Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be in the Yukon this coming weekend as part of his annual northern tour, Senator Dan Lang confirmed Friday.

This will be Harper's eighth annual tour, and in keeping with tradition, few details about his itinerary are being released in advance.

A spokesperson for the Prime Ministers Office said Friday more information would be released this week.

But the annual barbecue for Conservative supporters is on the agenda, Lang said.

"The fact that the prime minister comes here once a year, I think is very important for us in northern Canada, very symbolic for the country and it certainly gives a signal to federal civil service that the North is a priority and we very much appreciate the fact that the Prime Minister takes this time to come and visit us,” said Lang.

The prime minister arrived in Whitehorse for the start of his northern tour last year on Discovery Day, kicking off with a barbecue hosted at the Caribou Crossing Trading Post, near Carcross.

Members of the Carcross-Tagish First Nation protested outside the barbecue, calling attention to a funding dispute with the federal government.

The prime minister also visited Minto Mine during that trip, before jetting off to the Northwest Territories where he visited the site of a newly minted national park reserve.

Harper has consistently touted the importance of his northern agenda, highlighting his government's northern strategy. The strategy consists of four main pillars, exercising arctic sovereignty, promoting social and economic development, protecting environment heritage, and improving and devolving northern governance.

During his trip this year the prime minister will also visit the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and northern Quebec.