Last week, Nunavut News published a story about Iqaluit city council's plea for intervention from the GN and the RCMP to help deal with the ongoing issue of public intoxication.
The original May 30 communication from the city called for “immediate action... necessary to mitigate this issue. Public intoxication poses several risks, including increased crime rates, disturbances in residential areas, and a general sense of insecurity among residents. By working together, the Department of Justice and the RCMP can develop comprehensive strategies for long-term solutions to reduce incidents of public intoxication, provide support and resources for those struggling with substance abuse and ensure a safer environment for all residents.”
The city asked that residents help support the efforts with the RCMP by reporting instances of public intoxication to the police, participating in community outreach programs, and promoting awareness about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption.
Speaking in the legislative assembly on May 23, Iqaluit-Manirajak MLA Adam Lightstone spoke about the issue of public safety, which he stresses is “one of my key priorities during my service as a member of this house."
"Information published by the RCMP indicate that there were over 12,000 calls for service in the city during 2023 alone," he said. "That’s over a thousand calls per month, and some of the figures are particularly shocking: the fact that almost 7,000 calls are related to alcohol; over a thousand calls related to assaults; and dozens of sexual offences involving victims under the age of 16...I could go on, but it is obvious to anyone who has lived in Iqaluit for a significant period of time that the situation is approaching what can only be described as a crisis."
Lightstone publicly revealed for the first time his own interest in the topic of public safety.
"My own family is no exception. As my colleagues are aware, I lost my sister, Sula, and her daughters, Alex and Aliyah, to violence," he said. "I would like to take this opportunity to notify you and my colleagues that I will be unable to participate in next week’s proceedings, as I will be joining my family in Pond Inlet for a healing event related to our loss. I wish to acknowledge and thank the support that we have received from victim services to make this commemoration possible.
“Athough the warmer weather is always welcome, it is unfortunate that this is accompanied by a visible increase in such behaviour as public intoxication, violence, and crime. I again call on the government to take steps to ensure that there is a strong security presence in high-impact areas throughout the warmer months, especially near the beer and wine store.”
Magaret Nakashuk, Minister for Family and Social Services, added her own remarks during this session when asked to answer Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Janet Brewster’s subsequent question in how the department has taken action following a damning Auditor General’s report of 2023 by consulting Inuit organizations.
“We also listened from the elders through our visits and what further improvements may be made and in communities,” Nakashuk responded. “For non-profit organizations, we have approached them about what further actions we may take, including the hamlets, and together we develop further plans to include our concerns, especially in areas where we can work more closely, for example with health department and what they can do. And other areas what we can do for our youth in schools, if there were concerns, what the details are looking at other means to provide support, especially in protection of our children.”
What and exactly how these “further actions” will take form has yet to be determined, but it is clear, said Brewster, that the city, in asking for the help of the public, the RCMP, and the GN, is summoning all the resources and perspectives at its disposal for a collective solution.
“The minister has indicated that the government’s response to address many of the Auditor General’s concerns and observations will be based on a whole-of-government approach,” she said.
Lightstone prasied the city's creation of a public safety committee, which recently held a meeting and which brought forward new terms of reference and a new Iqaluit Community Safety Plan.
"I very much endorse and support the work of the public safety committee, and I am glad to see that both the Government of Nunavut and the RCMP are participating in its work," he said.