Canadian taxpayers fund Royal Tour iPhone app

The Royal Tour? There was an app for that, and Canadians funded it whether they could (or would) have used it.

Since June 30th, Prince William and his new bride Kate Middleton (also known as The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) have been touring throughout various parts of Canada. For those royal-watchers that wanted to keep track of the couple’s first visit to our nation, while their was a website and news feeds that provided such information, there was also an iPhone app to help out. And even if you didn’t have such a device, you’ll be pleased to know that, as a Canadian, you paid to have it made.

That’s right. For a tour that lasted a week, the Conservative government created an app that allowed people from all over the world the ability to follow the royal couple as they made their way across Canada.

“Royal Tours are opportunities for all Canadians, particularly young people, to take pride in our country and our history, and to show to the world all that this great country has to offer” said the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages in a statement released by the government. “Launching this application will offer Canadians the opportunity to connect with the Royal Tour and interact with friends and colleagues in exciting new ways.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made seven “official” stops in four provinces and one territory over nine days, from June 30 to July 8. It was the first international tour for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a married couple.

While the iPhone app was (and still is) available for free at the Royal Tour website, it certainly is not the type of development that has no costs to create. It is interesting to note, that rather than use technology to create a dialogue between government officials and the public, as was done this past week in the United States when President Barack Obama took to popular social network Twitter for a virtual “town hall”, the Canadian government is content to spend time and resources for an app that has essentially become obsolete in a matter of days.

Oh, Canada…