Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Mar 04/02) - In 1996 while vacationing for a week in Ottawa, a tree branch struck Brian Soucie and he lost the retina on the back of one eye.

Brian Soucie is opening a cafe in the shop. "It's going to be called the Maytag cafe," he jokes. - Merle Robillard/NNSL photo

He couldn't see that well, but didn't realize how serious the injury was. Soucie postponed seeing a doctor so he could make it back to work on time.

At the time, he was employed by the government as a refrigerator and air conditioner mechanic. But when Soucie returned from the trip someone was waiting for him at the Iqaluit airport with a layoff notice.

Luckily, during his 29 years working for the government Soucie started a little business after hours, fixing refrigerators and other appliances.

After the government laid him off he sent a map of Baffin Island to Maytag, telling the company he wanted to be its sales representative in Nunavut.

Now, he travels the territory fixing appliances and sells Maytag appliances from his shop, Frosty Refrigeration Sales and Service.

"I like the private sector better," he says. "The private sector is very strong. It seems to be more satisfying and relaxing."

Soucie is the only certified refrigerator and air conditioner mechanic around.

Although, for obvious reasons, not many people own air conditioners in Nunavut.

He says refrigerators tend to break down in the summer, the same way cars tend to conk out in the winter.

"I try to respond to calls quickly," he says. "Food can spoil quite fast ... it's important, even in the Arctic.

When asked about the television commercials depicting the "Maytag man" as someone who has nothing to do because the appliances never break down, he laughs.

"Maytag (appliances) have some problems, but they don't get as many problems as the other ones," he says.

Soucie used to have a picture of the Magtag man outside his office.

"I had a rough day once and I looked at the picture and thought, someday I'm going to be like you -- it won't be like this all the time."

These days, Soucie is building a cafe inside his shop. "It's going to be called the Maytag cafe," he jokes. "For people who have lots of time on their hands."