A glaring error on a large map of Canada displayed at the Canadian Embassy in Washington went unnoticed by eight diplomats, according to Access to Information records. Blacklock's Reporter says the map incorrectly identified Greenland as part of Canada, prompting confusion and embarrassment.Staff at the Embassy declined to comment on the incident, which came to light after a subscriber to Blacklock’s Reporter noticed the mistake and alerted the publication. The banner, featuring the slogan “Canada-USA – Not just neighbours: Friends, partners, allies,” had been approved by a team of diplomats before being produced by a U.S. sign manufacturer.“I love it,” one employee wrote after a staff meeting to design the new display. Despite the enthusiasm, none of the eight diplomats who reviewed and approved the design caught the error. The special order, which cost taxpayers $2,654, was placed after complaints that the old banners in stock were insufficient..“We will be looking at creating a new one,” stated a January 30 staff email. Records show that the design was circulated among staff for feedback before printing, yet no one flagged the mistake. “If you could send any concerns by the end of day on Friday so I can send it to print on Monday, I would appreciate it!” one employee wrote.Instead of questioning the map, staff focused on debating slogans. “I am terrible at creative ideas,” one diplomat confessed in an email. Suggested slogans included “Canada and the United States know they can count on each other,” “Canada and the United States continue to anchor the most competitive, prosperous, and resilient economic region in the world,” and “Canada and the United States: Reliable allies and steady friends.”The banner remained on display for more than a week before the error was identified and reported. “The banner was up for eight days,” Pierre Cuguen, spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs, confirmed. “The banner was removed.”Greenland, which has been part of the Kingdom of Denmark for 200 years, has never been claimed by any Canadian Parliament. According to the CIA World Factbook, Greenland has a population of 58,000 and is the world’s largest island, covering 2.2 million square kilometers—about the size of Saudi Arabia. It is known for deposits of coal, gold, and potential oil and gas, though it is characterized by continuous permafrost and lacks volcanoes or earthquakes.
A glaring error on a large map of Canada displayed at the Canadian Embassy in Washington went unnoticed by eight diplomats, according to Access to Information records. Blacklock's Reporter says the map incorrectly identified Greenland as part of Canada, prompting confusion and embarrassment.Staff at the Embassy declined to comment on the incident, which came to light after a subscriber to Blacklock’s Reporter noticed the mistake and alerted the publication. The banner, featuring the slogan “Canada-USA – Not just neighbours: Friends, partners, allies,” had been approved by a team of diplomats before being produced by a U.S. sign manufacturer.“I love it,” one employee wrote after a staff meeting to design the new display. Despite the enthusiasm, none of the eight diplomats who reviewed and approved the design caught the error. The special order, which cost taxpayers $2,654, was placed after complaints that the old banners in stock were insufficient..“We will be looking at creating a new one,” stated a January 30 staff email. Records show that the design was circulated among staff for feedback before printing, yet no one flagged the mistake. “If you could send any concerns by the end of day on Friday so I can send it to print on Monday, I would appreciate it!” one employee wrote.Instead of questioning the map, staff focused on debating slogans. “I am terrible at creative ideas,” one diplomat confessed in an email. Suggested slogans included “Canada and the United States know they can count on each other,” “Canada and the United States continue to anchor the most competitive, prosperous, and resilient economic region in the world,” and “Canada and the United States: Reliable allies and steady friends.”The banner remained on display for more than a week before the error was identified and reported. “The banner was up for eight days,” Pierre Cuguen, spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs, confirmed. “The banner was removed.”Greenland, which has been part of the Kingdom of Denmark for 200 years, has never been claimed by any Canadian Parliament. According to the CIA World Factbook, Greenland has a population of 58,000 and is the world’s largest island, covering 2.2 million square kilometers—about the size of Saudi Arabia. It is known for deposits of coal, gold, and potential oil and gas, though it is characterized by continuous permafrost and lacks volcanoes or earthquakes.
