Stephen Harper’s visit Tuesday to Resolute, on Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, focused on Canadian sovereignty in the High Arctic.
Harper came to inspect Operation Nanook 10, the annual military exercise aimed at showing Canadian force in the High Arctic.
“With other countries becoming more interested in the Arctic and its rich resource potential, and with new trade routes opening up, we must continue to exercise our sovereignty,” Harper said.
While there, he witnessed a diving exercise and spoke to some of the 900 men and women who will be taking part in the manoeuvres.
He also watched a demonstration of a simulated oil spill being contained.
And he affirmed the government’s ongoing support for the already-announced Radarsat Constellation Mission, which will put three new satellites in orbit by 2015 to monitor the movements of trespassers attempting to enter Canadian waters.
The satellites, which will cost just under $500-million to launch and maintain, will also monitor environmental changes to Canada’s north and enhance weather forecasting.
Harper then flew to Inuvik where he took part in a traditional Inuvialuit dance.
At first Harper resisted the request to get up on the dance floor Wednesday night, trying to persuade his health minister Leona Aglukkaq to go in his stead.
But finally he caved to the entreaties of the dancers, put on the traditional gloves and joined the other dancers.
The group had been entertaining a crowd at the Midnight Sun complex as they waited for Harper to arrive for a speech.
They performed for Harper after he arrived – and then invited him to join in a freestyle dance.
At the end of the dance, he high-fived a fellow dancer and later posed for a photo with the group.
As Harper quipped later, the organizer invited him to watch the entertainment.
“She didn’t say I would be the entertainment.”
“She didn’t say I would be the entertainment.”
