Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie, left, N.W.T. Premier Floyd Roland, centre, and Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik told CBC News from Ottawa Monday that they want the federal government to continue investing in Canada's North. (CBC)

Territorial premiers who met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper Monday say they want Ottawa to continue investing in Canada's North during the current economic downturn.

In an interview Monday with CBC News, Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik, Northwest Territories Premier Floyd Roland and Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie said they discussed the economy with other provincial premiers and with Harper during the Council of the Federation meeting in Ottawa on Monday.

"I think we share a lot of the same concerns as other parts of the country, talking about the need to still make critical investments in the North," Roland said during the interview.

"We need to work together as the provinces and territories, along with the federal government, to ensure that we continue to build on our confidence here in Canada and find ways of keeping the economy healthy."

While Fentie said he's confident the Yukon can survive the global market turbulence — the Yukon boasts a diversified economy and six consecutive budget surpluses — he wants the federal government to keep investing in northern development.

Fentie also urged the federal government to think of "the great potential the Yukon and the North has in its contribution to Canada's economy overall.

"We believe firmly that Canada, as a nation in the global community, has a tremendous advantage, considering the great potential and wealth housed in the northern territories," he added.

As premier of Canada's youngest territory, Okalik said he wants Ottawa to help Nunavut develop a more diverse economy.

"The impact [of the economic downturn] hasn't fully hit Nunavut yet. But if it continues, our mining sector, which has been our driving force for the last few years, will be impacted," he said.

"So we want to look at perhaps diversifying our economy a bit more, turning to the fisheries or utilizing the new agency that the prime minister announced during his [election] campaign and looking at new opportunities for our citizens."

During the federal election campaign in September, Harper promised to create a stand-alone regional development agency for northern Canada, similar to agencies that exist in the western provinces, northern Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

Harper also promised to set up a northern satellite office of the federal Major Projects Management Office, which deals with federal regulations governing major resource projects. As well, he vowed to streamline the regulatory processes governing development in the North.

Okalik said he was "very encouraged" by Harper's commitment Monday to hold a First Minister's meeting that would combine discussions on the economy and aboriginal issues.

"We have a young population, predominantly Inuit ... that requires some training assistance," he said.

"We have been doing it on our own, as a territory, but it will be much better if we had a federal partner assisting us."

Okalik added that Nunavut and other Canadian jurisdictions would benefit from more housing programs funded by the federal government.

Harper and all the premiers agreed Monday to speed up infrastructure investment to spur the country's economy in the face of the global economic slowdown.