Pubdate: Fri, 10 Aug 2007
Source: Nunatsiaq News (CN NU)
Copyright: 2007 Nortext Publishing Corporation
Contact:  http://www.nunatsiaq.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/694
Author: Chris Windeyer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

IQALUIT DEPUTY MAYOR LASHES MOUNTIES OVER CITY DRUG PROBLEM

Hayward Wants RCMP To Report To Council More Often

It might just be Iqaluit's dirty little secret, whispered in the 
corners of city bars and behind the closed curtains of homes.

Crack cocaine is said to be the new drug of choice in Iqaluit and 
Deputy Mayor Al Hayward wants to hear what the RCMP plan do about the 
problem. Trouble is, he can't get them to come to a city council meeting.

"On any given day you can look in front of Northmart and see drug 
deals going down," he said. "We're supposed to have trained 
professionals in town that are supposed to be able to look after 
these problems and they're not responding at all."

Mounties have historically presented monthly crime reports to city 
council, but Hayward said that's only happened twice since the new 
council was elected last October.

The last time the RCMP presented crime figures at city council, in 
April, Cpl. Terry Boyd read figures from a piece of paper and 
couldn't answer questions from councillors.

"We would like to work together with the RCMP but they're not being 
very helpful on this," Hayward said in an interview from Nova Scotia, 
where he's on vacation.

"I've had several people come to me and ask me questions about if 
there was some kind of plan or some kind of program offered by the 
RCMP, because I know of at least two families that are having 
specific problems with addiction, crack being one of them," Hayward said.

It's not the first time city councillors have raised alarm bells over 
the budding crack problem. Last summer, Coun. Glenn Williams made 
similar complaints about the RCMP's reporting to council after police 
made a crack bust in the capital.

Mounties were then making regular appearances before council, but 
Williams said without any follow-up, the statistics weren't much help.

"There is no mechanism for dialogue or further consultation with the 
police department," he said at the time.

But Cst. Pete Lambros, with the RCMP's drug section in Nunavut, said 
while there have been a handful of cocaine seizures in Nunavut this 
year, police haven't found any crack. And he disputes that drugs are 
a major problem in the city because the supply is inconsistent.

"It depends on who's got what and what's available, what's the 
flavour of the day," he said.

Hayward said he wants RCMP V Division commander Chief Supt. Marty 
Cheliak to meet council to discuss the drug problem. He said Cheliak, 
who's served as Nunavut's top cop since July 2006, hasn't "made any 
kind of effort, to my knowledge, to meet with councillors or the mayor."

Cheliak said he's met Sheutiapik twice: once in May and once last 
week after Hayward made his remarks to council. As Nunavut's top 
Mountie, he said he's responsible for policing across the entire 
territory and is required to meet mayors and detachment commanders in 
all 25 communities over the course of a year.

"I would suggest perhaps [Hayward] is confused about my role," he said.

Staff Sgt. Charlie Gauthier, currently based in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, is 
to take over as head of the Iqaluit detachment in October. Cheliak 
said he'd direct Gauthier to meet Iqaluit city council.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom