Toto, I don’t think we’re in...waitaminute, we are in Alberta! And there’s now an LGBTQ-friendly pub in Jasper that has already put on their first drag show.  Vanessa Hugie, General Manager of Whistler’s Inn of Jasper, isn’t surprised - it’s her doing!

"Whistler’s Inn is coming up on 20 years (in Jasper), and the Whistle Stop has been part of the hotel since before it had even become Whistler’s Inn. We’ve been building it into the locals’ pub/hangout for the last 15 years, really bringing up the quality of the product and service, building up our clientele, etc."   Coincidentally, 15 years is the same length of time she has been with them.

In 2010, an LGBTQ-centred publication came through her hotel looking for her business, and Vanessa was concerned about "pitching my hotel to the community, because I didn’t know that I could guarantee that we can deliver...on being LGBT friendly just because I said we were."  And she would know, as she’s been active in the Jasper rainbow community, working with HIV West Yellowhead and supporting OUT Jasper.

So when the salesman came back as a consultant, working with organizations like hers that wanted to learn about and promote themselves to this $7-billion Canadian market, she was the perfect person to speak with.

"We took some new pictures of the hotel, did some education with the staff, and talked about the pub. It is a locals hangout, one of the most popular pubs in town; it’s not a nightclub... The bartenders all know you by what you drink, when you walk in they all go hey there, so I was a little concerned because some of the clientele is very much ‘repeat’, some of them are very comfortable because they’ve been coming for so long, and can be very opinionated. I was a little worried that maybe the ambience wouldn’t be right, or it wouldn’t be as welcoming and friendly as it maybe should be, if it were changed."

"But Rod (Zelles, the now consultant) said, if you let people know that they’re welcome, they’ll come."

"So we held our inaugural event on January 14th, called our ‘Loud and Proud Party’, and we basically turned the Whistle Stop Pub into a dance bar for an evening, complete with disco balls, a lightshow, a dancefloor (and) a drag queen show.  It was probably one of the best events that we’ve had in the pub, bar none."

"It was extremely well attended, by people from out-of-town as well as our locals, and overwhelming [were] the support levels, and the good [feeling] in the room...[it] was phenomenal."  Vanessa was clearly smiling so hard she could hardly get words out.

Vanessa mentions seeing many locals at the party that normally didn’t frequent the Whistle Stop, and she was congratulated many times by clientele who were delighted with the successful welcoming effort.

"It was probably the most amazing feeling I’ve had in a long time!"

She points out that their intention is not to change the pub over into what is traditionally called a ‘gay bar’, but simply to enhance what they already do.  Hugie explains, "so one weekend every month will be dedicated to our LGBT customers, combined with promotions through the hotel.

So were there any spoilsports that complained?

"Not directly to me. A couple of my bartenders heard some people cracking some not so appropriate jokes, and they said hey, everybody’s welcome here, and put a halt to it.  ...No-one has said they’re going to stop coming (because of the changes), I haven’t heard of anyone being [offended]."

She had been more concerned about the out-of-towners, that she knows less about and who come in on weekends, having an unpredictable reaction. "But I don’t think anyone who really has any issues will be put out: we’re not doing anything to make them feel uncomfortable, we’re just doing things to make others feel more comfortable."

"So in February, in support of Jasper Pride, the February 10-11th weekend, we’ll be hosting a group of local musicians from the LGBT community who’ll be performing at the official Apres-Ski on the 11th."

"Then on the second weekend in March we’re going to have a Passion Party, and there’s a girl from Edmonton’s clubs who will come out and DJ for us." Passion Party as in sex toys, if you’re wondering.

For trivia buffs, this is the third year Jasper has had a Pride, and "they decided to go with February, because they wanted to tie it in with winter and skiing, take advantage of marmot Basin and the great conditions that we have in February."

Vanessa, being hotel manager, a wife and a mother, demonstrates that she also has balls: "I personally would like to challenge Tourism Jasper to follow my lead. I think that they have shied away from looking at the LGBT community specifically, which, in my mind as a business operator, is short-sighted. It’s a $7-billion market, and for a town like Jasper that is resort-based and extremely seasonal, relying on a lot of regional support (like Calgary, Edmonton, and even smaller B.C. communities like Kamloops and Prince George).  Without looking at all the markets I think they’re missing out... As of right now, Tourism Jasper has said they’re ‘interested’ in what I’m doing, but they haven’t stepped forward."

Oooh, looks like the rhinestone-covered gauntlet has been thrown!