Inuvik's Mad Trapper wants bylaw changed so it can serve booze on Sundays

A bar in Inuvik wants permission to start selling alcohol on Sundays, but the request isn't sitting well with all the town councillors.

The owner of the Mad Trapper, Rick Adams, is asking the town to amend its liquor bylaws so his business can sell alcohol every Sunday, as well as Good Friday. The bylaw passed first reading at council last week but still has two more rounds of debate to get through.

"On a Sunday you don't want to see people walking outside of the bars drunk," said town councillor Vince Sharpe, who voted against the bylaw.

"The bar is only closed one day a week. And now they want to open on that day too. And I don't think we should be promoting alcoholism in the town," he said.

Inuvik's current bylaws only allow bars that serve food to open on Sundays. Bars that don't, like the Mad Trapper, can only sell alcohol on 10 Sundays a year.

Before the proposed amendment could pass, the territorial justice minister and the liquor board mustreview the bylaw. The public will also have a chance to weigh in.

"We will probably have a public meeting regarding this situation," said Grant Hood, Inuvik's senior administrative officer.

He said the whole process will take at least three months.

The City of Yellowknife amended its bylaw in the spring to allowbars to sell booze on Sundays.