Risk of suicide was compared for Native- and Anglo Canadians attending a chemical abuse treatment center. Over 50% of the subjects in both groups were defined as being at risk of attempting suicide on the basis of self-report questionnaires. At risk subjects of both groups scored higher on the Beck Depression Inventory and various features of panic attacks compared to nonrisk individuals. Native- and Anglo Canadians at risk for suicide did not differ on most demographic or psychopathology variables. However, Native-Canadians who had not completed high school and/or who were unemployed were at greater suicide risk when compared to Anglo-Canadians or Natives who were employed and who had completed high school, and Anglo-Canadians who had not completed high school or were not employed. These results suggest that Natives are not at increased risk for suicide compared to non-narives when socioeconomic factors are comparable.