Kuujjuaq votes July 6 on resuming retail beer sales

Residents of Kuujjuaq will head back to the polls July 6 to vote on reviving retail beer sales in Nunavik’s largest community.

Municipal councillors recently passed a resolution to put the following question to local voters: “Do you agree that the Fort Chimo Co-op association begins to sell beer over the counter once again?”

Municipal secretary treasurer Ian Robertson said the upcoming plebiscite, although municipal, will follow the same rules as any other election in Quebec.

That means residents must be 18 years old, Canadian citizens and have resided in Kuujjuaq for the last 12 months in order to vote.

On July 6, voters can cast a ballot at the municipal office from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m..

An advance poll will be held July 3 in the same location; polls are open from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm that day.

Beer hasn’t been sold in the community since 1996, when a plebiscite determined alcohol sales could continue in the local bar, but not from the co-op store, after there was a string of alcohol-related deaths.

In 2001, another referendum asked “Do you think beer should be sold in Kuujjuaq?”

But voters rejected the idea.

The latest attempt to restore beer sales came when the town council asked the co-op to participate in community radio call-in programs earlier this month.

Public support was about 50 per cent, listeners reported.

If it’s more than 50 per cent, the plebiscite is will pass, and Kuujjuamiut will be able to purchase beer again at the co-op.