Residents will have a rare opportunity this week to hear about one of Canada’s most remote and little-known regions from someone who has explored it first-hand.
Retired research scientist, geologist, and local author Ken Card will be speaking about the remote landscapes that inspired his latest book, Ungava – Mapping the Great Empty Land of Cain, during an author talk and book signing on Wednesday.
The event will be held in Emond Hall at the Hastings Highlands Centre Gymnasium, and is free.
Card’s presentation will focus on the Ungava Peninsula in northern Quebec — a place he describes as “a land few Canadians know exists.”
“I’ve asked many people if they’ve heard of Ungava, and most haven’t,” Card said.
“It’s that peninsula in northern Quebec that stretches toward the Arctic. You’ve got Hudson Bay on one side, Labrador and the Torngat Mountains on the other, and Hudson Strait to the north. It’s right between three cold oceans, and the weather reflects that — short, wet summers and long, harsh winters.”
Card said the region’s remoteness, challenging environment and rich natural character make it unlike anywhere else in the country.
“The animals are fascinating, the topography is rugged, the geology is complex, and the fishing is probably the best in the world,” he said. “It’s a place that feels untouched — almost mythical. I call it the land of Cane, the land of Nod.”
The book draws on Card’s years of fieldwork and travel, offering both scientific insight and personal reflection.
Wednesday’s event will include stories from his journeys, a Q&A session, and signed copies of his book available to purchase.
The book talk starts at 2 p.m.
For more information, visit the Hastings Highlands Public Library Facebook page.
