Karen Mackenzie
Northern News Services
Monday, July 23, 2007

IQALUIT - The Iqaluit RCMP is investigating the Nunavut Crime Prevention Fundraising Foundation.

The foundation, the fundraising arm of the John Howard Society of Nunavut, previously ran Iqaluit's television bingo program.

On July 4, the Government of Nunavut turned over files pertaining to the foundation to the Iqaluit RCMP, asking the police to conduct an investigation, according to Sgt. Allan Hearn in Iqaluit. The files were transferred to the general investigations unit, and currently are the sole subject of the investigation, he said.

According to Jay Wisintainer, head of the Nunavut's John Howard Society and the former bingo manager, the RCMP have not questioned him or any board members of either the John Howard Society or the fundraising foundation.

"I don't know why this was handed over," he said. "We want to co-operate with the RCMP and clear our name because we haven't done anything wrong."

The Department of Community and Government Services has denied the foundation a new bingo licence since March. The group failed to meet a number of requirements of the lotteries act, according to a legislative specialist with the department.

Since losing its charitable status last fall, when it was late providing paperwork to Revenue Canada, the John Howard Society had been dependent on the bingo. It recently folded the majority of its Iqaluit operation due to lack of income.

John Howard societies across Canada provide support and advocacy services to people who have been in jail, and to their families.

The local John Howard Society also funded a country food program for inmates and a Joamie School cultural class.