Alcohol concerns aired
Elders recall problems from 40 years ago while Department of Finance wants to move people away from hard liquor bought from bootleggers
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 13, 2014
IQALUIT
The Department of Finance wanted to hear from Iqaluit residents about their thoughts on opening a beer and wine store Oct. 7, and elders gave deputy minister Chris D'Arcy an earful.
Annie Nattaq expressed her opposition to the proposed beer and wine store in Iqaluit at a public consultation Oct. 7. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo |
The comments came at an open consultation meeting at the Frobisher Inn, where a space with about 80 chairs filled into the next room. Upon opening the microphone for comment, about 15 elders stood up immediately, each speaking at length.
"When there was a liquor store in Iqaluit, there were lots of people physically assaulted," said Nutaraq Nowdluk, who gave up drinking 11 years ago. "I have seen family members die because of alcohol and I have seen murder because of alcohol. I've seen people abused in the past, and I'm pretty sure we'll see more black eyes in the future. The shelters would be filled up more. I'm pretty sure the people in the community would have a difficult time."
"Do you know how many that have lost their children because of alcohol?" asked Annie Nattaq. "Do you know the statistics? Do you know how many are fatherless because of alcohol? Have we done research on that? Who and how many children live like orphans because of alcohol?"
"I know some of my grandchildren are out there drinking, too," said Alicee Joamie. "I have witnessed many things because of alcohol, and I can tell you that alcohol has played a large part in how fast I aged. There are many people in the same boat as me. They are in poverty, and people who have alcohol as their priority do not even think of putting food on the table."
Speaking on behalf of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, city councillor Simon Nattaq recalled the history of Iqaluit's retail liquor operations.
"I know that there was a liquor store in Iqaluit," Nattaq said. "They saw the negative effects and took action in the community to close down the liquor store. I can tell you that it has benefitted the community."
D'Arcy and cabinet, too, see the problems. And that's why the government feels compelled to do something about it. That something is introducing a beer and wine store, opening up same-day sales of lower-percentage alcoholic drinks to move those desiring a drink away from hard liquor bought from bootleggers. A 40-ounce bottle of vodka contains the same amount of alcohol as 24 cans of beer, or six bottles of wine.
"We certainly understand how difficult and heart-rending this whole experience is," D'Arcy told the crowd.
"Most of us in this room know that most of those kinds of experiences happen because of alcohol abuse. It's one of the things we hope would change if we stop people from drinking 40 per cent alcohol really fast, to drinking lower levels of alcohol."
The issue had elders recalling a time before alcohol existed in the territory.
"When I was young, we were very strong and healthy and physically fit," said Joamie. "We hunted for our food. When alcohol became available, our people fell. We lost love. It disappeared. Our ability to sustain itself was paralyzed. Young people thought they should drink. To me that is a huge problem."
Despite this, alcohol is here, presumably to stay. And in 2011, RCMP Staff Sgt. Roger Tournier told Nunavut News/North, the correlation between alcohol and social problems is undeniable.
"Almost 100 per cent of the calls we deal with are alcohol- and drug-related," Tournier said at the time. "We don't even have to keep stats. If alcohol or drugs can be involved, they probably are."
Calling for a wellness centre at the time, former mayor Madeleine Redfern pointed out that more than 80 per cent of incarcerated persons had addictions issues.
"Persons who get into trouble with the law are dealing with many root causes," Redfern said. "One is addictions, two is mental illness, three are things like FASD, and four is living in poverty. It is no surprise that we do have some of the highest crime rates across the country because we have those issues and don't have the support system to assist people to deal with them."
Commenting on this week's discussion, Redfern wrote on Twitter that "with or without a beer and wine store, people who want to drink, will drink. Iqaluit's history proves this."
Acting mayor Mary Wilman echoed Redfern's previously mentioned concerns, and asked the government to justify a lack of mental health facilities or drug and alcohol facilities. She said she hadn't decided whether to support or oppose the store, but predicted an increase in problems, pointing to a display of six empty vodka bottles discarded that day at the boarding home.
"Those empty bottles don't convince me that there is a need for a wine and beer store," Wilman said. "What it says to me is that despite all the problems, all the RCMP reports, we want to create more. That's what it says to me."
D'Arcy has said more consultations are planned, including outside of the capital, and all comments will go to cabinet to influence the final decision.
"This is not the end for sure," he told those at the meeting, inviting them to visit the government's website to show support or opposition to the idea.
