Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Oct 03/05) - Imagine buying beer at the corner store or not being allowed into the bar until you were 22 years old?

Those were only two suggestions thrown out Tuesday night last week in Fort Simpson during a public review of the Liquor Act.

The territorial government is in the midst of rewriting the decades-old legislation, which regulates all things alcohol in the NWT.

About 20 people attended the Fort Simpson meeting, where Wrigley resident Charlie Tale suggested raising the legal drinking age to 22.

"A lot of youth are failing out of school because of their drinking," Tale said.

Upping the age would keep teenagers out of bars and liquor stores until they graduated from high school, he said.

Dennis Nelner, who runs a convenience store in Fort Simpson, raised the possibility of selling alcohol in outlets like grocery and corner stores.

"This is something that happens in other jurisdictions," said Nelner. "It won't increase drinking. It will just spread out the proceeds."

Nelner pledged giving a portion of the profits back to the community for social programs.

Other community members said the entire concept of the Liquor Act needs to change and focus more on the prevention of alcohol abuse.

Trout Lake Chief Dennis Deneron said the government needs to better educate the population about the dangers of drinking and increase its financial support for addictions councillors and treatment centres.

Industrial projects like the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline and the Prairie Creek Mine - which is located not far from Nahanni Butte - will just increase alcohol-related problems, he said.

"With all the money coming in, public education is important."

Fort Simpson resident Jonas Antoine agreed. He said many people do not understand the effect alcohol has on their bodies. He called on the government to force people convicted of drinking-related crimes to go through classes that explain the effects of liquor.

"Education on the use of alcohol is insufficient," he said.

The review is being carried out by Yellowknife-based consultants who have stopped in eight communities.

Consultant Lynn White said the revised Liquor Act would be in the hands of MLAs by December. The changes will probably take another year to navigate their way through the legislative assembly, she said.