If the Yukon plays its cards right, it may become a bigger part of the nation's capital's annual winter festival, Tourism and Culture Minister Elaine Taylor said Tuesday.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to Ottawa for Winterlude, a February festival spanning the length of the world's largest skating rink, the Rideau Canal.

This year, Yukon Days in Ottawa saw northern performers take to the frosty stages of Winterlude to spread a little northern flavour.

Local performers Rising Sun had the crowd impressed with their powerful voices, while a group of young breakdancers also showcased their talents.

"People were really thrilled with the calibre and talent of Yukoners," said Taylor, speaking on the phone from Ottawa.

A team of snow carvers also impressed large crowds of festival goers, who gathered around their snowy interpretation of Sam McGee in Jacques Cartier Park, said Taylor.

Carvers from the Sun Dog carving school also flew down to Ottawa to showcase some of their creations.

"Lana Rae and her band, who are always quite good with children, also performed for an adult crowd, and really struck a chord with them," Taylor said.

The festival's touch of Yukon culture was a welcome addition, she said.

"We dialogued with the National Capital Commission about an added emphasis on the North in terms of future Winterludes," she said.

Taylor was in Ottawa with a contingent of Yukon leaders and ministers for Yukon Days, a pilgrimage meant to raise awareness of territorial issues with the federal government.

Taylor said she arrived late last Friday night. While she spent much of the weekend supporting the cultural performances, she got to work meeting with her mirroring federal ministers Tuesday morning.

Josée Verner, Minister of the Status of Women, and Diane Ablonczy, Minister of Small Business and Tourism, both spoke with Taylor about their shared ministerial responsibilities.

"I gave the federal minister of the Status of Women an update on the aboriginal women's summit, which we had last November," Taylor said, adding that they discussed education, leadership development and wellness.

Taylor also raised concerns about federal funding for women's shelters in the Yukon.

"The rates of violence against women are far greater in the North than in the rest of the country," she said.

Verner agreed to renew her commitment to work with the Yukon and to bring forth the business case for funding women's shelters, Taylor said.

Ablonczy listened to Taylor make her case for promoting tourism in the North.

"She's quite excited about the North, and one of her mandates is to look at the growing tourism in the North," said Taylor.

On the flip side, Taylor said she will be returning to the Yukon with new ideas from Ablonczy about different approaches to promotion, and funding opportunities.

"It was very helpful," she said.

Specifically, Taylor said she took advantage of the face time with Ablonczy to reiterate a need for continued funding for the exhibit transportation service that benefits Yukon museums and the Yukon Arts Centre.

"The funding is to end at the end of the fiscal year, so this will help raise awareness of how important a service it is to Yukoners and the museum community," she said.

The weather Tuesday in Ottawa was nearing -30 C with the wind chill, a role reversal from this week's near-zero degree temperatures in Whitehorse.

Taylor said she noted the irony, but took great joy in the trade-off. After all, she said, she had enjoyed one of Winterlude's staple treats for the first time: a Beavertail pastry, deep-friend with sugar and cinnamon.

"That made the trip!" she exclaimed.