Canadian PM touches down in Star City

PRESQUE ISLE – Staffers at the Northern Maine Regional Airport had a brush with fame this weekend when a world leader made a short notice stop at their facility.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper touched down at the airport Saturday morning on his way to the 2007 World Pond Hockey Championship in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, Airport Manager Scott Wardwell said Wednesday.

Wardwell said that staffers learned about Harper’s visit three days before he arrived. He said the prime minister’s staff chose the northern Maine airport because it was the closest one to Plaster Rock that had the facilities they were looking for – an airport with a long runway, an instrument landing system and a hangar big enough to hold his corporate jet, a Challenger 604.

Wardwell said the Northern Maine Regional Airport has the second longest commercial runway in Maine, it has the only ILS north of Bangor, and it has a newly built corporate hangar – which the prime minister’s staffers noted was just the right color.

“His staff commented that it appeared the hangar was designed for the prime minister’s plane,” Wardwell said. “The red on the Canadian flag matches our red doors.”

Wardwell said that Harper flew from Halifax to Presque Isle and arrived at the airport at about 8 a.m. Saturday, stepped into a waiting motorcade and headed to Plaster Rock.

The airport manager noted that there was not a large reception for Harper on Saturday morning because his staff indicated that the focus of his trip “really was to visit the hockey tournament.”

“They really wanted the spotlight on that versus anything at the airport,” Wardwell said.

That didn’t stop the prime minister’s staff from commenting favorably about the local airport’s facilities.

“They couldn’t believe the quality and size of the facility given the rural nature of the area,” Wardwell said. “I think they were also pleased with the level of professionalism.”

Harper returned from Plaster Rock at about 1:30 p.m., but before returning to Ottawa, Wardwell said one of the air marshals approached him and asked if airport staffers would like to get a picture with the prime minister.

“I said, ‘I don’t want to be a bother.’ We always try to respect the privacy of VIP guests,” Wardwell said.

The air marshal indicated that it was not a problem, so the staffers who were at the airport on Saturday all had the chance to meet Harper and have their pictures taken with him. Wardwell expected the prime minister’s staff to send those pictures to the airport in the next few weeks. A group picture with Harper will be hung in the general aviation terminal.

“It will be used as evidence that we run a quality operation,” Wardwell said.

Visits from top political figures are few and far between at the airport. About a year ago, Cabinet Secretary Michael Chertoff touched down briefly in Presque Isle with Sen. Susan Collins. In the 1970’s, President Richard Nixon flew in to Aroostook County, but he landed at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone.

Wardwell said that he was glad the airport could play a small part in the prime minister’s plans.

“Actually, it was very exciting,” he said. “We work pretty hard to keep our facility first class. To have someone of that stature use it is very gratifying.”