To the complete surprise of everyone, including his security detail, Prime Minister Stephen Harper enjoyed an impromptu high-speed joyride in Tuktoyaktuk Thursday afternoon.
Following a day of announcements and photos opportunities Mr. Harper was to have boarded a C130-J Hercules for the trip to Whitehorse, Yukon, where further events awaited.
Instead, to the obvious surprise of the security detail, he got onto a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle and headed at high speed out onto the airport runway, with police cruisers and ATV’s belatedly — and futilely — in pursuit.
The rogue PM eventually returned to the aircraft where he was surrounded by reporters and photographers, one of whom wondered whether he had a licence to operate the vehicle — especially on restricted space such as an air strip?
“I think I make the rules,” the PM quipped.
Photo: Prime Minister Stephen Harper atop an ATV on the fourth day of his five-day northern tour to Canada's Arctic on Thursday Aug. 26, 2010. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
