SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
It's a long way from Chicago's financial district to the NWT, both figuratively and literally, but the new U.S. Ambassador to Canada made the trip North of 60 for the first time last week.

A mix of NWT and U.S. officials gathered on Great Slave Lake last week for a group photo. Seen here are Peter Vician, Deputy Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, back left; Martin Goldney, Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations; David Ramsay, Minister Industry, Tourism and Investment; Michael Miltenberger, Minister of Finance; Ernie Campbell, Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, and Peter Kujawinski, U.S. Consul General, front left; Vicki Heyman, Premier Bob McLeod, Bruce Heyman, U.S. Ambassador to Canada; Danielle Monosson, First Secretary, Economic Section of the U.S. embassy. - photo courtesy of Peter Kujawinski

Bruce Heyman, the former managing director with investment firm Goldman Sachs, took over as the ambassador April 8. He has since made the move to live in Ottawa.

“He wanted to come North,” said Peter Kujawinski, the American Consul Generalfor Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.

“He very much wanted to see what it was all about. He grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and lived in Chicago, so he was very curious about the North, its people and its culture.”

Kujawinski, who operates out of the U.S. Consulate in Calgary, made the trip North with Heyman, as did Heyman's wife, Vicki.

He said the ambassador came to Yellowknife to accompany American officials to the Commission of Environmental Co-operation Conference, held at the Explorer Hotel last week.

Kujawinski said Heyman extended his trip because he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about Canada's North.

“He met with several officials in Yellowknife, but he then flew on to Deline and Tuktoyaktuk,” said Kujawinski. “Up there, he met with chiefs, elders and municipal officials and was thrilled with that experience.

“He thought the flight from Yellowknife to Tuktoyaktuk was also pretty cool – several hours in the air just looking down at the wilderness the countless lakes and rivers.”

He added that the ambassador wanted to see the land and hear from the people's concerns on the environment and finances, as well as where they see their future going.

“It made a lasting impression on him and as busy as he is, I know he wants to return as soon as he can,” said Kujawinski, adding that the ambassador's schedule made it impossible for him to meet with the media when he was here or even after he returned to Ottawa.

“He'll be back. I'm pretty certain of that.”