At first the trade of liquor to the Natives was frowned upon by the Hudson's Bay Company and other land based fur trading companies. As the American's with their willingness to trade booze to the Indians threatened the monopoly that the HBC enjoyed the company softened their position and began to trade liquor as well. 5 For their part, The North West Company provided the Natives with alcohol when they visited trading posts and remote campfire celebrations. 6   Soon the trading posts and it's traders were counterparts in the promotion of "spirituous liquors" as one of the essentials of everyday life in the North West.

    By 1841, the HBC and other trading companies in BC decided to place a ban on liquor in the fur trade, but the ban did not apply to the white traders themselves. 7 It was the beginning of a time where the HBC felt that they knew what was best when it came to the Indians especially involving alcohol. When it came to their own employees; however, the consumption and serving of alcohol was still considered an important part of life. Liquor was used as a delicacy or special benefit when consumed at the remote posts. It was seen by the governors of the HBC as a way to show their guests a good time and ensure an enjoyable visit to the posts. 8 For the traders themselves, it could be an escape from the hardships of fur trader lifestyle.

 
  Governor James Douglas (186?)
- photo courtesy BC Archives

    Well into the 1850's alcohol remained an essential part of the daily lives of people living on Vancouver Island,but eventually the government began to take an interest in controlling the distribution of alcohol to the people living in the colony. This time it was not only the Natives that they were concerned about, the white population was also a concern. Demon Rum or Easy Money, by Robert Campbell, contains a quote from James Douglas, governor of the Vancouver Island Colony: " bloodsuckers . . . are preying upon the vitals of this Colony, exhausting its wealth and making a return of poisonous drinks, ruinous to the morals of the people, and a prolific source of poverty and crime." 9 Douglas succeeded in gaining the right to grant liquor licenses to whom he felt should receive them. It was one of the first of many steps in gaining goverment control of the liquor industry, though it was not only the governor that was concerned about the evils of alcohol.