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 Restaurant goers such as Randy Robinson will have the choice of coffee or an alcoholic beverage with their meal if the Yes side captures 60 per cent or more of the popular vote in the Nov. 10 liquor plebescite in Rankin Inlet. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo |
The plebiscite will determine if Rankin residents want to change the restrictions governing the sale, distribution and consumption of liquor.
The Yes side needs 60 per cent of the vote or more for any changes to be made.
The plebiscite will ask Rankin voters four yes-or-no questions.
Special local radio shows will be held this week to explain the questions and the ramifications of each to the voting public.
Hamlet council passed a motion this past week to adopt an official No stance in the plebiscite.
Only Coun. Robert Janes voted against the motion.
Coun. Janes told council that while he, personally, will be voting no in the plebiscite, council shouldn't be taking sides in the issue.
"I worry about the impact council adopting a public No stance may have on some voters," said Janes.
"It's a public plebiscite for people to make up their own minds and vote accordingly."
Mayor Lorne Kusugak countered that there are enough problems in the community with alcohol.
He said the status-quo allows for enough liquor to come into the hamlet.
"There are enough alcohol-related problems in our community without allowing establishments to start serving it in a dining room or bar," said Kusugak.
"People in our community, who have been here for a long time, have been hit hard, at one time or another, by alcohol.
"I, myself, have lost a father and a sister to alcohol-related incidents, and my story is not unlike that of many others in the community."
Kusugak said he's confident the Nov. 10 plebiscite will show most people in the community feel the same way.
"We had an elder appear at council's Oct. 21 meeting, trying to see if there's anything hamlet council can do to help curb the use of alcohol in our community, as it is."
Royal Canadian Legion Keewatin Branch #169 president John Hawkins said his first reaction to council's No stance was to wonder why council is voicing a public opinion to begin with.
He said providing information is one thing, but influencing voters is another.
"There's a fine line there when council, on one hand, is telling the public it recommends against voting Yes in the plebescite, but, on the other, is saying it isn't trying to sway anybody's vote," said Hawkins.
"Why would councillors even make a public proclamation on the liquor plebiscite? It's not their place to do that.
"Council should be taking direction from the community, not giving it."
Hawkins said in the Legion's case, not much would change as the result of a Yes vote.
He said he's worried people are perceiving the plebiscite as a straight yes-or-no issue, and aren't differentiating between the four questions.
"Whether people vote yes or no to Question 4 really won't change things that much for us, as far as still only being open once a week.
"The big difference is, we won't have to keep applying for separate licences at $100 a shot and we'll have more money to put back into the community."
Most businesses not affected
Kusugak said he's not worried about the possibility of negative fallout from the business community as a result of council's decision to adopt a No stance.
He said councillors canvassed the community and felt the majority of residents support a No vote.
"The business community will do what it has to in order to create more income," said Kusugak.
"But, when we talk about the business community, we're only talking about two or three businesses that will be affected by this plebiscite."
An advance poll will be held on Nov. 3.
