Gratitude to Premier Paul Okalik

My sincerest gratitude to Premier Paul Okalik for making a very brave and very important public statement about his personal struggle with alcoholism.

When I see the damage the disease of alcoholism is wreaking across Nunavut, in terms of crime, violence, sexual assault, and family breakdown, it absolutely breaks my heart.

When will the day come that binge drinking and blackouts aren’t called “a party,” but instead a dangerous and deadly obsession?

Knowing respected public figures like Okalik are in recovery goes a long way to reducing the shame which clouds this disease — there should be no embarrassment in admitting to a problem and working to get better, only brighter days ahead.

Now Okalik’s public statement just needs to backed up by some serious resources and infrastructure for recovering alcoholics across the North.

(In the spirit of recovery and to protect my loved ones, please attribute my letter to “Anonymous.”)

Anonymous
Montreal