Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (July 15/02) - A dozen business leaders from Ontario took a whirlwind tour of Northern development, politics and the military last week.

Their comprehensive tour included visits to Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet. They also toured diamond cutting and polishing facilities, the Ekati Diamond mine and Snare River dams.

Major Northern players briefed them on a wide range of topics including consensus government, pipeline and oil and gas development and military and security issues.

Brian Rich is president of Senstar Stellar, a manufacturer of high-tech security sensors. A year ago, the company installed a large security system for a pipeline development in Russia. The company's products are used by heads of state, royalty and rock stars, and also employed in nuclear power plants. And Senstar Stellar provides security for all maximum security federal prisons in Canada.

"It's not burglar alarms," said Rich.

Last week, he met architects, engineers and security people at the Ekati mine and NWT Power Corporation.

"There's a lot of significant opportunities up here," said Rich. "A lot of opportunities for investment."

The only disappointment: "No factory outlet at Ekati," he joked.

Bidding on food contract

Peter McCawley of Aramark Canada Ltd. -- a service management company that primarily provides food service -- said the company plans to bid on a food service contract at Diavik. He's also interested in providing food service for other construction projects.

John Eaton, great grandson of Eatons founder Timothy Eaton, is no longer in the retail business, but thinks Yellowknife will see southern retailers move North as soon the population expands.

"(A population of) 25,000 is when people start," he said.

Eaton, an honourary colonel and the chair of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council, has no business interests in the North.

"Just a great deal of interest in the country and the sovereignty of our country," he said.

The Royal Canadian Military Institute and the Canadian Defense Industries Organization organized last week's trip. Many of the participants are members of these organizations. The RCMI organized the study tour after Canadian Forces Northern Area's Colonel Kevin McLeod visited the institute as part of an outreach program. His visit took place just shortly before Sept. 11.