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LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS
Some Norman Wells residents are concerned about the growing use of alcohol in town about nine months after liquor restrictions were lifted in the area.

A prohibition on alcohol has been in place in Behchoko since 2009. Despite it, some people are still drinking heavily, according to one resident. - NNSL file photo

Alcohol sales in the Sahtu region have increased nine per cent since last year, according to statistics from the NWT Liquor Commission.

"It's just wild now," said resident Glenda Lennie. "It's worse than it's ever been."

The plebiscite on whether to end the restrictions was spurred by a petition started by resident Andrew Bailes. On Dec. 5, 2011, 53 per cent of the community voted to see the regulation changed.

Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya said the decision has negatively affected not only Norman Wells but Tulita, Colville Lake, Deline and Fort Good Hope.

"We are strong people in our communities. We're good people. However, alcohol has a really strong grip on people and people will do anything to get a drink," Yakeleya said.

"There's more violence happening, there is theft, there is stealing ... some kids are missing school, elders are being abused for money or food or their house, some people are not showing up at work and there is youth between 11, 12, 13 years old that are getting their hands on alcohol."

In Colville Lake the issue got so bad this summer that a community meeting was called to address the topic, said Joseph Kochon, band manager of Behdzi Ahda First Nation.

It was scary, he said. Young people were putting their lives in danger by drinking and driving in boats.

"We had to meet with all the young people and inform them that we do care for them and that they really should think about slowing down on the drinking and that type of stuff," Kochon said.

But it's not just the young people, he said. More beer cans and large bottles of hard alcohol are seen on the winter road and community members are found staggering around town regularly, said Kochon.

"There is a huge difference since the restrictions have been lifted," he said. "It's been very visible."

Norman Wells resident Jackie Denslow said she has noticed more young people drinking booze.

"If they can't buy it then they get somebody else to buy it," Denslow said. "Being up here there's not much else for them to do."

The restrictions should never have been lifted, she continued, adding she would like to see the policy revisited.

There may be more intoxicated people in town but the RCMP say it hasn't resulted in increased crime rates. In fact, RCMP Cpl. Barry Ledoux said the number of calls to Norman Wells police have fallen 17 per cent compared with last year. Ledoux would not specify how many of the calls were liquor related and wouldn't share the call rates from any of the other Sahtu communities.

Nonetheless, he made no connection between the decline in criminal activity and the lifting of alcohol restrictions.

"As far as policing goes, when our (crime) numbers are down we like to think we're doing our part in the proactive policing," Ledoux said.

Still, Yakeleya thinks all the communities in the Sahtu should have had a say in the decision to lift the booze restrictions since Norman Wells has the only liquor store in the region.

The MLA said he would like to work with the minister and the Sahtu leadership to make amendments to the territorial liquor act so Tulita, Deline, Colville Lake and Fort Good Hope will be able to vote on the subject in the future.

"It's a critical health and safety issue for all the five Sahtu communities, so it's only fair for all five of the Sahtu communities to have a say in the operations of Norman Wells," he said.

Kochon agreed with Yakeleya, saying it isn't fair that one community was able to make a decision on behalf of the entire region. The GNWT should reconsider, he added.

"Do we have to wait until something tragic happens?" Kochon said.

Norman Wells Mayor Harold McGregor declined to comment on the topic.

"There is just nothing more we can say. It was done. It's not in the hands of the town," he said.

Fact file

Alcohol sales before and afterliquor restrictions liftedin norman wells

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