Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO - Behchoko artist Archie Beaulieu said he is being targeted by community council for not moving his dogs from a hamlet lot he has occupied for over 10 years, but community administration is telling a very different story.

Behchoko artist Archie Beaulieu displays a letter from the Community Government of Behchoko ordering him to move his dog team. He said his water was shut off after he refused to move the dogs from an industrial lot on the edge of town. Town administration said the water cut-off was an honest mistake, and Beaulieu has been offered free land and assistance with the move. - Mike Bryant/NNSL photo

Beaulieu contacted media and members of the legislative assembly after water and sewer service to his home was shut off for several days in August.

He said the service was cut because he refuses to move his dog team from an industrial lot.

Craig Yeo, communications co-ordinator for the Community Government of Behchoko, said the cutoff was an honest mistake that happened as a result of a clerical error.

The community stops delivery for people who have not paid their bills, but Beaulieu is in government housing and should never have had his water cut off.

"It was a coincidence. It just happened," said Yeo.

Senior administration officer Terry Testart also said the disconnect was a complete mistake unrelated to the issue of the dogs. He said the cutoff happened on a Friday and service was restored by the next Monday.

"As soon as we found out we chased down the water truck to have water delivered," he said.

Beaulieu was unable to provide exact dates for the termination of service, but said he went to Municipal and Community Affairs and the Department of Health and Social Services with a complaint.

The lot where Beaulieu keeps his dog team is in Behchoko's industrial area.

Beaulieu has occupied the land rent-free for over a decade but was approached by council with an offer to move his dogs to a new location because someone wants to rent the land.

"Without notice to me - I was supposed to be the first one to lease it. Instead they gave it to a business for towing," said Beaulieu.

Yeo confirmed the community has an offer from Behchoko Towing to lease the lot. The issue came before town council in March.

"When it came before council they said, 'Well, we have to look after Archie.' I'm serious. That is what they said. We can't just throw him off," said Yeo.

Council tried contacting Beaulieu several times but couldn't get him to talk until May.

In May Beaulieu was offered a new site not far from his current location, but outside the town's planned expansion for the next 20 years. Council offered him the new land rent-free and also offered free assistance in moving his dogs and kennels.

Yeo said Beaulieu agreed to move his dogs to the new site on a specific date and time. Staff from the town arrived on that date to assist with the move but Beaulieu didn't show up.

Beaulieu doesn't dispute that he was offered a new piece of land rent-free, but said he never made a firm commitment about moving the dogs.

"I never said no, I just played along to see what happens," he said.

Following several more attempts to convince Beaulieu to move his dogs during the summer, council finally sent him a letter stating he had to move the dogs by Aug. 19 or have them destroyed. That date has come and gone without any action. Yeo said the matter is expected to come up again at council early this month

"The council feels and the administration feels that we have made every effort and offered every assistance and every accommodation possible to Archie Beaulieu," said Yeo.

Beaulieu said he is willing to pay for the lot where his dogs are now. He feels the council went behind his back in offering the land to Behchoko Towing.

"I didn't feel good about it because if they move me to a new location I have to cut new trails, upgrade my dog kennels and things like that," said Beaulieu.

He said he still feels his water was cut off as pressure tactic. He said he has no plans to move the dogs.