INUVIK
Passions flared again during debate on whether to allow The Mad Trapper to open an extra 16 Sundays per summer. 

Stewart Burnett/NNSL photos Mayor Jim McDonald called The Mad Trapper's request to be able to open for 16 more Sundays during summer a "hot, passionate issue" in the community. He said because Inuvik is so small and tight-knit, the issue is more personal here.

Speakers at the public meeting clearly favoured blocking the motion, while the town's council was much more split on the issue.

The Mad Trapper sought the allowance to open for an additional 16 Sundays during the summer months, adding onto the 10 it already is allowed.

Last year, council rejected a request for Sunday openings year-round after significant public opposition.

A public meeting Wednesday, Jan. 18, saw upwards of 50 people come out. Several speakers talked about drinking's effect on children in the community.

Baruch Watters, who works at East Three Secondary School, said he notices students who come in the morning or back from lunch who haven't had anything to eat, or students who don't make it to class on time because nobody was there or able to wake them up.

Upsetting, he continued, is seeing the older students who joke about alcohol, pretend to be in stupors and mock the examples of abuse they've seen in the community.

"They make it as if it's a joke," said Watters.

"I think that tonight, if we don't stand for what we know to be right and address this issue and take it seriously, how are we going to show them that it's a serious issue? I don't think that not having the bar open for 26 Sundays a year is going to end alcoholism in Inuvik.

"But I do believe that standing up and saying we've had enough of the influence of alcohol in this community and we don't want to allow any more impacts on this community says something to the younger generation."

A few people spoke in favour of the motion, though.

Paul Komaromi said he supports Rick Adams, owner of The Mad Trapper bar.

He recalled growing up on main street when there were upwards of a dozen liquor establishments, now down to just the Trapper.

"Yes, there are horrible problems with alcohol in this community and the Beaufort Delta region and the territories and basically anywhere, but one establishment is not the reason for that," he said. "It's a much larger issue that we have to address."

He said it was unfair to put all these ills onto one person.

Toward the end of the meeting, a visibly agitated Adams took the microphone.

He thanked the council for its fairness and said he appreciated the pain alcohol has caused so many.

"Folks, I'm not going against you, I understand you, my heart bleeds out for each one of you that has a history or problems with alcohol, it does, but to put our heads in the sand is not the answer," said Adams.

He explained how tightly regulated his business is and how it's his responsibility to ensure people are safe with regards to alcohol consumption in his pub.

"We don't want to see one child, one life wasted on alcohol," said Adams.

On the subject of alcohol's problems in the community, he said, "Don't blame Rick Adams at The Mad Trapper. Do not blame Rick Adams."

Split on the issue

He left after giving his piece, in which he also asked some members of the audience to look at him while he was talking.

At council on the next Monday, Jan. 23, councillors seemed more split on the issue than the people who came out to the public meeting were.

Deputy Mayor Steve Baryluk ran through a long list of regulations liquor establishments must comply with and said it's easy to point the finger at alcohol, but that gambling is another serious addiction in the community.

"It is important to acknowledge not everyone who likes to or chooses to consume alcohol suffers from an addiction," said Baryluk.

"It's also important to note that people suffering from alcohol addiction will already be accessing alcohol on Sundays, as the nature of their addiction compels them to do so."

But instead of going to a regulated bar, he said, they would be going to alleyways or empty utilidor buildings.

The Town of Inuvik should be fostering opportunities for businesses and not picking and choosing which to support or hinder, he added.

Bootleggers, drug dealers

"I acknowledge this may not be a popular choice for some people," said Baryluk, adding his own family might not agree, before expressing that he would support Adams's request at the Wednesday, Jan. 25, council meeting.

Coun. Joe Lavoie said philosophically he has no disagreements with the bar opening but socially sees that the community does not want it, so he would lean against the motion.

Coun. Clarence Wood said bootleggers and drug dealers have a far greater impact than the bar being open on Sundays, so he would likely support the motion.

Coun. Kurt Wainman said most of the people he's talked to, including his 60-plus employees, were in favour of the bar opening or didn't care either way, so he would vote in favour.

Coun. Darrell Christie said he would also vote in favour and expressed the need for a new addictions centre in town.

Coun. Vince Sharpe said the community response at the public meeting was clear and overwhelmingly against the bar opening, so for council to vote in favour of it would be "slapping those people in the face."

Other councillors did not indicate which way they would vote. Council's final decision was not available at press time.