One such small business was the Split Pea in Yellowknife. As reported in last Friday's Yellowknifer, the federal tax collector had the bailiff clear out everything on site -- even stripping the walls bare of "personal pictures, gifts from my daughter", as owner Liz May-Broda sat and watched.

Becoming an entrepreneur is fraught with risks and more often than not demands every waking hour to get the business going.

Should a business fail, the owner can't trot down to Human Resources and collect unemployment -- now euphemistically called employment -- insurance, yet the former employees can.

Worse, it's usually the small business person's own financial resources that are placed at risk. Unfortunately, houses are often used as collateral for a bank loan.

In May-Broda's situation, Revenue Canada was owed $117,036.90 in GST, payroll taxes and penalties. She said she sold off an inherited Alberta property for $40,000 to pay part of her debt owed the tax collector. Revenue Canada also seized her bank account, she said.

May-Broda said she has no idea what she will do now -- "It all depends on whether they come and take my house."

If that does happen, it would seem extraordinary punishment for having the guts to be a member of that group which Ottawa says is the savior of our land -- a small business person. ( 12/11/96 )

It is rather unfortunate that the bad actions of a few have resulted in all teens being banned from a couple of restaurants in Centre Square Mall during school hours, as reported in Yellowknifer last week.

One restaurateur said she had no choice but to exclude teens because some were occupying tables for a few hours or more and not spending any money other than for one cup of coffee.

Customers willing to spend cash were denied places to sit. But what really aggravated the owner was students who wouldn't leave without a hassle.

Another restaurant operator said he was having a hard time from students when they should be in school and customers were annoyed to the point that they were finding someplace else to relax and eat.

Good manners does not seem to be the hallmark of some young people and maybe only peer pressure in the schools will rectify it, something like SADD does for curbing drinking and driving. ( 12/11/96 )