SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife's Liquor Shop is being investigated by the NWT Human Rights Commission after a woman alleged she was refused service because she's Inuit.

Bessie Kahak and her spouse Don Mercredi display a letter they sent to the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission. Both say they've experienced racial profiling at the Yellowknife Liquor Shop. - Daniel Campbell/NNSL photo

Bessie Kahak said she went to the uptown liquor store at Stanton Plaza around 6 p.m. on March 15, looking to buy some beer to share with some friends that evening. When Kahak put her beer down at the till, she said the cashier refused to serve her, saying she was intoxicated.

A stay-at-home mom who has lived in Yellowknife since 1995, Kahak said she drinks socially and was not drinking that day.

"I got really uncomfortable, everybody was watching me. I was trying to tell them ... I haven't had a drink today ... I was really polite about it," Kahak said.

"Finally I just gave up and turned around and walked out. I felt like I did something really wrong because everybody was looking."

Don Mercredi, Kahak's spouse, went into the store afterwards to demand an explanation. He said the cashier may have confused Kahak with a group of Inuit women who were refused service earlier for being intoxicated.

"I think they lean toward she's Inuit and you know the ones that were in there before are intoxicated - she's behind them, she's Inuit, so she's probably with them too."

Mercredi said he had the manager of the shop smell his spouse's breath afterwards, to prove she hadn't been drinking. The manager, Mercredi said, stuck by the cashier's decision.

"It made me feel really angry. It probably made her feel like she's a second-class citizen."

Mercredi said he understands cashiers need to scrutinize their customers to avoid over serving, but as a Dene, he finds aboriginal customers are scrutinized more severely.

"They're always looking at you, judging you before they even do any transactions. They stand and they look at your eyes," he said.

Mercredi said he's fed up with the unfair treatment.

"If they want to put up a sign saying they don't want aboriginals there anymore then put up a sign and we won't go there."

The manager of the Liquor Shop, who declined to give his name, acknowledged the complaint and investigation but did not offer comment.

The Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission can't comment on ongoing investigations, said Gloria Iatridis, deputy director of the commission, but said if a complaint goes to a hearing, those results are made public.

Iatridis said both sides need to go through a mediation process before a hearing is even conducted.

"Facilitated discussion or mediation is the goal," Iatridis said.

Kahak and Mercredi say they want the shop to publicly apologize to them, and provide their employees with training about prejudice.

In the meantime, Kahak says she's too embarrassed to step foot in the store again.

"I don't even want to think about going there, thinking it's going to happen again," Kahak said.

Mercredi said their complaint was accepted by the director of the commission and he's waiting on the next step.

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