John Thompson
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Aug 01/05) - "History is so close to us here," says gunsmith Dick Smith, leaning over the counter of the Eastern Arctic Armory.

He's talking about the changes he's seen since moving North from Scarborough, Ont., to Arviat in 1974, and later to Iqaluit in 1982.

But he might as well be describing the contents of his shop, where facsimiles of flint-lock rifles from the fur-trade period lie not far from the massive shell casings spat from a Sherman tank.

At 59, Smith has now spent more than half his life in the North, but now he's preparing to leave.

During his 22 years as Iqaluit's sole gunsmith, he estimates he's sold close to 1,800 rifles, which he works out to weigh about six tonnes.

During that time, competition with Northmart and mail-order rifle catalogues hasn't been kind.

"This isn't a business, it's a hobby," he says, explaining how he hopes to dig himself out of debt and break even after all the store's assets are sold off.

But for every hunter who's returned from the land with a bent barrel or cracked stock, he's offered the option to repair, rather than replace, their gun. He reaches beneath the counter and lays down an old rifle he's currently working on.

"This rifle is going to shoot better than when it was new. It's over 20 years old," he says.

Teacher, safety advocate

Smith moved to Arviat to teach, a role he continued in Iqaluit until this summer, when he retired from Inuksuk high school.

As a parting gift, he was given a carved qamutik from a fellow teacher, who he had once taught as a student in high school one generation earlier.

Inside and outside the classroom, he's also worked as an advocate for gun safety.

His efforts were recognized this spring, when Smith was nominated honourary Toonik, Iqaluit's citizen of the year award.

The number of gun-related accidents have decreased since Smith arrived in the North, but he says he's still heard his share of preventable tragedies.

Most involve careless handling, like the Cape Dorset woman who was killed several years ago while riding her snowmobile, after a loaded rifle stored on a qamutik went off after hitting a bump.

Smith has seen six loaded rifles brought into his store by owners who didn't know they were loaded.

While that number isn't high for 22 years, "it's still a bit disconcerting."

"I think it's just a matter of awareness," he says.

He'd like to see more training in schools.

"From a public safety standpoint, having every kid who's going through school learn firearm safety is a good idea."

Despite his closeness to guns, Smith doesn't hunt much any more.

"I used to really enjoy going out in the fall, just looking for ptarmigan. I have this nice antique musket."

He says he'll miss the openness of living in a Northern community: the wide, stretching panoramic views and living in a place where "you go over to the post office and say hi to the premier."

"It's been quite an experience."