Iqaluit (Aug 25/03) - Seatbelt use in Canada is the law, but in Iqaluit it seems it's just a suggestion.

That will soon change says Robert Kavannagh, the chief by-law officer in Iqaluit.

"It's going to be difficult . . . (but) it's definitely coming," said Kavannagh referring to enforcing the law.

Kavannagh was hoping to have an awareness program and begin enforcing the by-law in January, but plans had to be put on hold.

"My predecessor had started the plan, and now I am pushing for it," said Kavannagh, who's been the chief since June of 2002.

"We needed everybody on board, on the same page. And now we have it. The RCMP are totally behind us."

That has Kavannagh hoping to implement the process by the end of the year.

The seatbelt law has been in effect since 1990 but was never enforced.

There was never much traffic before and the speed limits are fairly low, Kavannagh noted.

"But we are now seeing more vehicles. The city is growing faster than its resources," he said.

The seatbelt enforcement program will begin with a public awareness period.

"We will go on the radio, in the papers and do some checkstops to see if people are wearing their seatbelts," said Kavannagh, who said at first people won't be ticketed, just informed.

A violation of the seatbelt law carries a $40 fine.

"There will be a few unhappy people, I'm sure, but we have to make it safer to drive," Kavannagh said.

The issue of seatbelt use will likely be hotly debated in the coming weeks as well after a 16-year-old male lost his life in a single car accident.

Police reports suggest the youth, who's name hasn't been released, wasn't wearing a seatbelt while he was driving.

A 15 year old passenger was injured. He also wasn't wearing his seatbelt.