Gjoa Haven voters reject move to restricted liquor system
Community votes to stay on prohibited system in plebiscite held Monday
Gjoa Haven has voted to stay on a prohibited liquor system after approximately 60 per cent of voters cast ballots against changing to a restricted system during a plebiscite held as part of Monday’s municipal elections. (File photo)
A plebiscite in Gjoa Haven on whether to move from a prohibited liquor system to a restricted one was defeated on Monday night.
Approximately 60 per cent of hamlet residents who voted wanted to stay on the hamlet’s prohibited system.
Of the 388 valid votes, 233 were to keep the prohibited liquor system and 155 were to change the system to restricted.
Residents were asked to decide whether the hamlet should continue to prohibit the importing and buying of alcohol, or change its rules by putting restrictions on the amount a person can import or buy.
According to Elections Nunavut, if Gjoa Haven was to move to a restricted system, every 14 days Gjoa Haven residents would have been allowed to import or buy up to:
- 24 cans of 355 ml of beer or other liquor that is not more than eight per cent alcohol by volume;
- four litres of wine.
For that change to occur, at least 60 per cent of the eligible voters would have needed to vote in favour of a restricted system.
Wouldn’t want to interfere with the profits of the bootleggers.
Some of us live where there’s freedom to purchase alcohol. We drink responsibly. If anyone don’t like the prohibition, hey , it’s 2023, move elsewhere. We have a free country, outside the northern communities.
The community will see less people injured or dead, and more peace. It’s a much different way of living compared to societies that handle alcohol more civilized, but let’s not live in denial that it’s a problem in the northern communities, let’s be up front and real, good for Gjoa Haven.
There’s always legal Cannabis, live in peace.
Now Gjoa Haven can watch other communities where booze flows, watch the devastation while Gjoa Havens families and kids have a better life. People know the difference in Gjoa Haven. They call it like it is.
Those that want to have booze from Gjoa Haven, can wait until they go to free lands to enjoy. There are many parts of this great country, where freedom is still available.
Can you explain to someone just moving to the north, why all the issues with voting for alcohol sales? Prohibition, restrictions, dry, not dry, what up ? I never seen , anything like this in many places I travelled, what’s going on ye all ?