Churches oppose re-opening booze can as legal bar

SEAN MCKIBBON
Nunatsiaq News

IQALUIT— Plans to establish a legal bar in the same location as the old Explorers Club booze can in Iqaluit’s West 40 area will meet with stiff opposition from at least two of the town’s religious institutions.

Ministers from both Anglican and Pentecostal churches say the town already has enough alcohol problems.

“It’s hard to believe so many people would support it,” said Anglican Suffragan Bishop Paul Idlout, responding to news of a petition with 700 names supporting the bar. “We’re very much against the idea. We’re meeting tonight to decide what to do about it.

Reaction was much the same at the Pentecostal church, where Reverend Gordon Symons, who has only been in town for a few month, said he has already seen people with horrific stories about the affects of alcohol abuse.

Much of our work is trying to repair the damage done by alcohol abuse,” said Symons. He said his church has joined with Iqaluit’s other religious institutions in the past to block the establishment of new bars and will do so again.

While Father Frederick Homan of the Catholic mission said he hadn’t seen the proposal for the new bar and wanted to reserve judgment, he said there is a problem in Iqaluit with alcohol abuse.

But, Ross Bennett, one of the partners in the group making the proposal said bringing a new bar to Iqaluit is all about choice.

“People should have a choice. People just want to have another place in town to go. They don’t even necessarily want to drink, they can drink pop if they want. They just want somewhere else to go,” said Bennett.

Bennett said that, if approved, the proposed bar would feature more live bands, cheaper liquor prices, and a friendlier atmosphere than existing drinking establishments.

Boasting majorityInuit ownership, the new bar would be called Uvagut- — meaning, “us” Bennett said. His partners in the venture include former Explorers’ Club operator Joe Morneau, Grind and Brew owner Elisapee Sheutiapik, Bennett’s daughter Carmen Kootoo, and Eva Adams.

The new bar would include a dance floor, seating for 130 patrons, pool tables, darts and possibly a large-screen television, said Bennett. Work on renovating the West 40 property would begin once the proposed bar wins a liquor licence.

Bennett would not comment on whether the police raid this spring on the Explorers Club would affect the proposed bar’s chances for winning a liquor license.

Police conducted the raid because they said liquor was being sold there without a license. Morneau countered that he didn’t need a licence because it was a private club.

Morneau could not be reached for comment.

Delilah St. Arneault manager of licensing and enforcement of the NWT and Nunavut liquor licensing board said Tuesday the group had not yet filed an application for a licence.

However she said that once the group does file, a criminal record check will be done on all of the major partners in the venture. Health and fire inspections will also need to be conducted on the building and plans for the bar will have to be submitted for inspection she said.

“Once preliminary approval is granted we would ask them to publish notice of their intention in the newspaper to see if there are any objections,” said St. Arneault She said that the final decision would then lie with the Nunavut Liquor Licensing board.

St. Arneault said a petition could weigh in the board’s decision, but that it would only be considered if there were objections.

“We don’t consider the objections of license holders,” she added.