Ignatieff visits Yellowknife

Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff landed in Yellowknife on Monday afternoon, in part to show his support for the party's latest addition.

Liberals in the Northwest Territories riding of Western Arctic confirmed on Saturday that former premier Joe Handley will be their next federal candidate.

Handley, who was N.W.T. premier from 2003 until 2007, was the only person to seek the party's nomination.

On his arrival n Yellowknife, Ignatieff toured Buffalo Airways' facility at the local airport, then visited a local daycare centre.

Speaking to reporters, Ignatieff said resource revenue-sharing is the most important issue facing Canada's North.

"Our vision of the North is tied to making sure that all the peoples of the North get a fair shake out of what's obviously going to be a resource for them over the next five, 10, 15 years," Ignatieff said.

"We think that we've got to work that out now before the resource boom really hits."

Ignatieff's view on resource revenue sharing sounded a bit simplistic, said NDP MP Dennis Bevington, who has represented the Western Arctic riding since 2006.

"Simply looking at the return from resource development, I don't think, is the entire answer," he said.

"We've seen that, I think, with our diamond mines, where we need to actively participate with the mines in order to come up with development secnarios that really work for us."

'Let's get on with these things,' says Handley

Handley, 66, has been working as a private consultant in Yellowknife since he retired from territorial politics in 2007. He was appointed to the CBC's board of directors in 2008.

Handley said he won't feel dogged by his own political past, including a controversial decision in 2007 to sign a deal to build the Deh Cho Bridge.

The bridge project, which will span the Mackenzie River once completed, has since been plagued with rising costs, contract disputes and a delay of at least one year.

"I don't think it's going to hurt me at all. In fact, I think it's a good example of my reputation of getting things done. Let's get on with these things," Handley said Monday.

"We talked about a bridge for 60 years. We talked about a Mackenzie Valley highway for 70 years. When do we stop talking and start doing?"

Handley said his main focus will be land claims, from settling three outstanding claims in the N.W.T. to better implementing the territory's existing land claims.

The Conservatives have not confirmed whether Brendan Bell, a former MLA and cabinet minister in Handley's government, will run for them again. Bell lost a close race to Bevington in the last federal election in 2008.

Ignatieff's visit to the N.W.T. comes after Prime Minister Stephen Harper toured the three northern territories last week in what some had called a pre-election campaign jaunt with numerous repackaged funding announcements.

Green party Leader Elizabeth May spent the weekend in Whitehorse, releasing her party's northern strategy on Friday and supporting Yukon Green candidate John Streicker.