Prime Minister Stephen Harper is pencilled in for a visit to Whitehorse next week to greet party faithful and members of the broader public at a reception at an undisclosed location.

Roughly 3,000 invitations have been sent out over the past few days by the Yukon Conservative Association to its members and others in advance of Harper’s annual northern tour.

The typically week-long affair, now in its ninth year, usually takes the prime minister to all three territories as well as northern Quebec.

Association president Michael Lauer said today residents can park their vehicles on the evening of Aug. 21 at the old Shell gas station on the Alaska Highway, and from there they will be shuttled to the secret site.

Parking issues at the meet-and-greet location are cited as the reason for corralling the public to the highway gas bar.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for Yukoners to chat with the prime minister and for the prime minister to see our territory,” Lauer told the Star today.

“He’s committed to the North, and his annual trips are a sign of his support and commitment to the North.”

Larry Bagnell, a former Yukon MP and current contender for the federal Liberal nomination, was less enthusiastic.

“I hope he comes for more than just a photo op,” Bagnell said in an interview today.

“Hopefully, it’s something substantive too.

“The last few visits he’s just re-announced something he’s announced already one or more times,” Bagnell added.

“(Liberal Leader) Justin Trudeau came for the better part of a week last summer. Hopefully, (Harper) stays a little longer to get to know the people and what they’re telling him.”

Bagnell listed a host of issues he said Yukoners have found the government lagging on.

He cited cuts to Parks Canada — 30 territorial staff lost their jobs in 2012 — federal-First Nations relations, tourism cuts, inadequate treatment for people with mental disorders and affordable housing problems.

Less than two weeks ago, a visiting junior federal minister announced $16 million for affordable housing programs via the territorial government.

That five-year plan was topped off two days later by a rollout of $1.8 million for anti-homelessness programs administered through the Council of Yukon First Nations.

Bagnell said the $11.5 million sitting in the Northern Housing Trust since 2008 is a reminder that funding alone is not enough. To be effective, the cash has to be spent.

“Hopefully (Harper) could encourage the Yukon government to put into play the affordable housing money that was provided many years ago.

“It’s an urgent problem, if you look at the lineups at the food bank,” he added. “They want solutions to these issues.”

Bagnell commended MP Ryan Leef for putting forward a private member’s bill that calls for explicit recognition of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the Canadian Criminal Code.

“It would be great if the prime minister came out wholeheartedly in support of that,” he said.

Leef was not available for comment this morning, according to his office.

The Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to a request for Harper’s northern tour schedule by press time this afternoon.

The Aug. 21 reception is being organized and paid for by the Yukon Conservative Association, Lauer confirmed.