Marty Brown
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Nov 11/98) - Hopefully, it won't just be medical patients flying south soon, but also exports from the Keewatin. The first trade mission from Kivalliq to Winnipeg will happen Jan. 18-22.

"It's not what Manitoba can do for us, but what we can do for Manitoba," Chris Hewlitt with REWB, the economic development sector said. "The purpose is to promote Keewatin businesses to Manitobans, mainly tourism and arts and crafts. Maybe translation and expediting."

The idea of a trade mission came up at a leadership meeting in Coral Harbour in September. The group is currently looking for 50 to 60 business leaders, elected officials, government departments and other movers and shakers in the Keewatin business world to head south to tell their Winnipeg counterparts what the Keewatin has to offer.

"The object of the mission is to identify new business opportunities, to create partnerships," Hewitt said.

From this trip it's hoped that political and business ties will be formed. And, the trip will provide an effective follow-up to Manitoba's visit here last February.

Therasie Tungalik with Nunavut Arts and Crafts hopes the mission will be an open opportunity for southerners to see Keewatin arts and crafts.

"When they came here, they were too rushed. Just one night," she said. "A week- long visit will give them a chance to see our arts and crafts, and hopefully buy some. They will be on consignment."

Each Keewatin hamlet will choose three business representatives by Nov. 30. To qualify, business people must own Northern businesses that are grassroots. Hewitt said businesses from the tourism or cultural industries are welcome to apply, including people like outfitters, musical performers, hunters and trappers organization members, arts and crafts businesses or transportation businesses, to name just a few.

Tungalik warned that people are already calling her offering her arts and crafts to take down south. Hewitt and Tungalik's advice is to make an application at your hamlet office as soon possible.