SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development spent a few hours in Yellowknife on Tuesday at Conservative candidate Brendan Bell's office before jetting off to Hay River that night.

Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Chuck Strahl left, spoke to a crowd of Yellowknifers with Western Arctic Conservative candidate Brendan Bell, on Tuesday. - Lauren McKeon/NNSL Photo

Chuck Strahl delivered a short speech about the North's importance in the upcoming election, but noted that wasn't his only reason for stopping by.

"Obviously I'm plugging for Brendan Bell," he said.

"The prime minister says I want this guy's input, he knows what's going on," Strahl added.

In addition to praising Bell in front of Conservative supporters, Strahl also praised the North.

"You know you get challenges, some days are diamonds and some days are stones, but when I come North, the attitude of Northerners and the can-do spirit ... this is the fun part of the job," he said.

The minister also addressed the uniqueness of Northern voters.

"What's consistent across the North is that people vote in part for the party - national leadership is important (to them) - but they also want to know the measure of the person they're voting for.

"They want to know the calibre, whether that person is going to be there for them. People want to know what do you know about this guy, what's he like?"

Nobody can win a Northern riding just on national policy, he added.

Asked by Yellowknifer for an update on the Neil McCrank report, which was released in July and sets out 22 recommendations for improving the regulatory regime in the North, Strahl said there wasn't much he could do during the election period.

"The McCrank report was of course delivered to me a little while ago. It's an excellent report," he said.

"We've got an election period where nothing can happen ... but following that we'd like to meet with the major players," he added.

Strahl also said that Prime Minister Stephen Harper wants to move a major projects office to the North so that when "big projects come up the decisions are made here in the North with Northerners."

Dave Monroe, campaign manager for Liberal candidate Gabrielle Mackenzie Scott, said there are no plans to bring high-profile Liberal party members to the North as of yet.

Similarly, NDP candidate Dennis Bevington has not announced any other big-name visitors from his party.

Mark Heyck of the NDP said party head Jack Layton visited Fort Smith on Sept. 8 to kick off the NDP campaign, with Bevington in attendance.

Green Party candidate Sam Gamble's campaign manager did not return calls for comment before press time.