Pelican Narrows No Longer a “Dry Reserve”
Friday, June 11, 2004 at 14:16
Residents of Pelican Narrows have voted to remove the “dry reserve” status in their community.
A referendum was held in Pelican Narrows yesterday.
A total of 369 people voted to end the ban on liquor, while 170 wanted to keep it.
Gertie Dorion is a local resident who wanted Pelican Narrows to remain a dry reserve.
She says residents knew they had to vote against the liquor ban if they wanted the community to go ahead with plans to build a hotel and lounge.
The dry reserve status has been in place in Pelican Narrows for 10 years, but Dorion says it’s been largely ineffective and needs adjustments.
However, she feels an ineffective alcohol ban is better than no ban at all, and says the community will suffer even more social problems now that it’s gone.
In a simultaneous referendum vote yesterday, Pelican Narrows residents gave the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation the green light to start building the proposed hotel and lounge.
That vote was much closer — with 275 in favour of the idea and 243 opposed. There were also 34 spoiled ballots.