Aklavik (July 26/04) - The mayor of Aklavik wants to be proactive, not reactive, when it comes to alcohol in the community.

"Leaders have to be leaders and confront the problem," Billy Archie says.

Alcohol abuse within the community had RCMP and health officials concerned enough to make a presentation to council this past spring.

"We are planning to hold several workshops in the fall about alcohol abuse and then walk away with recommendations about what to do in our community," Archie says.

A plebiscite will then be held in December during the municipal elections, he added.

"We have to exhaust all options as to what the community wants.

"Do we go dry, limit the amount or keep the status quo," he says. "We also need to weigh the consequences of restrictions."

Although the hamlet does not have its own liquor retail outlet, Archie says residents will travel to Inuvik by boat, plane or ice road to purchase liquor.

RCMP Const. J.P. Leduc says the three-member police detachment is overrun with dealing with people having had too much to drink.

"Most of our calls are liquor related," Leduc says.

While he says alcohol can be a problem in any community, a smaller area such as Aklavik cannot readily hide its social ills.

Leduc says restrictions would mean only a certain quantity of alcohol could be brought into the community per month and RCMP would have the authority to check alcohol purchases by residents.

"It is one solution, but it all depends on what the community wants," says Leduc.

Archie says with the oil and gas industry building up in the area, alcohol could get in the way of work opportunities.

"It definitely is a concern. And our health workers are seeing the side effects of it."