Manager blames excessive alcohol use for unruly behaviour

DORVAL – Staff, board members, patients and escorts who are sent to Montreal by Nunavik's regional board of health and social services are no longer welcome to stay at the Travelodge in Dorval.

That's because some guests sent by the health board hurled verbal abuse at the motel's staff and threatened them with violence.

Last month, Jan Brisson-Clear, the motel's straight-talking manager, sent a letter to the health board, saying the Travelodge had decided to terminate its lodging contract with the health board.

"My job is first of all to protect our clients and my workers," Brisson-Clear said.

Inuit are as "nice as can be," she said – but alcohol and drugs change the picture radically. Nearly all the mayhem she's witnessed at the Travelodge is directly connected to alcohol consumption.

Although there's a rule against coming into the motel visibly drunk, some have passed out in the lobby.

An intoxicated woman spat in Brisson-Clear's face when she tried to remove her from the lobby.

Other problems include boozy fights in the hallways and rooms and young children left alone during the evenings.

Paying guests also allow non-guests to sleep in their rooms, who are often discovered passed out on the floor by housekeeping staff the next morning.

The removal of the health board from the list of the Travelodge's corporate clients will affect the Module du nord patient services unit, which handles patient care for the Nunavik health board. The overflow of patients and escorts from Nunavik House were regularly sent to the Travelodge.

Brisson-Clear, who's determined the Travelodge remains a "respectable" motel, said she wants to keep her other Inuit corporate clients and lure back those repeat travellers from Nunavik who now stay elsewhere because they want a more peaceful place to stay.

The Travelodge has been a popular destination for Inuit since the 1980s because of its location close to Inuit organization offices on Montreal's West Island and the Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport.

"Inuit like to stay here because everyone else stays here, and they can walk to the shopping centre," Brisson-Clear said.

Many Nunavimmiut even choose to stay at the Travelodge during their holidays, picking up points from its frequent guest program or a separate Northwest Company bonus plan.

Nunavik organizations, such as the Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec regularly send business to the Travelodge.

During the FCNQ's recent 40th anniversary celebrations, the hotel was full of visiting Nunavimmiut – and there were no problems with anyone, said Brisson-Clear.

In an effort to avoid problems, the Travelodge started a no-cash policy a couple of years ago. This means all guests now have to show a credit card or a travel warrant from an organization at check-in. This also allows the Travelodge to charge guests or organizations for damages to rooms or for smoking in non-smoking rooms (for which there is a charge of $250).

The Travelodge also maintains a blacklist of unwelcome guests.

"People who can't abide by the rules, you don't stay. I don't care if you're the Queen of Sheba, if you've caused problems," Brisson-Clear said.