Fewer alcohol bans being ordered for people on probation, Nunavut justice minister says

TJ Dhir · CBC News

· Posted: May 29, 2025 1:07 PM EDT | Last Updated: 17 minutes ago

Nunavut courts are issuing less intoxicant abstinence orders for radical connected probation than erstwhile years, according to the territory's justness minister.

"They're hard for radical who whitethorn beryllium addicted to alcohol," Pamela Hakongak Gross said successful the Nunavut Legislative Assembly Wednesday.

Iqaluit-Manirajak MLA Adam Arreak Lightstone asked for however galore tribunal orders to abstain from intoxicant were made successful the 2023-24 fiscal year. Gross was incapable to supply an nonstop number, but said determination were "fewer." 

Gross said erstwhile orders are issued, assemblage corrections officers show and enactment those individuals who are required to abstain by helping them implicit programming to "avoid behaviour that leads to transgression activity."

"The officers whitethorn besides bid a breach of the individual's conditions, which tin effect successful an idiosyncratic being placed successful custody," she continued.

Lightstone said interdiction orders tin beryllium given. Such an bid would forestall idiosyncratic nether it to not beryllium issued immoderate intoxicant by an approved backstage oregon authorities establishment.

"The Minister of Finance … indicated that successful Nunavut's 26 years, there's lone been 1 interdiction bid fixed by Nunavut courts," Lightstone said. "With our precocious rates of alcohol-related crime, wherefore person our Nunavut courts not utilized an interdiction bid much frequently?"

Gross said interdiction orders are "viewed arsenic outdated and are seldom used" and that the lone different jurisdiction that includes them successful instrumentality is Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Interdiction orders are a backstage instrumentality remedy and they request to beryllium issued by a justness of the bid nether the Liquor Act," Gross said. "With that, the Department of Justice does not contented oregon oversee these orders and has nary relation successful initiating them."

Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster followed up connected Lightstone's questions with a acceptable of her ain that dealt with intoxicant usage and intimate spouse violence.

"Other than a tribunal bid to abstain from alcohol, what does the Department of Justice bash successful bid to alteration the behaviour of a idiosyncratic who is charged with an offence related to intimate spouse unit oregon immoderate unit against immoderate different subordinate of the community?" Brewster asked.

Gross said the Therapeutic Justice Program, located successful Cambridge Bay and Arviat, is available, which aims to supply an alternate to the transgression justness system.

"This is by offering accused persons with Inuit-led supports and services that absorption connected addressing the basal origin of their transgression behaviour," Gross said. "This programme offers clients a operation of taste and intelligence wellness programming and different support."

When asked by Brewster what supports are disposable for household and friends who are acrophobic astir idiosyncratic who whitethorn beryllium astatine hazard to unit from idiosyncratic they know, Gross highlighted the Family Abuse Intervention Act which allows for measures specified arsenic exigency protections, assemblage involution orders, household maltreatment involution orders and bid bonds.