By The Canadian Press

War canoe takes Prince William and Kate to Haida Gwaii as royal tour winds down

Sep 30, 2016 | 1:46 PM

HAIDA GWAII, B.C. — Prince William and Kate made their arrival today at a small village on an island off the coast of British Columbia in a replica 15-metre Haida war canoe.

Paddlers wearing teal-coloured T-shirts with the words No LNG on them ferried the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the Haida Gwaii village of Skidegate.

The federal government gave conditional approval earlier this week to a controversial liquefied national gas project that would be built near Prince Rupert on the northern coast of the province.  

First Nations art and a coastal fishing trip are on the itinerary for the duke and duchess on their final full day in Canada at the remote West Coast archipelago.

The duke and duchess are expected to visit the Haida Heritage Centre and Museum where they’ll learn about the tradition of carving totems as well as other cultural practices including song and dance.

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The cultural visit will be followed by a tour of the region’s new hospital and health care centre, located at the Village of Queen Charlotte.

The new facility ensures long-term care and maternity patients can stay within the remote community while receiving health services that previously were only offered in larger cities.

William and Kate cap off their tour of the coastal islands with a fishing trip. The area is renowned for offering some of the best salmon and halibut fishing in the world.

The islands, located about 100 kilometres off the coast, were known as the Queen Charlotte Islands until 2009 when the province and the Haida Nation reached a historic reconciliation agreement. As a result the island chain went back to its original name.

The Canadian Press