A petition has brought about a Dec. 9 plebiscite on potentially changing Gjoa Haven from a community where alcohol is prohibited to one where restricted quantities of liquor can be imported.

Residents of Gjoa Haven will have the opportunity to vote on Dec. 9 on whether to retain prohibition on alcohol or to move to a restricted quantity system. Pixabay photo

Such petitions are required to have a minimum of 20 verified signatures.

Voters will be asked to answer this 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 litre of spirits;
(b) four litres of wine; and
(c) eleven litres of beer”

This system would not require the establishment of an alcohol education committee.

A similar vote was held in Sanikiluaq in February — with different proposed restricted quantities of liquor — but it failed with only 37 per cent support. Sixty per cent of voters must endorse a change to the community’s alcohol importation status for a change to occur.

Elections Nunavut will oversee the plebiscite.


Derek Neary

Derek Neary has been reporting on developments in the North for 18 years. When he's not writing for Nunavut News, he's working on Northern News Services' special publications such as Opportunities North,...

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