by Nancy Gardiner
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 01/97) - A directory published by Industry Canada is jam-packed with aboriginal businesses active in export and trade. It's called the Aboriginal Export and Trade Directory.

One of the more unusual companies is an ostrich ranch in Drayton Valley, Alta., that raises and sells African black and blueneck ostriches. The Buck Creek ranch sells the birds for meat, leather, feathers and eggs and offers breeder stock.

Parenteau's Saskatoon Berry Chocolates offers a variety of gourmet items using natural products.

The directory assists businesses to market their products and services. Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC) also assisted.

It supports status and non-status Indians, Inuit and Metis, associations, partnerships or other legal entities under partial or full aboriginal control, on or off reserve. The closest ABC to the NWT is located in Edmonton on Jasper Avenue.

Some Northern businesses featured are: Television Northern Canada, Inuit Communications Systems Ltd., Arctic Co-operatives Ltd. Arctic Canada Wholesale Ltd., Pangnirtung Fisheries, Polar Geomatics, Enodah Wilderness Travel Ltd., Toonoonik Sahoonik Co-operative, True North Safaris, Unaaq Fisheries Inc., Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts and Crafts and Dorset Fine Arts and Crafts and the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative.

In addition to many NWT companies, there's a strong presence from the Yukon and many of the businesses featured also do business in the North, such as Abenaki Associates.

Copies can be obtained by contacting Industry Canada's Aboriginal Business Canada office in Ottawa.