A scene from Nunavut is part of a new painting unveiled this week in Rideau Hall.

It is a portrait of John Ralston Saul, the husband of former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson.

The portrait, which was unveiled Monday, shows Saul in Pond Inlet, Nunavut. He is seen lowering a red kayak into iceberg-filled waters, with Bylot Island in the background.

Saul said the portrait will give visitors to Rideau Hall a wider view of Canada.

“It's a very clear reminder that the country is a lot more than the South. It's the North, and it's the North on its own terms,” he said.

Saul has a long connection to the North. In 2001, he spent a month in Pond Inlet working on a book. He also travelled through the North with his wife during her time as Governor General.

Saul commissioned Cree artist Kent Monkman to do the painting. It's the first portrait in Rideau Hall by a First Nations artist, and the first to depict the Arctic.

Saul donated his portrait to Rideau Hall, a tradition for all vice regal spouses.

Saul said he likes that the portrait is set in an Arctic community he has spent time in, and one which is known for its remarkable scenery.