Yellowknife (Apr 18/03) - Visiting Liberal senators Pierre De Bane, Lorna Milne, Vivienne Poy, along with Tory senator Donald Oliver, have been moved.

"I am immensely impressed," said Milne, who represents Ontario and had been North 25 years ago.

The senators were invited by colleague Nick Sibbeston, a former NWT government leader, to see the North firsthand, April 14-16.

Sibbeston hopes the Northern trip for senators becomes annual.

After touring the Ekati diamond mine and meeting with business leaders and local workers, senators said the participation of aboriginal people in all aspects of local business is what impressed them the most.

"In 1970, the situation was different," Sibbeston said at a press conference Wednesday.

"Aboriginal people, we were so insignificant. Native people have risen," he said. "Native people in the South are not as significant as they are in the North."

Poy, who came North three years ago, called this trip "an eye opener and a mind opener." "This is just the beginning," he added.

"We would like to follow up and see what happens in the next 10 years."

De Bane, who appeared emotional about the trip, said clearly per capita funding is inadequate for the North.

"You can't use per capita here in a territory as big as a continent."

Milne said the scale and quality of the diamond mine surprised her.

"We can take lessons home to Northern Ontario, let me tell you!"