NUNAVUT - Finance minister Keith Peterson has appointed a 10-member task force to review the Nunavut Liquor Act.

Finance minister Keith Peterson has appointed a 10-member task force to review the Nunavut Liquor Act. - NNSL file photo

Peterson on March 22 announced the names of task force members from around the territory. They include MLAs, representatives from the GN, members of local alcohol education committees, youth and representatives from other organizations.

The task force has been designed so individuals and organizations can provide the government with feedback on the Nunavut Liquor Act and the issue of alcohol in the territory’s communities.

"Everything is on the table, we are looking for ideas, recommendations and solutions from everybody," said Peterson on March 24.

Peterson said the task force will have its first meeting in April, where members will start developing an action plan before starting community consultations. A final report with recommendations will be drafted based on information collected in the communities. This will take several years to complete.

Members of all Nunavut's 25 communities will be visited. Peterson said the plan is visit the communities in the next 12 months. He said he expects an interim report to be completed within six or eight months.

"Certainly if there is some emergency reason why we should act faster on certain aspects of the Liquor Act, I think we have that capacity," he said.

This task force is only the second in the territory's history. The Liquor Act was last amended in 2006.

The timing of the formation of the task force comes after a series of bootlegging busts throughout the territory. RCMP Sgt. Jimmy Akavak said at a press conference on March 24 that since January, over $400,000 in drugs, alcohol and cash has been seized. Some of this seized alcohol, mostly vodka, was on display for the public to see. He said that a 60-ounce bottle of vodka could be sold in a dry community for as much to $600.

Akavak said that 80 to 90 percent of the RCMP's workload is dealing with cases involving alcohol. He said the RCMP rely on tips from the public to help solve the cases.

"Without the public’s help a lot of this alcohol would not be here and it would cause more chaos," said Akavak referring to the seized bottles.

In March, RCMP wrapped up an investigation involving four men who had ordered approximately 6,240 cans of beer and 2,800 60-ounce bottles of vodka since Jan.1, 2009. The alcohol seized was purchased using permits issued by the Nunavut Liquor Commission.

Peterson said the issue of permits is something the task force will look at.

"As you heard today a person can pretty much order as much booze as they want," he said.

Ideas that Peterson said the members of the task force could look at include increasing the fines for those caught with alcohol and the forfeiture of proceeds of crime.

Supt. Steve McVarnock, the commanding officer of the RCMP in Nunavut, emphasized alcohol consumption is based on a personal choice and is an individual's responsibility.

"We cannot stop anyone from drinking who wants to drink," he said.

McVarnock said he looks forward to working with the task force, which will have an RCMP representative.

“If there’s nothing to stop the systemic flow [of alcohol] in the first place, all you’d better do is hire more police, hire more judges and hire more prosecutors, because all we’ll do is recycle the problem,” he said.

Many city councillors, politicians and residents also came to the press conference. Iqaluit city councillor Natsiq Alainga-Kango said that in the 1960s, when the city had a liquor store, there were many cases of abuse, child neglect and suicide.

"That’s murder in a bottle," she said referring to a bottle of vodka. She added that the effects of "one bottle will hurt the whole community."

Iqaluit resident Annie Quirke also attended the press conference.

"I support what the RCMP is trying do because they are peace officers as well as police officers," she said.

Currently, the city of Iqaluit does not have an alcohol education committee. Quirke said, if formed, she thinks the committee could help look after the number of liquor permits and the number of cases of liquor being ordered.