SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Walking out to the tune of distorted guitar riffs from sound speakers and the rhythm of hundreds of supporters, politicians and campaign staffers clapping along, Prime Minister Stephen Harper brought the big blue machine to Yellowknife Sunday night.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks at a Conservative gala at Great Slave Helicopters on Sunday night. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

The unadvertised Conservative gala, filled by invitees ID'd at the door at Great Slave Helicopters, was home to several prominent Northerners. Premier Floyd Roland sat beside former Tory candidate Brendan Bell; Dettah chief Ed Sangris and Ndilo chief Ted Tsetta, who was sporting a sticker exclaiming "Harper Canada" on his chest, sat among a group stationed behind the prime minister. Also there was Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen and Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya.

Seated in the audience were Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins and Shoppers Drug Mart owner Daryl Dolynny, who recently announced his aim to replace Sandy Lee as Range Lake MLA, a seat she vacated to run as the Conservative candidate for the Western Arctic.

"A re-elected Conservative government will push ahead with our Northern agenda," Harper told the crowd as they applauded enthusiastically.

Afterwards, speaking with Yellowknifer, Harper defended his party's choice in Lee, who until three weeks ago, was a known Liberal supporter.

"No, not at all," he said when asked if he was worried about her red-painted past.

"This party, the new Conservative Party of Canada that's grown so rapidly over the last decade obviously was formed by Reform/Alliance people and Progressive Conservatives but we've attracted a large number of people who used to vote for other parties and particularly from the Liberal party."

He cited Lee's experience as health minister, and said he'd be interested in hearing her opinions on the issues in Ottawa, if she is elected.

"I think Sandy's a great fit in our party," he continued. "Everybody's behind Sandy. She's a young, dynamic person with good experience and I think she just makes a great representative for us and for the riding."

At another rally Monday morning, Harper reiterated his budget promise to expand the Dempster Highway to Tuktoyaktuk from Inuvik with $150 million in federal cash.

When asked if his government would help Yellowknife in replenishing fuel and supplies should it face an extended ferry outage this year, Harper said it was a "territorial issue" but added residents would benefit from a Conservative MP in the House of Commons.

Ditto on a drug rehabilitation centre in Yellowknife, as recently proposed by Supreme Court Justice John Z. Vertes, the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, and a coroner's jury panel.

"In terms of these sorts of things ... I always tell people it helps to have a member in the government who's actually working on these kinds of issues and telling us what the real priorities are," he said.

Outside the Yellowknife Inn, about a dozen protesters gathered and chided Harper for not appearing in public.

"What is he scared of?" asked Rami Alshoubaki. "That's how it's supposed to be. He's running an election, he's supposed to answer any questions he might be asked."

Harper slipped out of the hotel to attend a media event at Matco Transportation Systems as the protesters stood there and watched.

"That was Harper. He came and left as a ghost," said Shauna Morgan, who was dressed up in a monkey costume with a sign reading, "Enough monkey business in Parliament."

After the Matco event, Harper and his wife Laureen ripped around Grace Lake on snowmobiles with students from Yellowknife Catholic Schools.

While there they sat and ate whitefish and bison meat the students had cooked for them, while learning about the district's Do Edaezhe program which uses traditional Dene culture to teach life skills to youth. The program is funded by a federal crime prevention grant.

He left the NWT for Thunder Bay, Ont., hours later.

- with files from Katherine Hudson

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.