Northern exposure

Well, that goes to show how out of it I was today. The Prime Minister of Canada swings by the capital for a visit and the first I hear of it is a story on the Globe and Mail website. Not that I would have gone out and seen him anyway. I'm still feeling sick, the weather up here sucked today (flurries, winds around 75 km/h and a wind chill around -6C) and I've met enough politicians in my day that the opportunity to gawk, or mock, one is nothing special.

Still, there are two things worthy of noting by this visit. First, he came up here. As the story notes, he basically blew a whole day on the campaign trail to come to Iqaluit. What does that mean? Well, that he must be feeling pretty good about his chances of landing a majority if he's willing to waste a day to win one seat. And that yeah, he also must be feeling pretty good about his odds of winning Nunavut.

This is also about the only interesting that's happened in the riding since the start of the election. Granted, things tend to be quiet up here during federal elections, but outside a few signs and posters you'd hardly know anything was happening. Most of the signs appear to be for the Liberal candidate Kirt Ejesiak, but I'm not sure sign volume has much to do with anything. Although one of the people living in my building does have a Leona Aglukkaq sign up in her window.

And what's the second thing of interest? Well, Harper's commitment to create a northern regional development agency. This should somewhat familiar to anyone living in Newfoundland as it appears to be somewhat similar to ACOA. What will this mean for Nunavut? Hard to say. On the surface it appears to be at least some attempt at taking northern, and specifically Nunavut, issues more seriously. Whether it leads to any significant improvements in infrastructure, housing, resource development and social issues is another thing all-together.

It'll be worth watching to see if anything more come of it. For that matter, it'll be interesting to see if Dion, Layton or May makes a venture up here in the next three weeks or so. Somehow, I kind of doubt it.

Last Five
1. From me to you - The Beatles*
2. Farewell ride - Beck
3. Getting down - The Kills
4. Walcott - Vampire Weekend
5. Trip through your wires - U2