Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 24/01) - The Kitikmeot trade show is on track to open Wednesday despite transportation glitches.

"We aren't getting as many people from Yellowknife or Edmonton as we had hoped," said Brenda Mercer, who was contracted by the hamlet of Cambridge Bay to run the three-day event. "We were hoping that people would come and see what the Kitikmeot has to offer."

Connecting businesses and supporting the birth of new ventures is the conference's focus. During a similar trade show two years ago a representative from Superior Propane hooked up with Cambridge businessman Wilf Wilcox.

"They started to talk and two years later we now have propane coming off the barge," Mercer said.

Despite the less-than-hoped-for response from southerners, Mercer has managed to sell 35 exhibitor booths at $250 each and $150 for a second exhibitor.

Kitnuna Construction, Kitmeot Supplies, Prince of Wales Fisheries, Kitmeot foods, Kioleut Handicrafts as well as a videographer from Taloyoak are some of the participants.

Keynote speaker Charlie Lyall will talk at the Luke Novolgak Community Hall about mining in Kitikmeot.