Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Tuktoyaktuk (Feb 25/02) - A controversial proposal to bring a liquor store to the community died a quiet death at a hamlet council meeting earlier this month.

On Feb. 6, hamlet council passed a motion to reverse an earlier decision to seek a liquor store in town.

A vocal opponent of the liquor store, Dorothy Loreen, was delighted when she heard the news last week.

"I'm just really, really glad," she said. "I can't stop smiling, it's such good news!"

The issue had been simmering in the community for more than two years. In December 1999, council set up an opinion poll during the municipal election. The poll found most voters supported having a liquor store -- 126 for versus 76 against.

Tuktoyaktuk is not a liquor-restricted community, but proponents for an outlet argued it would cut down on bootlegging.

After the vote, the NWT Liquor Commission got involved to see if a liquor store in Tuktoyaktuk would be feasible. Before it was complete, Loreen started a petition against the proposal with her husband, Daniel.

The couple went door to door and collected 186 signatures -- more than the number who voted for a liquor store in the earlier poll.

Loreen presented the petition to council March 2000 and the issue was put on hold until August 2001, when a second plebiscite was held. This time, the vote was much closer, with 87 in favour and 73 against.

After the second vote, the hamlet asked the liquor commission to go ahead with its feasibility study. Then, in October, the company that had expressed interest in opening a liquor store, withdrew its proposal.

With no private contractor interested in opening a liquor store in the community, the issue was thrown back to Finance Minister Joe Handley to decide what to do. It was still at that stage when council made its decision to call it quits this month.

"We figure if there's no proponents coming forward to pursue an outlet, then why bother?" said Mayor Eddie Dillon. "We're not supporting the liquor outlet, this council anyway."

When asked if this would likely be the final word on the debate, Dillon responded, "I doubt it."

RCMP Sgt. Brian Winters applauded the decision. "There's more than enough liquor in Tuk from the Inuvik liquor store," Winters said. "We certainly do not need another source of alcohol in this community."