gmaq territory of Gespe’gewa’gi, this project marks a concrete step toward reconciliation. While August 9 marks the International Day of the Indigenous Peoples, it is part of the Reconciliation and Recognition of Rights Agreement with respect to Forillon National Park, particularly supporting the objectives related to the preservation and presentation of Indigenous cultural heritage.

Located at the tip of Forillon National Park, near Cap-Bon-Ami, Um’tgi Wapg offers an immersive experience of traditional wigwam-inspired accommodation, where visitors will discover Mi’gmaq history, legends, cultural practices and spirituality through educational activities – such as making dream catchers according to Micmac moons and other interpretive activities related to the culture and territory. This site is a symbolic place for sun ceremonies, as it pays tribute to the beauty of the land and the history of the Mi’gmaq people who have lived there for thousands of years. Reservations will be open to the public starting in summer 2026.

An engine of viability, economic growth and cultural vitality

The Um’tgi Wapg project presents a distinctive new tourism offering in the Gaspésie region. Led by the Nation Micmac de Gespeg, this project promotes the development of Indigenous tourism, an essential lever in its sustainable development strategy.

As well as boosting the local economy, the project will create jobs for members of the community. Its integration into Forillon National Park is based on a strong synergy between the park’s natural appeal and the richness of Mi’gmaq culture, offering visitors an experience rooted in the territory and supported by the community.

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