Kugluktuk residents must apply to panel before placing an alcohol order

Alcohol no longer flows freely into Kugluktuk, thanks to the community's recently-elected alcohol education committee.

Police say the committee's scrutiny over alcohol orders has already resulted in fewer alcohol-related incidents since the beginning of February.

For Gary Kennedy, the chairman of the alcohol education committee, this is a positive sign.

"I feel this is so important, from a community, wellness and youth perspective. I really hope the community buys into what we are trying to do," Kennedy said.

If you want to order alcohol in Kugluktuk, you must first apply to the community's new alcohol education committee.

That's how it's been since Feb. 1 when Kugluktuk's alcohol education committee started reviewing all applications for purchases of hard liquor, beer or wine.

Only with the committee's approval can the applicant request the necessary permit.

The committee's members are all volunteers, and except for Gary Kennedy, all female: Millie Kuliktana, Melissa McDonald, Doreen Evyagotailak, Susie Evyagotailak, Valerie Daniels and Catherine Kunelok, were elected on Dec. 10.

A member of the RCMP sits as an ex officio member, to provide advice and make up a quorum if necessary.

On Feb. 11, the committee held its first weekly meeting, where it reviewed 16 applications.

According to the Liquor Act inherited from the Northwest Territories, alcohol education committees in Nuna­vut may determine who may consume, possess, purchase or traffic alcohol, who can order alcohol, and the amount of alcohol a resident may bring into the community.

But Kugluktuk's alcohol education committee decided not to place any restrictions on the amount of booze that can be ordered.

This means applicants may even order large amounts for special occasions.

"If you're a member of the community and you've never had a problem with alcohol why should we be restricting you?" Kennedy said.

However, the committee plans to give every application individual attention.

"We're going to treat each week as an education process," said Kennedy, who is principal of the Kugluktuk High School.

So, if someone applies for a permit to buy six bottles of vodka every week, a committee member will call to see if the individual is bootlegging, buying for a third party, or over-drinking.

"The way we would like to do this is to make a phone call, saying this looks like either you're bootlegging or buying for someone who can't buy ­- what's going on?"

If over-drinking is the case, Kennedy said the committee would recommend counseling.

Last Oct. 22, 60 per cent of voters in Kugluktuk said in a community referendum that they support the revitalization of their community's alcohol education committee.

The committee's members were elected Dec. 10, then spent the month of January deciding how they want to carry out their mandate.

After much discussion, the committee members finally decided that any resident of Kugluktuk who is over 19 and wants to order alcohol must first stop by the local RCMP detachment for a $2 form – a fee which will help cover the volunteer committee's modest expenses.

Once an application for a permit is approved, it will be passed to the community's taxi driver, Tony Demerah, who also holds the contract to issue permits.

If the application is refused, the committee will send the applicant a letter explaining exactly why the request was turned down.

The committee will also publicize the time and place of its weekly meetings. All meetings are open to the public so applicants may come in to defend their applications in person if they so choose.

The committee expects to receive up to 30 applications on government pay weeks, but Kennedy said the decision process should go quickly as the committee members gain experience.