Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Dec 01/99) - Optimism abounded at the grand opening of the Nunavut Development Corp.'s (NDC) new headquarters in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.

NDC inherited 11 companies which provide employment opportunities in small communities across Nunavut following division.

The companies manufacture products from natural resources such as game meats, fish and traditional sewing knowledge.

President and CEO John Hickes says NDC is trying to create more employment at the grassroots level by using these resources.

"We're providing support to our subsidiary companies by accessing markets for their products and helping with new design concepts for their products to meet marketplace demand," says Hickes.

The CEO says his strongest focus is on the new design concepts.

He says there's a lot of research and development taking place at the subsidiary levels and NDC has been quite happy with the products being produced and the reception they've been receiving.

Hickes cites NDC's meat product line as a good example of its product-development efforts.

He says the original four product lines of meat and fish have been expanded to 16 in their various plants.

"We're trying to meet the market of world demand versus one focused on a local and territory-wide market.

"We're creating new salamies, pepperonies, jerkies, European-type sausages, so we're working our way towards becoming a world competitor.

"Financial resources are quite tight in Nunavut right now, but we're excited about the marketplace's response to our new product lines.

"Our millennium project, if you will, is to create or reproduce Northern products for export trade in the south."

Sustainable Development Minister Peter Kilabuk appointed Hickes as NDC head.

Kilabuk says the official opening of the Rankin office marked a new beginning for NDC.

He says NDC has a new way of thinking and new, innovative ways of being creative.

"I started with John Hickes as my ADM and when this new opportunity arose, John was a candidate who stood out with a lot of people backing him," says Kilabuk.

"It's an honour for us to work with John in building the NDC."

Kilabuk says he's happy to see local boards set up in communities where NDC companies are located, especially in Kivalliq.

"Through these boards we can help meet community needs and plan for the future of the communities and our companies."

Kilabuk says there are barriers to be tackled before he'd be comfortable in promoting every item NDC would like to sell at the international level.

He says there's still building to be done at the local, Nunavut-wide and national levels.

"The existing businesses already market their products across Canada, so we've got a good foundation to work from."