Stephen Harper arrives in Iqaluit on Monday evening
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to arrive in Iqaluit on Monday evening, for the first stop on a five-day tour of the Canadian Arctic.
In addition to visiting the Nunavut capital, the prime minister will also visit Yellowknife, Whitehorse, as well as other communities in Canada's Far North before wrapping up his trip on August 21.
Harper will also hold a cabinet meeting during his trip and will observe an anti-submarine warfare training exercise -- codenamed Operation Nanook -- in the eastern Arctic.
The prime minister's Arctic trip also comes at a time when Canada is in the midst of building stronger ties with Denmark, as both countries seek to tighten their control of the region.
According to Harper's official website, asserting Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic is one of the government's long-term priorities.
The government has previously announced plans to build six light icebreakers that will patrol the region, and is considering building a deep-water port and warfare centre.
Canada has also been keeping a close eye on Russian expeditions to the Arctic, and has taken issue with Russian jets flying near its Arctic airspace.
In March, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Canada won't be "bullied" by Russia's efforts to beef up its presence in the Arctic.
See the full story on Nunatsiaq News.
