The federal election campaign has Prime Minister Stephen Harper taking the tour less travelled by other leaders.

While in Whitehorse this morning, the Conservative leader announced his intent to create a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) reserve unit in the territory.

The announcement was made this morning at Schwatka Lake, as opposed to the later announcement made at Trans North Helicopters’ hangar.

About 75 people, including Yukon Senator Dan Lang, were at that invitation-only event.

At 5:00 this morning, local media received an email from the Conservative Party of Canada indicating a photo-opportunity would be taking place with Yukon MP Ryan Leef and the prime minister at the Gold Rush Inn.

Reporters were not allowed at this event – only photographers.

A later announcement was to be held at Trans North, the event that would be reporter-friendly.

Guns N’ Roses and Nickelback blasted in the hangar at Trans North, perhaps in hopes of generating excitement in the crowd of Conservative Association members and local residents.

Harper and Leef eventually breezed into the room, both refreshed from a pleasant boat ride on Schwatka Lake.

At this event, Harper announced a $9-million initiative aimed at the angling, hunting and snowmobiling sectors.

The $9 million over three years, starting in 2016, Harper said, would promote tourism within those sectors.

The hope is to bring more recreational users from these sectors north from the U.S.

“Yukon is a fishing and hunting paradise,” the Conservative Party’s press release stated.

If re-elected, a promised $5 million per year would be slated to improve habitats for species such as moose, deer, turkey and migratory birds, Harper said.

This initiative would be in place by the 2017 hunting season.

Harper added a few measures to “remove barriers and irritants” that hunters of migratory birds currently face – including the permitted use of crossbows in hunting, labelling packages of harvested birds instead of each bird individually, and developing a family hunting permit.

No mention of the CAF reserve unit was made at the Trans North event.

The promise of the unit builds on Harper’s previously announced plan for expanding the CAF as a whole.

“Our government has made the rebuilding of the Canadian military a priority since we took office,” Harper said.

“The establishment of a reserve unit in Yukon will provide the important enhanced capacity for the Canadian Armed Forces in the North as part of its mission to defend Canada’s soverignty.”

In a press release on the Conservative Party’s website, it states the new Yukon unit would “enhance the Arctic operations capacity” and “provide a specialized emergency response” in the face of natural disasters.

It’s also noted that having the unit would revitalize the connection between the CAF and people of Yukon – the territory hasn’t had its own reserve force since 1968, when a then-Liberal government disbanded it.

The CAF announcement echoed the tone of Harper’s whole spiel at the Trans North event; national security remains Harper’s top priority, along with the economy.

The prime minister also addressed a hot-button issue for the territory – Bill S-6, the legislation passed in the House in June which amends the territory’s environmental regime.

Several First Nations believe that four amendments made to the bill undermine their land claims under the Umbrella Final Agreement.

When asked by local media whether the issue must go back to Supreme Court or whether the federal government would consider a settlement, Harper said the amendments were requested by the territorial government.

“I understand there are those who oppose,” Harper said, adding that the federal government would let the court make any further decisions. (See separate story, p. 8.)

Harper also drew applause when he vowed a Conservative government would never bring back the long gun registry.

As is typical practice at a Harper campaign event, media were given a limited number of questions, with four out of five questions given to reporters on the campaign and one to local media.

In light of the photo showing a deceased Syrian boy’s body lying face-down on a beach in Turkey, Harper addressed a question regarding the government’s approach to refugees and whether Syrian refugees are feared.

“Everyone has been galvanized by this picture,” Harper said.

The government’s intent, he said, is to increase the number of refugees while keeping in mind issues of fairness.

In other words, bringing in the most vulnerable.

“We realize we have to bring in more (refugees) and bring in more effectively.”

Harper’s visit to Whitehorse marks the 11th time the prime minister has travelled to the territory.

Leef was quick to point out that no other prime minister in the history of Canada has been to the Yukon as many times – though in August, the Conservative leader had cancelled his annual “northern tour” due to a tight campaign schedule, reports said at the time.

Though Leef lauded Harper for his appreciation and dedication to the North, he received some credit of his own from the prime minister.

“He knows the North,” Harper said, adding that Leef has probably literally ran through most of the territory, being an endurance runner.

“Let’s work hard and bring Leef back to Ottawa.”

Despite having the territory’s only seat in the House, the Conservative Party may have another tough battle to win again.

The 2011 federal election yielded a close race – the Conservative MP beat out longtime Liberal MP Larry Bagnell by fewer than 200 votes.

After arriving in Whitehorse Thursday evening, the prime minister and Leef visited the Yukon Brewing Company.

There were no public events scheduled for his Yukon visit.

Harper headed back to Ottawa today, though his plans for the remainder of his visit were not released to the media.

See letter.