ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½'s future lies in the development of the North, the prime minister said Monday at the start of his annual Northern tour.
And Stephen Harper said it's his government's job to make sure that's done in a way that benefits Northerners and all Canadians.
"The North's time has come, my friends," Harper told a rally of party faithful gathered 45 minutes outside Whitehorse.
"And you ain't seen nothing yet."
Plumping up the Canadian mining and oil and gas sectors to feed resourcehungry countries around the world has become a singular focus of the Harper government. The prime minister refashioned that priority Monday as one belonging to all Canadians.
The prime minister's office said there are cur-rently eleven resource projects under environmental assessment, representing $8 billion in investment and 3,000 jobs.
Changing the environmental assessment process to require fewer reviews and limiting their scope was one of the more contentious elements of the Conservatives' last budget.
Harper clearly feels comfortable in the North. That was evident early in on the first day of his visit when he and his wife visited with a group of sled dogs in training. The puppies frolicked as the Harpers petted them and quizzed the trainer about their upbringing.
Harper's Northern tour this summer will focus mostly on economic and social development.
Monday's stop in Whitehorse is to be followed by a visit today to the Minto gold and copper mine and Wednesday, he'll go to Norman Wells, N.W.T., an oil and gas exploration hub.
He'll end the tour with a visit with troops taking part in Operation Nanook, the military's annual summer exercise in the North.
The Conservatives count asserting ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½'s military sovereignty over the Arctic as one of their signature achievements.
Next year, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ takes over leadership of the Arctic Council and key among the issues it's facing is whether to allow more countries - including China - to have a seat at the table.
A Chinese icebreaker arrived in Iceland this week after becoming the first Chinese ship to cross the Arctic ocean.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird didn't appear concerned by the trip.
"The Chinese have an interest in the Arctic. So does Singapore for shipping, so does the European Union," he told reporters in Ottawa.
"We will engage with others leading up to the Arctic Council meeting in Sweden."
