BC bar fined after liquor inspector offered cocaine, threatened with a knife

A BC bar owner who pulled a knife on a liquor inspector has been fined $3,000 and the business was closed for two weeks.

According to an Aug. 24 BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch decision, while the liquor inspector was at the Misty Harbour Inn in Haida Gwaii, a customer offered him cocaine before challenging him to a fight.

The decision said the liquor inspector was on the island for a few days in March conducting inspections when he got a tip that the Misty Harbour Inn was serving past its 2 a.m. cutoff.

The liquor inspector headed to the bar at 1 a.m. and, after ordering himself a Lucky Lager, was approached by a man claiming to be the owner. The man offered the liquor inspector a “bump” and pulled out a clear plastic bag containing a white powder.

When the liquor inspector refused the “bump,” the man accused him of being a cop.

The man, who claimed to own the pub but didn’t, then ordered a round of shots for about 20 people sitting around the bar before pulling out a knife and pointing it at the liquor inspector.

“He extended the knife blade towards the Inspector’s chest,” the decision read.

At that point, the actual bar owner, who was standing nearby, also took out a knife.

“He faced the Inspector and spun the knife in a figure eight motion,” the decision said.

Trying to keep the situation calm, the inspector said “nice blade” and both men put their knives away.

Switching from hostile and aggressive to joking, the man who had just pointed a knife at the inspector then offered him a shot.

But when the inspector refused the shot, the man raised his fists and asked if he wanted a fight, before walking away.

“You should just go along with whatever (he) says, so there aren’t any problems,” one customer told the inspector.

He left and called the police.

The decision said both men were later charged and their cases are still ticking through the court system.

The bar was later ordered to close for 14 days.

In the bar’s defence, the owner said the man who offered the inspector a “bump” is a “bad actor” and has since been barred.

The owner denied pointing his knife at the inspector, and said he had been drinking and did not remember anything about pulling his knife out.

Witnesses testified that the owner had pulled his knife out just to show them.

However, the liquor board rejected the testimony that he had just been showing people the knife, and ruled the owner had displayed it, although not in a manner that was threatening. 

The establishment was originally facing allegations from the Liquor Board for allowing illegal activities at the bar and for the bartenders drinking shots while working.

However, those allegations were withdrawn, and the Liquor Board instead fined the bar for allowing a person with a knife or weapon to enter or remain in the establishment.  

“The seriousness of the contravention is normally a sound basis for increasing the penalty for a first contravention as proposed. Threats to the police or to inspectors of the Branch are very serious matters and their safety must be protected,” the Liquor Branch said.

While the Liquor Inspector wanted a $5,000 penalty issued, the Branch ruled $3,000 was more appropriate, because while the owner had gotten his knife out, he hadn’t done it aggressively.