Jennifer Geens
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 05/05) - Staggered bar closings, restricting where new bars can open, and earmarking a percentage of alcohol revenue to assist people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder were a few of the changes Yellowknife residents suggested for the NWT Liquor Act.

Lynn White, a consultant hired by the NWT government to review the 1983 NWT Liquor Act, and Joseph LaFerla, manager of policy and planning for the NWT department of Finance, listened to public input at a meeting on Wednesday night.

This was their ninth and final public forum. They held meetings previously in Behchoko, Fort Good Hope, Fort McPherson, Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Fort Simpson, Hay River, and Norman Wells.

The current Liquor Act became law in 1983, and was last reviewed in 1994.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem had a number of recommendations on behalf of the City of Yellowknife. He suggested extending the time between last call and bar closing, to discourage binge drinking, and to stagger bar closing times.

The mayor also suggested the Liquor License Board establish a community liaison committee in Yellowknife to help hammer out restrictions for the city's licensees.

Jane White, executive director of Yellowknife Association for Community Living, asked for the new Act to designate three per cent of the government's alcohol revenue for support programs for people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. She said that would work out to about $1 million annually.

Great Slave MLA Bill Braden questioned liquor store hours in Yellowknife.

"Do we need to make the product available as late as 10 p.m.?" he said.

He also suggested a policy on bar density, noting that there's a one block radius downtown containing four bars and a liquor store. David McPherson of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce spoke on behalf of the chamber's members in the hospitality industry.

Lack of consultation

He criticized the review's lack of consultation with licensees, such as bar and restaurant owners.

White said she had written to the territory's licensees in August to encourage them to speak at the public consultations, or write in their suggestions. Since licensees had not attended the eight previous public meetings, White held a conference call with NWT licensees, and set up a private meeting with Yk licensees Wednesday afternoon.

McPherson said licensees are reluctant to attend public meetings as past forums have lain "blame for social problems onto legitimate business people."

Written submissions can be made to the Liquor Act review website until Oct. 31.