A First Nations chief continues to call for support to battle alcohol bootlegging, as she says illegal booze sales continue to plague adults and youth in northern communities and lead to ongoing battles with addictions.
During the third day of this week’s Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Assembly in Winnipeg, a resolution was brought forward by Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) Chief Angela Levasseur asking that both the provincial and federal governments do more to curb illegal alcohol sales.
Section 54 of Manitoba’s current Liquor Gaming and Cannabis Control Act states a person “must not purchase or attempt to purchase from a person who is not authorized under this Act to sell liquor.”
Section 55 of the Act says a person must not transport or deliver any liquor to a minor.
Despite those regulations, Levasseur says little is actually being done to enforce them, and many First Nations Chiefs continue to see bulk amounts of alcohol being illegally sold in communities, and alcohol being sold to children and youth.
The resolution, which passed unanimously on Thursday, calls for AMC to take a number of steps to work with both the province and the federal government to prevent bootlegging including “advocating for effective policing and law enforcement.”
The resolution also calls for stricter alcohol sales limits, and for the federal government and province to “impose and uphold strict penalties for perpetrators of illegal resale of alcohol.”
“Federal legislation designed to prevent contraband from entering First Nations should also supply First Nations police forces with the same powers as their federal, provincial and municipal counterparts,” the resolution reads.
It also asks that AMC enter into discussions with Manitoba’s justice department, the RCMP, and the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA) to “establish a strategy aimed at addressing the illegal resale of alcohol among First Nations in Manitoba.”
This is not the first time that Levasseur has asked for policy changes to help prevent bootlegging. In an interview with the Winnipeg Sun in April she said provincially regulated liquor stores have to do a better job regulating how much they sell because some who buy large amounts are then selling it in First Nations communities.
“Nobody needs to be purchasing alcohol in those large bulk volumes, and it should set off alarm bells immediately,” Levasseur said.
