Iqaluit (Feb 16/04) - Standing outside on the corner of Northmart in Iqaluit doesn't sound like the best place to meet a celebrity, but last Monday afternoon it was.

That's where Rick Mercer, CBC personality and satirist, conducted some interviews for his new show, Monday Report.

Along with a stop at Northmart, Mercer was spotted at the Grind'n Brew coffee shop.

The election was what brought him up to Iqaluit and he got the chance to talk to some of the candidates in the approaching territorial election. "My new show Monday Report is about featuring all parts of Canada," he said. "There's an election going on up here so we thought that it was the perfect time to visit."

The biggest surprise for Mercer was that it's been a very quiet election.

"Nobody is really talking about it.

"That was one of the reasons why we wanted to do something.

"Nobody here is talking about the election either," he pointed out.

During his three-day stay in Iqaluit, Mercer was able to experience Northern life, which included a tour of the legislature with Premier Paul Okalik and a ride on a dog sled.

First-timer

"I've never been on a dog team before. It was cold," he said.

The Nunavut segment will air today at 7 p.m. EST (5 p.m. MST) on CBC North.