Rankin dreaming of a dry Christmas

MIRIAM HILL

There may be snow on the ground, but it will be relatively dry Christmas in Rankin Inlet this year.

For the second time in as many years, the hamlet council is asking that alcohol be banned in the 2,500-person community from Dec. 14 until Jan. 2.

Levinia Brown, the deputy mayor of Rankin Inlet, explained the motion was put forward for the benefit of children and young people in the community so that all could experience a safer Christmas season.

“The reasoning behind my idea was to give people a chance to be more sober and enjoy Christmas,” she explains.

Alcohol cannot be banned from the hamlet without a plebiscite so, like last year, letters were sent to the airlines asking them to not ship alcohol. A letter explaining the motion was also delivered to a private business in Rankin where many people get their liquor permits.

Brown says she has received no negative feedback regarding the ban. “I haven’t heard any opposition, or anyone not approving of it. In fact, I had congratulations a couple of times. There have been people coming up to me and saying it was a good move,” she says.

Last year, people spent more time with their families and at feasts, Brown recalls, and the RCMP reported a very quiet Christmas. “It was very peaceful and the whole community participated in activities and nightly square dances,” she says.

Const. Bob Hodyr wasn’t posted in Rankin last Christmas, but he says from what he understands it was a quiet, calm holiday season. The RCMP is supporting the ban. Usually, he says, “the majority of calls are alcohol-related.”

Brown says the council gets regular reports from the RCMP and it has been determined about 90 per cent of crime throughout the year is alcohol-related. “I would say that’s a big problem,” she admits.

While still in preliminary stages, she says, the hamlet council is also planning to form a council sub-committee to monitor alcohol use in the community.

“We’re hoping that they’ll get some ideas on how to deal with it,” Brown says.