Tom Mulcair in Iqaluit: Arctic strategy must put northerners first

When NDP leader Tom Mulcair touched down in Nunavut's capital of Iqaluit on Wednesday, he didn't spend long before getting straight to his main message to residents: they should come first when addressing Arctic issues.

"Last night at the debate we talked about Arctic strategy, and what I said was, anything that we talk about having to do with the North has to be first and foremost about the people of the North," saidMulcairto a gymnasium full of Nunavummiut, or Nunavut residents.

Mulcairisin Iqaluitfor a two-day campaign visit that will wrap up onWednesday.He is expected to make another announcement inNunavut'scapital this morning.

On his first day, Mulcair tooka shopping trip toa local grocery store, visitedthe city's elders' centre,and held an open-door feast at Nakasuk School.

AlexinaKublu, who attended the feast, said "We're not here because we've already made up our mind on who we're going to vote for.You listen and then you decide.That's what I'm here for."

"I think for me the reason why it's important for the federal leaders to be visiting the communities is because it shows that they care," says Lissie Anaviapik, who says she attended Mulcair's gathering because the NDP is talking about mental health and housing, issues that she believesare key in the North.

Mulcair used the visit to talk about his party's commitment to Inuit and northerners, stressing food security, housing, support for seniors and suicide prevention.

$32M to expand Nutrition North

Mulcair'sfirst order of business in Iqaluit was to pledge animprovement toaccess to healthy food in the territory.

"Stephen Harper has used northern communities as convenientphoto-ops for years while failing to addressthe most basicconcerns of families access to affordable food," Mulcair said in a statement."We will take a different approach so that remote Inuit communities in Nunavut and across the North don't have to rely on cheap, unhealthy foods that also put their health at risk."

The NDP is promising to invest $32 million to improve the Nutrition North program and expand it to include50 isolated communities currently excluded from the food subsidy. If elected, the New Democrats arealso promisingtoreviewthe existing program, in partnership with northerners.In addition, they say they'llsupport culturally appropriate sustainable food solutions.

Mulcair punctuated his point by makinga stopat North Mart,Iqaluit'slargest grocery store,purchasinga container of orange juice.

"We have a container of orange juice you can buy in most places in Canada for $ 4.75," he said."We spent $11."

ATV ride through Sylvia Grinnell Park

Mulcair also visited Sylvia GrinnellTerritorial Park on Tuesday, where he metmet with NDP candidate Jack Anawak andtook a ride on an ATV.

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Mulcair visited Nunavut's capital last September, whenhe addressed theneed for a port,high-speed internet and action on missing and murdered aboriginal women.

LiberalLeaderJustin Trudeau has also announced he will be visiting Iqaluit during the election campaign. The date for his visit is not yet confirmed.

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