CARCROSS – Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived in Whitehorse on Monday for the start of his seventh annual northern tour.

The five-day trip kicked off with a barbecue for Conservative Party members at the Caribou Crossing Trading Post near Carcross.

During a speech to the more than 300 people in attendance, the prime minister had only good things to say about Yukon MP Ryan Leef and Conservative Senator Dan Lang, calling them "the best MP-Senate team the Yukon has ever had.”

Leef is the first Conservative MP to be elected in the Yukon since 1984, when the late Erik Nielsen won his final election under Brian Mulroney's leadership.

The North, Harper said, is the future of Canada, adding that no other government has prioritized it like his has.

And it will remain a priority for his government, "because that great national dream, the development of northern resources, no longer sleeps.

"It is not happening down the road. It is happening right now,” he said, adding that more than 30 projects could be developed over the next 10 years in the North.

"We see our task as standing on guard for the North ensuring that northerners receive every possible benefit from northern development, including an efficient, timely and comprehensive project review process that protects our northern environmental heritage,” he said.

Many Canadians and organizations have decried a number of changes that were made to the Environmental Assessment Act brought in with the omnibus budget last March.

Harper said his government is ensuring environmental reviews are comprehensive "and that they are also completed in a reasonable time frame, according to the principle of one project, one review.”

The prime minister went on to list a number of legislative changes the Conservatives were able to push through after securing a majority government – many of which were controversial, including the omnibus crime bill.

Changes to future spending on health and old age security have also received considerable scrutiny.

Harper reiterated these changes were brought in to ensure the programs are sustainable, affordable and "guaranteed for hard-working Canadian families for many generations to come.”

"Friends, not every one of these measures is easy or is popular with everybody. But they are all good for Canada,” he said.

Canada's economy was highlighted in the speech, as Harper noted that more people are working today than were working before the last recession.

"I am determined that Canada will continue to outperform Europe, the United States and Japan. That we will not fall into the long-term difficulties those economies are facing.

"That's why we've acted so broadly and so decisively in Economic Action Plan 2012.”

Throughout the speeches, the sound of drums could be heard from outside as members of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation drew attention to their ongoing battle with the federal government for a fair funding agreement.

The First Nation's Financial Transfer Agreement is set to expire Sept. 30.

Yukoners' warmth was on display earlier in the day when Harper and his wife visited with a group of sled dogs in training. The puppies frolicked about the Harpers as they petted them and quizzed the trainer about their upbringing.

As a Golden Retriever ambled by, Harper joked that it didn't look much like a sled dog.

It isn't, the handler admitted, but it does like the attention.

Early this morning, Harper left Whitehorse to visit the Minto Mine (see coverage in tomorrow's Star) before travelling on to the Northwest Territories.

He will also visit northern Manitoba and Nunavut over the course of his tour.

By Ainslie Cruickshank

Star Reporter