Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (May 03/01) - Some Inuvik residents have said loud and clear that they don't want exotic dancers in their community.

About 40 people turned up at Ingamo Hall Monday night for a discussion on what to do about exotic dancing at Frosty's Pub.

People questioned what, if anything, could be done to stop the pub from bringing in the dancers.

RCMP Corporal Tim Beland said there have been no official complaints and as far as he knows, no laws broken.

Town Coun. Clarence Wood, who said he was there as a citizen, said that there is nothing in the municipal bylaws prohibiting "that type of entertainment."

"There is nothing in the bylaws and nothing in the liquor act," Wood said.

Frosty's manager Anna Mae Fairley said that she brought the strippers in to employ more people and to make the bar more money. She added that the dancers have increased business by 40 per cent.

Fairley said the dancers bring extra economy into town and are professionals trying to earn a living like anyone else.

Sharon Spinks disputed Fairley's interpretation and suggested that many of the women are addicted to drugs and are "exploited and brutalized."

"I would bet that most of the women are victims themselves of some form of sexual assault or violence against them," Spinks said.

MLA for Inuvik Boot Lake, Floyd Roland said as a father and resident of the community he is very concerned with the social impacts the boom is having on Inuvik. "We've seen an increase in consumption here since the boom started," Roland said. "I can see the negative impact this is having on the community."

Sue Clarkson offered examples of what some other communities have done to regulate the industry.

"Edmonton has licensing guidelines and restrictions that are not prohibitive of stripping, but are very tightly bound within their municipal bylaws," Clarkson said.

Fairley said she had planned to stop bringing the dancers in for the summer anyway, because most of the oil and gas workers have left town. She plans on bringing dancers back in the fall.

"You have six months to get your thing together here and let me know if I can have them or not," Fairley said.

She added that if a plebescite was held that indicated the public was opposed to the dancers, she would stop bringing them in.

Plebescite may help

"If the majority didn't want them, yes, I'd stop bringing them in," Fairley said.

Some people expressed concern that a plebescite might work for the situation at Frosty's, but the wanted a more permanent solution.

Steve Donley said the town is reaping the rewards of the oil and gas boom, but is also suffering from the success. "How much are we going to continue to give to this industry," Donley asked.

One of the meeting's organizers, Sue Clarkson said later that the meeting came at the request of a group of individuals opposed to the dancers. She thought the meeting was productive and informative, but wished the owners of the pub had showed up.

"I was very impressed to see that the manager, Anna Mae, did come," she said. "She was able to give us information that we would have had to speculate on, so she was very helpful."

Interested people formed a working group and will soon call for a meeting on how best to approach town council to pass a bylaw prohibiting exotic dancing.