Pubdate: Fri, 09 Thu, 08 Nov 2007
Source: Nunatsiaq News (CN NU)
Copyright: 2007 Nortext Publishing Corporation
Contact:  http://www.nunatsiaq.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/694
Author: Jane George

KIA ENFORCES DRUGS-BOOZE BAN AT KITIKMEOT MINING CAMPS

"Our Main Consideration In Developing These Policies Is With workplace safety."

CAMBRIDGE BAY - The Kitikmeot Inuit Association wants  drug- and 
alcohol-free workplaces for all mining sites  and exploration camps 
on Inuit owned lands, KIA  president Donald Havioyak told the recent 
KIA annual  general meeting in Cambridge Bay.

The zero-tolerance policy is now a condition for  companies doing 
either mineral exploration or  development in the Kitikmeot.

And if they don't comply, Geoff Clark, the KIA's  director of lands 
and resources, said the KIA will  revoke the companies' permits.

The KIA passed a resolution at its 2006 AGM, stating  the 
organization did not want "the presence of alcohol  and drugs at the 
mine sites on Inuit owned lands in the  Kitikmeot." As a result, 
Miramar Hope Bay Ltd.  instituted a zero-tolerance alcohol and drug 
policy  along with "consent-to-search" policy, which allows  search 
of staff and baggage.

Last summer, this policy was expanded to on-site  searches after 
drugs continued to be a problem at the  company's work sites.

"Our main consideration in developing these policies is  with 
workplace safety and reducing the risks of worker  impairment," said 
a Miramar document discussed at the  KIA meeting.

Miramar, recently bought by Newmont Mining, hired 
a  Yellowknife-based company, Securecheck, to conduct  searches. From 
March to July, its searchers checked  about 700 bags. During this 
period, three workers were  found with alcohol and not allowed on 
site. A package containing alcohol was also intercepted.

Searchers also found two workers traveling to a camp  with hash 
pipes. In Canada, these pipes are not illegal  unless there's drug 
residue on the pipes. These pipes  were clean, but were confiscated anyway.

The only incident involving an Inuk worker was the  discovery of a 
new crack pipe in a worker's bag.  Although the unused pipe was not 
illegal, the worker  was not allowed to take the pipe along to the 
camp,  Miramar noted.

During previous years, Miramar allowed de-alcoholized  or "near-beer" 
on site, but said this practice has now  been stopped.

Miramar also clamped down on workers who drank while in  transit in 
Cambridge Bay.

In August, a southern-based contract worker on his way  back to 
Yellowknife became intoxicated, harassed  airline employees and ended 
up in police custody in  Cambridge Bay. He will not be allowed back 
on site,  said company information from the KIA meeting.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman