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3TuesdayJuly2201315thAnnualAuroraOpenCorporateSponsorsNorthwesTelNWTPowerCorp.Dr.StephenPrestDeBeersDiavikBHPRoyalCanadianLegionBranch239PrizeSponsorsKaesersTouchofHeavenBerrosPizzeriaShearFunNorthwesternAirLeaseRapidPetroleumPelicanRapidsGolfCountryClubBrookmarElectricThankYoufromAuroraCollegeAuroraCollegewouldliketothankthesponsorsofthisyearsAuroraOpenfundraisingtournament.Throughthegeneroussupportofoursponsorsthe15thannualAuroraOpenraised8000.00forthe3rdannualNWTYouthSymposiumPoliticsLiquorActByRENEFRANCOEURTheNormanWellsCham-berofCommercesaysitsstandingupforprivatebusi-nessesandvoicingstrongop-positiontoarecentlyintro-ducedprivatemembersbillthatseekstogiveSahtucom-munitiesavoiceinamendingliquorrestrictions.SahtuMLANormanYakeleyabroughtforththebillwhichreceivedsec-ondreadingonJune6tohelpcombattheescalatingproblemofalcoholabuseanditslinktoviolenceintheSahtu.Whenaplebiscitenar-rowlylifted40year-oldli-quorrestrictionsinNormanWellsinearly2012votingwasonlyopentoNormanWellsresidentsdespitethefactthatcitizensfromacrosstheSahtuusetheNor-manWellsLiquorAgency-theonlyliquorstoreintheregion.Bill24seekstoenableSahtucommunitiestovoteinanyplebiscitetodeter-mineifliquorsalesshouldberestrictedattheNormanWellsliquorstore.AssoonasthatplebiscitewentthroughIbeganre-ceivinganumberofemailslettersandphonecallsfrompeopleallacrosstheSahtuconcernedthattheydidntgetachancetohaveasayinthevoteYakeleyatoldTheJournal.Theydidntthinkitwasfairthat30percentofthepopulationoftheSahtudictatestotheother70percent...Theyvetoldmetheamountofcrimeandalcoholabuseisgoingupintheircommunitiesanditshavingadevastatingeffectandtheyshouldhavehadasayinthematter.ChrisBuistpresidentoftheNormanWellsChamberofCommercewrotealettertoYakeleyaexpressinghisconcernwiththebill.Bill24-ifpassed-wouldsetadangerousandindefensibleprecedentingivingcommunitieswithinaregionthepowertointer-ferewithprivatebusinesshestated.HewentontonotethatSahturesidentsalsopurchasealcoholfromYellowknifeandInuvik.WearesomewhatpuzzledthatifthepurchaseofliquorbySahturesidentsisthemo-tivationbehindBill24whydidyounotsuggestthatotherliquoroutletsservingtheSahtualsobesubjectedtothewishesoftheSahtucommunitiesBuistargued.IntheletterheurgesallMLAstodefeatthebillinordertocontinuetoallowprivatebusinesstooperatewithoutpoliticalinterference.Thisbillwouldcreatemoreofaregionalgovern-mentapproachtoourop-erationsandnottheterri-torialapproachlegislationshould.IfthereisgoingtobeanamendmenttotheLi-quorActitshouldbeforalloftheNorthwestTerritoriesnotjusttheSahtunotregion-allyspecicBuistlatertoldTheJournalinaninterview.Thisisnotthebestapproachtosolvingsocialissues.Ithinkitskindofaradicalapproachtodoingthat.Yakeleyareleasedathree-pagerebuttaltoBuistsletterlastweekaswellasaques-tionandanswersheet.TheMLAnotedthatthesaleofhardliquorinNor-manWellshasincreasedbyalmost50percentsincerestrictionswereliftedandthathehasbeenadvisedbycommunityleadersandtheRCMPthatcrimerelatedtoalcoholconsumptionhasalsorisennoticeably.AccordingtotheNWTLiquorCommissiontherewasa6.82percentaccu-mulativeincreaseintheli-tresofalcoholwinebeerspiritssoldfrom20102011to20122013.AdditionallyaRCMPre-portshows47percentofallpolicecallsinTulitain2012werealcohol-related.InFortGoodHopethatnumberwas66percentfollowedcloselybehindbyNormanWellsat52percent.Therewillbepeopleop-posedandthisiswhatpublicpolicyisallabout.HowevertheoppositionofaminorityofresidentsshouldnotstopusfromtakingboldactionstoaddressthisissueYake-leyasaid.WhileBruistsaidthattothebestofhisknowledgethebillwasintroducedwithoutconsultationwithallSahturesidentsortheimpactedbusinesstheNormanWellsLiquorAgencyYakeleyatoldTheJournaltheconsulta-tionprocessisjustabouttobeginnowthatthebillisinthehandsoftheStandingCommitteeonGovernmentOperations.TheintroductionofthebillfollowsarecentcommunityforuminTulitaheldinMaywithMinisterofHealthandSocialServicesTomBeaulieuandMinisterofJusticeGlenAbernethypresentalongsideYakeleya.Itwasagoodopportu-nityforpeopletositandtalkwithlegislatorsandsaytousDosomethingdiffer-entaboutthealcoholabusedosomethingcreativebeboldandlookatwherewecanmakechangesYake-leyasaid.WehavealotofthingsgoingonintheSahturegionfordevelopmentandoneofthebiggesthindersisalco-holabuseandRCMPcrimestatsandHealthandSocialServicesstatesthis.WeknowforafactwehavetotacklethisbeforetheSahtugetsre-allybusyhesaid.PublichearingsonBill24areexpectedtobeginthisfall.ChamberofCommerceopposesliquorrestrictionsBill24toAmendLiquorActtargetsproblemofalcoholabuseinSahtuNormanWellsSalesLitresApril12010toMarch312013Increaseinlitresfrom201011to2011123.97Increaseinlitresfrom201112to2012132.75Increaseinlitresfrom201011to2012136.82TheliquorrationingsystemwasremovedefectiveFebruary12012YearSalesLitresApril12010-March312011April12011-March312012April12012-March31201320950002315002638000191312198914204375SahtuMLANormanYakeleya