A Salisbury House location is set to open on Norway House Cree Nation on March 31. Who in their right mind would have ever envisioned a Salisbury House on the rez?

Waking up to stroll through those iconic red arches to your favourite first meal of the day — whether that be some shoe string hash browns with eggs and hamburger steak instead of bacon or sausage, or just a cup of coffee, with maybe a wafer pie when the cobwebs clear — then coming back at lunch time for a nip and chips: Classic.

But nobody in their right mind would ever have imagined a Sals on the rez.

Despite the fact it makes so much sense, it should have been tried decades ago.

D​ecades which have produced the worst living conditions in Canada for First Nations and earned Winnipeg the title of “most racist city in the country.”

Conditions that would not exist if we had the foresight to try unique and ambitious ideas like bringing a Sals to the rez.

“Economic partnerships where we work side by side to serve a mix of clientele is the perfect way to build relationships which tear down stereotypes and build understanding and friendship,” says Norway House Cree Nation Chief (NHCN) Ron Evans.

The 40 jobs and share of profits that NHCN stands to gain from economic development projects like the Sals goes a long way to improving those living conditions as well.

But that wasn’t exactly why NHCN and Salisbury House decided to become partners in a restaurant on the rez.

NHCN likes Sals

Like many citizens of this city, including luminaries like Sals part-owner Burton Cummings, Chief Evans likes everything about the Salisbury House restaurant.

“I like the food. They provide generous portions and the service is good and friendly,” he said.

“And a lot of our people seem to agree with me.”

Evans noticed that Salisbury House restaurants in Winnipeg were always jammed with aboriginal people whenever he frequented one of their establishments.

And it just so happened that folks back home in Norway House were having a tough time managing the restaurant they had set up to serve the clientele of their hotel and entertainment centre.

High staff turnover, uneven service, inexperienced management — all of those things that can sink a small business were creating problems that had to be solved, because a restaurant is an essential component in the hospitality business.

“We needed somebody who could operate a restaurant properly, and since Salisbury House has been in business for 84 years, they met that requirement.”

But would a huge brand name like Salisbury House want to risk its reputation in such unknown territory, both geographically and economically?

Little economic risk

There seemed to be little economic risk. NHCN is a tight-knit community of about 5,000 residents who would embrace a Sals, and the rez wasn’t exactly over-run with McDonald’s franchises or family-style restaurants.

But deals between First Nations and outside business are fraught with danger. Investments can be lost when political leadership changes or the mix of cultures just doesn’t fit.

Salisbury House had to drive a hard bargain to protect their interests, taking 75 per cent of the ownership and profits. The leadership in NHCN doesn’t see it that way.

“One hundred per cent of nothing is nothing,” Evans said. “And 25 per cent of something is something. The way we see it, Salisbury House owns 75 per cent of the headaches involved in running a restaurant.”

Salisbury House is completely in charge of management, so they are responsible for the success or failure of the operation,” said Evans. “The people of Norway House benefit from the 40 jobs the restaurant provides, and our 25 per cent of the profits.”

So what might appear to be a one-sided deal is actually very favou​rable to the local community.

Operating in the north is expensive

Once the deal was worked out, a huge problem which plagues all northern communities had to be dealt with.

It is very expensive to ship food to the north. The issue of high food prices has reached a crisis point in some communities. The problem is exacerbated because Salisbury House has a policy to maintain very high standards for the food they serve, which must be fresh.

All Salisbury House food is prepared in their commissary in Winnipeg and then distributed to the restaurants for sale within two days. That means the hamburger patties and pancake batter which have been prepared using the Sals special formulae must be cooking on a Salisbury House grill within 48 hours.

NHCN came up with a very practical, common sense way to solve this problem.

Norway House operates two buses back and forth to Winnipeg on a daily basis. They added some trailers, including a refrigerated unit​, that the buses could tow.

Presto! The food that is served at the Sals in Norway House is just as fresh as the iconic Sals at Pembina Highway and Stafford Street.

And that is why chances are the Sals in Norway House will be a success. Salisbury House is a private corporation owned mostly by Earl Barish and his wife, but still includes investors like Cummings, who got addicted to nips at the north end Sals when he attended St. John’s High School.

Another example of the extreme customer loyalty to Sals specialties was evident at a gala celebration to honour the late Izzy Asper for his successful takeover of CKVU-TV in Vancouver. To make everything just right, organizers had to fly in a special order of nip and chips from Winnipeg for Izzy while all the other guests dined on filet mignon and lobster.

Izzy was deliriously happy, and not because of the deal.

It was the meal

The red arches of Salisbury House restaurants have become an iconic symbol in Winnipeg since they began serving their nips in 1931.

And now they will be gracing the north in the nation of Norway House.

And achieving the goals of training, job creation and economic development we talk about without really understanding what they mean.

Imagine that.

Don Marks is the editor of Grassroots News