'He's got his head around some fundamental Inuit issues'

Stephen Harper, the prime minister, appears to have made some friends during repeated visits to the North.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and Paul Okalik, the premier, all had kind words for Harper after the prime minister wrapped a northern visit with an appearance in Inuvik last week.

There, Harper met the three northern premiers, a gathering which Okalik described in an interview as cordial.

"He [Harper] took note of all our suggestions. He's looking for ideas," he said.

Okalik said he pushed Harper for more infrastructure spending and a devolution deal for Nunavut, and the extension of the Strategic Investment in Northern Economic Development (SINED) program.

That $90 million fund, launched by the Liberal government of Jean Chretien in 2004, expires next year. Northern politicians, including Okalik and education minister Ed Picco, have called for a permanent replacement for the program modeled on the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency,.

"We'd like a more permanent fund to draw from and plan ahead with," Okalik said.

Raymond Ningeocheak, NTI's vice-president of finance, also met with Harper and Northern Affairs minister Chuck Strahl alongside other aboriginal leaders, and echoed Okalik's comments on SINED, calling the program "an important component of Nunavut's economic development."

In a news release, Ningeocheak said this is the first time anyone from NTI had met Harper.

"This is the first opportunity we have had to talk with him," Ningeocheak said. "Hopefully we will be able to agree on common objectives and work together to obtain them."

Ningeocheak said he also urged the prime minister to make more of Nunavut's fish stocks available to Nunavummiut fishers – also a long standing complaint of the GN – and demanded more funds for education and training under Article 23 of the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement.

NTI is suing Ottawa for $1 billion, alleging the feds haven't lived up various sections of the land claims agreement, although no mention was made of the suit in NTI's news release.

Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, who also attended the meeting, said Harper now understands that Inuit need more money for education and economic development.

"He's got his head around some fundamental Inuit issues after making four trips to the Arctic, so now we are able to talk to him about our issues, and more importantly, how they are all interconnected," Simon said in a news release.

During his visit, Harper made three announcements.

Canada's offshore authority to enforce environmental regulations under the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act will now extend 320 kilometres offshore, up from 160 kilometres, with mandatory reporting by all ships heading though Arctic waters.

Harper also announced that Canada's new icebreaker, which will enter service by 2017, will be named after former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

He will also put more money into the geological mapping of northern natural resources.

But Okalik said he wasn't upset there was no mention of new spending on education, infrastructure or housing.

"It was more of an opportunity to educate [Harper] further about our expectations," he said.

But last week capped a string of announcements by federal cabinet ministers.

Last week, Diane Ablonczy, secretary of state for small business and tourism, announced $36 million to improve satellite-driven internet services in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

And late last month, Peter MacKay, the defence minister, announced $3.6 million over five years for equipment for the Junior Canadian Rangers.

Meanwhile, Rob Nicholson, the justice minister, toured the North, doling out $2.1 million in crime prevention money for the three territories.

In Ottawa, John Baird, the environment minister, signed an Inuit impact and benefit agreement that will create three new national wildlife areas in Nunavut, including a long-awaited sanctuary for bowhead whales near Clyde River.

All this comes just before a widely-expected federal election call that could come as soon as Sept. 8. There are rumours that the Conservatives want badly to take at least one northern riding this fall.

They've already snagged at least one high-profile candidate: former territorial cabinet minister Brendan Bell will run for the party in the Northwest Territories, a seat currently held by New Democrat Dennis Bevington.

Speaking to reporters, Ablonczy chuckled at the suggestion the Conservatives are targeting northern ridings.

"As far as whether the government will have members from the North in the next government, that will be up to northerners themselves….[W]hoever they do choose we will work with them, because the North is important to this government."

With files from Jim Bell