Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk will be heading north next week.

Starting Monday, the pair will embark on a five-day tour of Canada's Far North, their first official visits to the region since taking on their respective new posts.

MacKay and Natynczyk will visit Yellowknife, Iqaluit, Nanisivik, Arctic Bay and Alert.
 
They plan to view Canadian Forces efforts in the region first-hand, including a northern sovereignty exercise, Operation Nanook.

MacKay says defending Canada's Arctic sovereignty is a "key strategic priority."

This trip comes ahead of a planned visit by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the Northwest Territories and Yukon later this month where he will make at least two announcements. An official, who asked to remain anonymous, has hinted they'll involve infrastructure and putting "boots on the ground."

Harper has committed to building Arctic patrol ships and a deep-water northern port in a bid to back Canada's disputed sovereignty claim in the resource-rich region.