Prime Minister Stephen Harper toured Canada's Arctic last week for the fifth time since he took office, in an effort to reaffirm Canada's claims to the region. In 2009, Harper's tour resulted in the establishment of an official Northern strategy and the creation of CanNor, a regional economic development agency, in the interest of supporting socio-economic development, Canada's Northern sovereignty, the improvement of Northern governance, and the protection of the Northern environment. This year Harper's weeklong tour demonstrated that the federal government aims to reinforce these goals.

In preparation for high level climate change talks set to take place in Mexico at the end of this year, the Mexican government launched its COP 16: Mexico 2010 website in early July.  On November 29, 2010 leaders from around the world will descend on the resort city of Cancun, Mexico for the two week COP 16 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The meeting will build upon negotiations that took place in Copenhagen at the end of 2009.

It has been nearly two years since the 2008 US Congressional election which saw the Democrats take control of Congress and Barack Obama claim the presidency over the Republican Party which had been in power for the previous eight years. This November's mid-term elections will offer the Republicans and Tea Party supporters the opportunity to reclaim some power in the US. Primaries have already begun throughout the country and a variety of issues which are sure to take centre stage in the lead up to November have started affecting election results.