Beer and wine store moving forward
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, November 14, 2016
IQALUIT
The capital may yet see a beer and wine store open next year.
"The government is making significant progress and moving forward to opening a beer and wine store in 2017," Finance Minister Keith Peterson told the legislative assembly Nov. 8.
The issue of opening a store in Iqaluit came to a head earlier this year when then-minister of Health and Justice Paul Okalik resigned from cabinet March 3.
His position was clear - do not increase access to alcohol until supports are in place for the vulnerable. The Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA wanted a territorial treatment centre, something, he said at the time, he was working on.
However, those in favour of a store cite a report and a plebiscite. In the 2012 report, the Nunavut Liquor Act Review Task Force told of Greenland's experience of how restricting hard liquor in favour of liberalizing the availability of beer and wine resulted in a reduction in serious crime.
Peterson acknowledged Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu MLA Pat Angnakak's question of whether or not the GN would respect the April 2015 plebiscite.
"We live in a democratic country. People voted. There's 78 per cent of the people that showed up that day voted to open a beer and wine store," he said.
In fact, shortly after the plebiscite, the path to a liquor store was paved, with an amendment to the Liquor Act. On June 3, 2015 the new regulations for a beer and wine store in Iqaluit were registered with the Registrar of Regulations.
Angnakak asked Peterson what specific delays were impeding the opening of a store. Peterson acknowledged that the absence of treatment centre was a concern.
"The fact of the matter is we can't afford to open a treatment centre in Nunavut," he said. "However, our cabinet is cognizant of the concerns of people in Iqaluit and possibly elsewhere. Later today in fact, perfect timing, I will be tabling an action plan that will outline how we intend to help people in Nunavut who have drinking problems."
The 18-page document titled Taking Steps to Reduce Alcohol-Related Harm in Nunavut, states in its opening paragraphs, "The Government's main goal is to help and encourage Nunavummiut to make healthy and informed choices about alcohol."
The action plan says the GN will undertake 15 initiatives to help reduce alcohol-related harm in Nunavut.
The initiatives fall under four categories: prevention and education, harm reduction - under which opening a pilot beer and wine store in Iqaluit is found - treatment, and enforcement.
According to the 2015-2016 Nunavut Liquor Commission Annual Report, beginning with that year's budget, $500,000 is now allocated annually from the Liquor Revolving Fund to support social responsibility campaigns.
Peterson also noted that he had recently received petitions form two other communities to open a beer and wine store.
"So that tells you where the people are headed," he said.
