Nunavut teachers charged for keeping booze in dry community

Three Coral Harbour teachers will face a judge later this month after being charged with unlawful possession of alcohol in the dry community.

Last February, the Sakku School teachers were charged under the Nunavut Liquor Act.

Possession of liquor is prohibited in Coral Harbour, a community of 800 people.

According to court documents two of the teachers, Jessica Evans and Erin Sallie, were charged Feb. 17 with unlawful possession of alcohol.

Rick Aucoin, who is listed as vice principal at Sakku School on its website, was charged Feb. 19.

All three teachers must appear before a judge April 30 in Coral Harbour, when the court circuit stops in that community.

Nunavut RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Yvonne Niego said Coral Harbour experienced a high volume of calls for service that week in February.

“From that week, there were youth charges, there were break-and-enter charges, and there were unlawful possession charges against the adults,” Niego said.

Niego would not comment on whether the break and enters charges and unlawful possession charges are related.

A Department of Education staff member investigated the matter last February, said communications manager Wende Halonen.

The staff member reported findings to the local district education authority and made “recommendations” that the DEA accepted, Halonen said.

Halonen would not say what the findings or recommendations were.

There were no dismissals, and the three teachers still remain at the school, Halonen said.

“Once the matter is dealt with in the courts, we’ll go from there,” Halonen said.

The Nunavut Teachers Association’s executive director, Emile Hatch, said he could not comment on “any allegations that may have been made against a member or members of this association.”