Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Coppermine (Nov 25/02) - There are nights when Ian Evaglok cannot sleep.

Sounds from raucous drinking parties in Kugluktuk seep through his bedroom window and keep him awake. It always happens after booze orders arrive from Yellowknife.

"Alcohol is all over town. There are drunks walking around at night, they're making lots of noise on the streets," said Evaglok.

The 15-year-old is troubled by what he hears and sees and knows well enough how drinking parties can hurt a family.

A police officer's visit to his Grade 10 class at Kugluktuk high school convinced Evaglok it was time to act. Since October, he's been collecting signatures on a petition asking the hamlet council to ban alcohol in Kugluktuk.

"There is too much alcohol in this community. (Cpl. Grant St. Germaine) visited our class and said this is how much alcohol is coming to town, this is how much money is being spent," said Evaglok.

"It sounded crazy. It's too much for a little town like this," he said.

"I'm trying to do something about it. I want to get rid of the alcohol."

So far, Evaglok has collected nearly 100 signatures. He hopes Germaine can present the document to the hamlet council Dec. 2.

More money, more alcohol

The massive increase in Kugluktuk's alcohol consumption is attributed to the community's recent increase in employment. More people are working at the nearby mines and social assistance has dropped 22 per cent. Residents have more money and many are spending it at the liquor stores in Yellowknife.

"If people choose to drink, they now have the money to do so," said Alex Buchan, the hamlet's senior administrator.

The number of liquor permits issued has tripled in recent months -- increasing to 150-160 permits per month from 40-50.

Police estimate they spend up to 50 per cent of their time attending to alcohol-related offences in Kugluktuk.

"Everybody braces themselves once it's known that a large liquor shipment has arrived. That night there will be problems with drunkenness," he said.

Businesses, government offices and schools also suffer from the effects of the alcohol abuse. Attendance plummets and those who do go to work or school are often distracted by things that happened the night before.

"There are a lot of effects, a lot of picking up the pieces," said Rachael Horn, the hamlet's wellness co-ordinator.

Controlling the situation

Horn oversees a committee made up of different health and social services agencies in Kugluktuk. They've started to discuss how to control the alcoholism gripping so many of their 1,300 residents.

However, what Horn and Buchan both find heartening is that many residents in the community are ready to admit a problem exists. That wasn't the case just a few years back.

"Two to five years ago, people wouldn't respond to issues unless they were major issues, like the murder-suicide we had," said Horn.

Both Horn and Buchan are developing new alcohol restrictions for community members to vote on. They know a total ban will not get passed so they're looking at more moderate restrictions which have a chance of garnering public support.

A community-wide meeting is set for Nov. 26 to discuss the terms of the vote. Residents will decide at that time if they want a total ban, partial restrictions or for the regulations to remain as they are now.