It took council six months to propose a bylaw to repeal the current business hours bylaw, which restricts the hours when liquor can be sold.
However, in an effort to hear from residents, Town of Ponoka councillors hosted a public meeting March 26 at the Kinsmen Community Centre to receive feedback.
Less than 30 people attended.
Despite the low number, there were divergent opinions on whether the current bylaw, which is waived during Ponoka Stampede time, did any good in Ponoka.
Town councillors were there to hear what people had to say, not to debate, Mayor Rick Bonnett said.
“Council’s not here to argue or do anything on that side. We’re here to actually listen and get feedback from the public,” said Bonnett.
The repeal bylaw has had two readings, this means council must make one more motion to either pass or defeat the repeal. Since the passing of the business hours bylaw, Bonnett said no business has been charged with any offences.
Speaking in favour of restricting liquor sales
Jonathan Yeo, a missionary with the Northern Canada Evangelical Mission praised the bylaw. He counsels individuals dealing with addictions in Maskwacis. “The folk that I deal with out on the reserve were really happy when they heard of the bylaw being in place here.”
He suggested council consider the social aspect of preventing drinking. “From what I’ve read, it’s based more on the economics of things rather than humanity and I call that into question.”
He suggests the “mighty dollar” should not be the main motivation for repealing the bylaw.
Others have lost money since the bylaw was put into place. Ponoka County resident Martha Liedtke runs Karaoke and has had to travel to communities such as Leduc to earn a living. “I’m down to barely two nights a week in this town.”
She works late nights and feels the roads are not safe in the early morning hours. Liedtke sees motorists travelling late at night to other communities that sell liquor after 10 p.m.
“They drive right by my house, which is unsafe,” she stated.
“I’ve had a truckload of kids land in my neighbourhood,” added Liedtke.
Ponoka businessman Bruce Clark suggests there is an issue with alcohol overuse in Ponoka but the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC), rather than the municipalities should be regulating liquor sales.
“Putting a bylaw in like this affecting everyone isn’t the answer,” he added.
Questioning the bylaw’s intent
Leland Hotel owner, Abby Yaworski, and wife to Coun. Marc Yaworski, feels Ponoka RCMP targeted her business by recommending the bylaw. She calls it a “nightmare.”
She questioned the intent of the bylaw when it states the safety of the citizens.
“The safety of which citizens and from the safety of whom?” Yaworski asked.
Waiving the bylaw during the Ponoka Stampede goes against the purpose of community safety, said Yaworski, and is contrary to the bylaw’s goal.
She claims police targeted her business and clients with regular visits to her business. Many of the liquor stores in Ponoka usually closed at 10 p.m., 11 p.m. on the weekends. The affected businesses were the Royal Hotel and the Leland Hotel, both of which have off-sales; under AGLC regulations the two businesses can sell liquor up to 2:50 a.m.
Bonnett suggested Yaworski’s concerns would be better put in as a complaint to the RCMP. He said her claims are separate from discussions of the bylaw.
One question by Graham Boyes seemed to spark some inspiration in Coun. Carla Prediger. “If impaired driving does increase following the repeal of the bylaw, what does council plan to do to prevent impaired driving?” Boyes asked.
Prediger replied the previous council based their decision on a five-year span of impaired driving in Ponoka. She doesn’t believe the numbers provided showed a major impaired driving issue.
“The impaired driving put a label where I’m not sure a label was earned,” said Prediger. “I don’t know if I’d use that as a baseline of success or failure.”
“If drunk driving goes up crazy…We’d have to look at doing something different,” said Bonnett.
“We all have to be cognizant of the social wellbeing of our community,” he added.
Short notice to the public meeting
Former Mayor Larry Henkelman observed the low turnout of individuals at the meeting and suggested people feel council has already made its decision. “I guess I take a little offense on that because any public hearing, a councillor is not allowed to state whether he’s for, or against…So that they have an open mind.”
He questioned why council passed two readings of the repeal bylaw in one night, when the practice has been to pass one vote and received community feedback. Bonnett replied that council needed second reading if they were to discuss the merit of it.
Prediger encouraged Henkelman to have his contacts come forward and speak their mind to council on their concerns. “We’re not one mind in this office.”
Yeo added short notice of the meeting and parents being away for spring break made it appear as if council wanted to pass the repeal bylaw with little feedback.
While the meeting came at an inconvenient time, Bonnett said the intent was never to hide the meeting. “It didn’t need to be dragged on like it was last time…Unfortunately it doesn’t work out for everybody,” said Bonnett.
First Nations perspective
Speaking from the First Nations perspective was Paul Johnson, economic development for the Samson Cree Nation. “What is the intent of the community of Ponoka?”
He believes RCMP Check Stops are implemented in the north side of Ponoka to target First Nations. The City of Wetaskiwin passed their bylaw November 2009 and Johnson feels those planners hid behind the bylaw that was really intended to keep First Nations out.
Johnson’s wife, Luci, suggested the best way to deal with any issue involving the two communities of Ponoka and Maskwacis are by bringing about communication between its leaders. Bonnett is in favour of that idea. “That’s something that’s one of this council’s big goals.”
Jim Hamilton, owner of Hamilton’s IGA and Hammy’s Liquor said without the residents of Maskwacis, he would not run as successful a business. He suggests the bylaw does target First Nations and has always been against it.
Henkelman stood up to say the bylaw was never meant to target First Nations people.
However the preamble to the bylaw may have caused some confusion.
It states: “The town has been experiencing a possible spin off from the passing of the City of Wetaskiwin’s bylaw. Patrons are now visiting the neighbouring communities whose business hours match their needs.”
“We need the First Nations people…Anything we can do to work with you, I would love it,” said Hamilton.
Mayor Rick Bonnett said council has received letters in favour of the business hours bylaw but did not read any at the meeting. He did say one letter states if the bylaw saves as least one life, it is worth it.