Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 09/06) - With the federal election coming on Jan. 23, the candidates are stepping up their campaigns. All eyes will be on the hopeful MPs on Jan. 10, the night of the debate.

CBC North will host all the candidates for the televised battle, and for most, this will be the first time they will meet face to face.

Nancy Karetak-Lindell was not active leading into the Christmas holidays, waiting until after the holidays to begin her campaign. She will be at the debate in Iqaluit, but has planned to do most of her campaigning from her Arviat home.

Radio Canada is also trying to arrange a French debate, but there are no firm plans in place yet.

Felix Kappi of the Green Party will be in Iqaluit for the big event, but plans to focus most of his campaigning in his home of Rankin Inlet.

He hopes to get to Baker Lake before the election, but will be handling most of his contact with voters through flyers and community radio.

Conservative candidate David Aglukark Sr. travelled from Arviat to Iqaluit over the weekend, to spend a few days in the capital before the debate.

He was putting up campaign signs and shaking hands at Northmart prior to the debate, and will be heading to Rankin Inlet afterwards.

After meeting with supporters in Rankin Inlet, he will be returning to Arviat, his home town.

Aglukark wasn't the only one putting up his placards in Iqaluit last week. NDP candidate Bill Riddell had the first campaign signs in Iqaluit. His orange signs hit the streets on Jan. 5.

Riddell will end the week with a trip to Pangnirtung and will be in Pond Inlet before the end of campaigning.

Pundits have predicted this campaign will be a nasty one nationally, but things have been cordial in Nunavut. Riddell and Aglukark bumped into each other at the gas station in Iqaluit on Jan. 7.

The two rivals exchanged brochures and tried to convince the other to switch their vote. Both were unsuccessful.