Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 07/98) - The chief coroner for the NWT says the North has a history of Northerners who have frozen to death while intoxicated.

Since January 1997, there have been seven Northerners who have been found in the snow dead after they had been drinking.

"We've had a few," said Percy Kinney.

There have been tragedies across the North, most recently in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Colville Lake, Fort Mcpherson, Fort Smith and Yellowknife.

But, Kinney said, there has been little done to address the problem.

"Look at the efforts put into drowning prevention for water safety," he said. "And there's 12 or 13 drownings every year. How much effort is put into preventing this?"

Kinney did, however, say that Emergency Measures has begun a public awareness campaign to promote preparedness for hunters and those who go out on the land.

But, most of these alcohol-related deaths have been senseless tragedies that have occurred in the community, close to houses.

"Any preventable death is a problem -- drinking and the cold is a deadly combination," Kinney added.