Gjoa Haven votes to keep western Nunavut community dry
Vote for change received less than required 60 per cent support in Dec. 9 plebiscite
Gjoa Haven, seen here by the cairn to Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, will keep its prohibitions on the purchase and possession of liquor. A Dec. 9 plebiscite failed to garner enough support for change. (Submitted photo)
Gjoa Haven residents decided that their community should remain dry in a plebiscite held yesterday, Dec. 9.
Elections Nunavut said that of the 363 votes cast, 52 per cent, or 188, voted to maintain the restrictions, while 48 per cent, or 175, voted to change. There were five rejected ballots.
A change would have required support from at least 60 per cent of voters.
The voter turnout stood at 49 per cent.
So the possession and purchase of alcohol in Gjoa Haven will continue to be prohibited.
Voters were asked to vote yes or no to the following question:
“Are you in favour of replacing the current prohibition system in the Hamlet of Gjoa Haven and surrounding area with a restricted quantities system? In addition to the general liquor laws of Nunavut, the restricted quantities system would limit the amount of liquor that a person can purchase in or import into the community every 14 days to:
(a) one (1) litre of spirits;
(b) four (4) litres of wine; and
(c) eleven (11) litres of beer.”
In Gjoa Haven’s last liquor plebiscite, held on Dec. 14, 2015, a majority of those who cast ballots opted for the status quo.
48% want access to alcohol, like the rest of the country and free world, yet they are stuck languishing under a prohibition regime, subject to the the will and tyranny of the masses. This is illiberal democracy… so glad I don’t live there.
The rest of us are also glad you don’t live here.
The bootleggers must be very happy. Gjoa Haven is one of the wettest places I know. LOL
Was going to say the exact same thing. Bootleggers are rejoicing! And there are a lot of them there. Likely the 188 who voted against this vote;-)
This is too bad. I’ve been to Gjoa and there are more drunks there than in the unrestricted communities. Prohibition doesnt work.
How is this ‘colonial’?
Congratulations. Never mind those that speak against you. Feel proud for your sense and courage to stand up against what you think is right. You have already saved life. Never mind those that are saying you are a wet town anyway. Maybe all towns are wet in a certain way, but you are a leader in your knowledge of knowing what free for all can do to the population with alcohol. Keep it as hard to get as possible. Down in Nunavik for example, two communities voted for the free for all, and its gone from bad to worst with the prohibition taken away. Many would love to see the bad again , but its really worst, only way to go back now is to realize the magnitude of what is, but powers to be have no awareness to reality. Again, great work.
Bootleggers paradise is this sweet news of prohibition by local government
Dry beer. Prohibition. Relapse. Recovery. I mean the names and concepts brought into the North by the hard core alcoholics. We have at least one recovery treatment center in the north. Kuujjuaq. It’s where the board members and workers are themselves in recovery from one thing or another. It’s kind of unhealth. One worker calls out the bingo game to addictive person few times a week. Another sm Kee cannibis. And another haves eliminations draws regular as a gaming sell on social media.