by Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 12/98) - A new tour company owned by Bill and Dora Fraser is offering a most Northern experience in the NWT's most southern community.

Through Qikiqtait Tour and Outfitting Company, the Frasers are looking for a group of six adventurers willing to spend three February nights in an igloo about seven kilometres from the community.

It's one of four trips they hope to host this year, each geared to the seasonal conditions. If the Frasers make their goal, they will have 24 paying customers in 1998.

Fraser was born in Toronto but later moved North. He attended high school in Yellowknife and has worked in several Northern communities as a social worker for the GNWT. Dora, a guidance counsellor at Nuiyak school, was born and raised in Sanikiluaq.

Their company is a small start. But for the remote Hudson Bay community, known for its soapstone carvings and reed baskets, it is a big move.

"The main focus of setting up the outfitting company was to create employment," Bill Fraser said.

"If we are able to create meaningful employment in the community, that will represent success to us."

About 40 per cent of Sanikiluaq's 700 residents are on social assistance, he said.

Qikiqtait Tour and Outfitting was registered last April and obtained a business and outfitting licence last summer.

Individuals have travelled to the Belcher Islands before but the infrastructure is next to nil when it comes to tourism packages.

"It's rare for people to travel to Sanikiluaq," Fraser said.

"Our little company represents the first tourism in Sanikiluaq, and we hope, the creation of a new industry."

Fraser has offered expediting services to assist individual visitors. Among them, John Buyers of Alliston, Ont.

Last summer, Buyers, who lives just north of Toronto, flew his Cessna to the Belcher Islands. Buyers, with his son John, made the trip in a day stopping for fuel at various spots.

Buyers, a member of the Ontario Flying Farmers, said it was amazing that he could reach so remote place in a day.

"This was the first time I went that far. It was nice to say we (Buyers and his son) flew ourselves," he said.

"The people who took us fishing couldn't have been better. Boy, did they work to make the trip enjoyable."

Fraser was among the Sanikiluaq residents who assisted Buyers during his visit. He sees outfitting organized tours as the next logical business step.

The igloo valentine package, scheduled Feb. 11-16, is the first of its kind on the islands, it's price tag, almost $4,000. That includes airfare from Montreal and accommodations. First and last nights will be spent at Sanikiluaq's new Inns North hotel.

There will be soapstone carving demonstrations as well as a chance to see marine mammals and wildlife. Visitors may even spot rare fresh water seals.

The igloos will be built by arguably the islands' best igloo-maker, Mayor Peter Kattuk. He will be the trek's lead guide and host.

"We need to start small. We would like to try the first four trips," Fraser said.

"And we want to pay people well."

He projected a full tour in February will generate part-time employment for 20. The work will range from a few hours to seven days.

As of last Tuesday, Qikiqtait has its first paying customer and Fraser said he had serious talks with two other potential tourists.

Ideally, he would like six paying customers but if he gets three the trip is a go.

He will offer open spots free to individuals who will ultimately promote the trip, perhaps a travel writer or someone from the tourism industry.