New Jasper employees were invited to attend a town-wide orientation session at the Atha-B nightclub on May 29.

The promise of free food and the bar setting may have been what drew the nearly 200 temps and the social scene was probably what kept them.

Once all were settled with their pints, the group heard presentations from Parks Canada, Friends of Jasper and HIV West Yellowhead, to name a few.

To be more accurate, the presentations were made, but it’s unclear whether they were heard over the chatter.

At least we knew some people were paying attention when the audience was quizzed, “What’s a successful way to avoid a bear encounter?” and someone called out, “Condoms and lube!” – samples of which participants found in the free packs they received at the door.

I commend the orientation organizers for a valiant effort. Not only did the night draw a strong turnout, but it was also a decent idea that has the potential for success.

However, it seems a terribly obvious and unfortunate juxtaposition when minutes after the orientation concluded a fight broke out on Patricia Street just a few doors down.

Not only that, the officers who responded to the incident brushed it off it as no big deal, a common occurrence. Though the session wasn’t necessarily intended or expected to solve Jasper’s nighttime issues, it was an attempt to reach out to youth.

Perhaps if fights weren’t accepted as routine they wouldn’t happen so often, but changing mindsets is not easy, if even possible.

And even if perspectives were changed and orientation sessions helped make temporary employees feel connected to the community, and even though many people have a lot of good ideas about the Patricia Street predicament, there is no quick fix or easy solution.

Jasper needs its temporary employees as much as it needs the tourists. The two depend on each other.

As much as I hate to admit it, I worked for the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise last summer. Just 12 months ago, I was a college student working over the summer and part of the same problem demographic we see in Jasper.

I couldn’t stand the job, my bosses were awful, I was bored and poor and tired and filled with angst. If that hotel lost business, I was pleased.

So the trouble is, I understand them.

Some say close bars earlier, put cops and cameras on the street, punish vandals - but further alienating and angering the subjects of conflict won’t get anyone anywhere.

What Jasper must do is figure out what motivates transient, temporary employees, base its actions on that, and find not a solution to the “problem” but a way for everyone in the town to peacefully coexist.

And so far, the orientation session seems like a pretty good start.