INUVIK
Finally, the debate came to a conclusion: Inuvik town council passed a bylaw allowing The Mad Trapper pub to open extra Sundays each year.

Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgan, president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, supports the proposed Beaufort Delta Detox Centre, which would aim to assist residents with addiction issues. Greenland-Morgan thinks, in some ways, the alcohol problem in Inuvik has worsened over the years. - photo courtesy of the Gwich'in Tribal Council

The bylaw allows the pub to open another 16 Sundays per year during summer months, on top of the 10 it is already allowed. It was the second time Rick Adams, owner of the establishment, had brought the issue to council, and the second round of public meetings and debates about the issue.

Councillors Natasha Kulikowski, Kurt Wainman, Darrell Christie and Deputy Mayor Steve Baryluk voted in favour of the motion, with Couns. Vince Sharpe, Alana Mero and Joe Lavoie opposed. Councillor Clarence Wood was absent.

The vote didn't seem to end the emotions on Wednesday night, though.

"Disgusting," commented Sharpe following the vote, to which Christie took umbrage.

"You heard me, totally disgusting," Sharpe repeated, before Mayor Jim McDonald intervened.

"As we said the other night, regardless of what happens tonight with the vote, life will go on in Inuvik," said McDonald. "We still have a duty to the community. Whether you agree with it or not, we still need to carry forth as an elected group."

The council meeting ended shortly after.

As councillors were stepping up to leave the chambers, a brief war of words ensued between Sharpe and Wainman, during which Wainman told Sharpe to "go cry outside" multiple times.

A bit of an awkward silence fell as people shuffled out of the chamber.

Detox Centre moving forward

In the wake of the liquor debate, the treatment centre proposed by Joey Amos, manager of the John Wayne Kiktorak Centre, seems to be gaining support.

"I'm not surprised that (the bylaw) got their approval," said Amos when asked for reaction.

He agreed with the argument that whether or not the bar opened more Sundays every year wouldn't limit people's addiction issues.

"People will find alcohol on Sundays if they want to drink, whether it's from the bootleggers or they save it from the day before," he said. "It's definitely a problem we have in Inuvik."

Amos has filed the paperwork to have the Beaufort Delta Detox Centre established as a non-profit society.

Bobbie Jo Greenland-Morgan, president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, supports the detox centre proposal.

"We feel that, as leaders of aboriginal government of the Gwich'in settlement area, it's very important we are involved, because the social well-being and the health of our people is interconnected to every file we work with," she said, naming economics, culture and more.

"We'll rise to prosperity much easier when we have a healthy people."

The tribal council had requested town council vote against the licensed premises bylaw, but accepts the decision.

Greenland-Morgan said there's definite truth to the argument that people with alcohol issues will find their source whether or not the bar is open.

"We don't argue against it," she said. "For us, our point was having it open an extra day of course isn't going to solve the problem, but it definitely isn't helping either."

People who are suffering the worst can't even afford to sit in a bar anyway, she added, but the message being sent by the town matters.

Greenland-Morgan thinks, in many ways, the problem of alcoholism in Inuvik has worsened over the years.

"Worse in a sense too that when I was younger and growing up here, you didn't see it so visible, like down mainstreet," she said. "These are our friends and these are our family relatives. It's people we know and that we care about."

Some people may have the coping skills or family support to overcome addiction on their own, she said, but those deep into the addiction need real intervention, which is where she sees a detox centre coming in to play.

"It's sad because I believe everyone has a good side and everyone has value and a purpose, and sometimes when people tend to get so lost in addiction, they forget their own self-value and don't think there's a purpose, so they just stick to the life of addiction," she said.

"There are people who are very knowledgeable and skilled on the land and in cultural ways of life. They can change their path and live a healthy life again, but they need a lot of help."

The GTC is trying to work with the Department of Justice to change some of the laws around bail payouts, bootlegging and drug sales, hoping to crack down on some chronic problems in the communities.

"We know of sales of propane, glue, paint, anything that they can make money off," said Greenland-Morgan. "It's really concerning to know that there are people in the communities who continue to profit off other people's addictions and misery."

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