John Curran
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 26, 2007

COLVILLE LAKE - Since coming to the North in 1948, Bern Will Brown has had more than a few cups of tea.

Over those 59 years he's gone through approximately 43,000 tea bags and has a definite preference if you're putting the kettle on for him.

"I prefer the old Hudson's Bay Company standard - it's called Fort Garry Tea," he said. "That's the type that was sold for years all around the North."

He said he knows there are many other sorts of tea, but it's largely the familiarity he enjoys.

"It's not exotic at all," he said. "It's got the flavour I'm used to after all these years."

He recognizes that individual tastes can vary and even within his home there are other types that find their way into the teapot to steep from time to time.

"The wife goes in for those, but not me," he said.

Brown, who wears many hats in Colville Lake including operating the lodge, said he's generally a two-cup-a-day guy as a minimum.

"We do a 3 p.m. tea time and we have tea with supper," he said.

When contract workers come to town and stay at the lodge they are always invited to join in for the 3 p.m. session.

"They all seem to prefer the tea to coffee," he said.

He was quick to point out that tea has long been a Northern staple, more so than coffee, and reasoned that was likely in part due to portability.

It's easier to brew a good cup of tea on the land than a good cup of coffee, he agreed, adding Aboriginal people generally seem to prefer the taste of tea.

Ironically when reached by News/North via phone on a calm November morning, Brown was sitting at his table shortly after 10 a.m., sipping a cup of coffee and waiting for the sun to come up.

"You still have to get the day going right," he joked.