Friday, August 6, 2010

NICG establishes voting age for upcoming plebiscite

The age to vote has been established for the upcoming plebiscite in Nain.

Sarah Leo is the AngajuKak for the Nain Inuit Community Government (NICG).

She says the NICG has decided that they will follow the age of voting used for Nunatsiavut elections.

Residents 16-years and older will be able to cast their vote on the plebiscite.

Caitlyn Baikie is the Vice-President of the Rising Youth Council of Nunatsiavut.

She says she is pleased with the news, but would like to see the age taken a step further.

Baikie believes the age to vote should be 8-years and up.

She says she has been looking over reports that were completed before the last plebiscite in the early 2000s.

The reports detail the effect that drinking has had on many community members.

Included in those reports are testimonies from children.

The children talked about the effect that drinking had on their lives.

Baikie believes that these children should have a say on whether or not Nain should be a dry community.

Nain residents will cast their vote on the plebiscite on August 16.

1 comment:

  1. That's just great, People who are not even allowed to drink for another three years get to vote on what I can drink. I'd just like to say I absolutely disagree with Nain Inuit Community Gov'ts actions and they are not addressing the problem, they are reacting to tragic events and should be proacting.
    The whole plebiscite is undemocratic and as a Canadian, who respects the rights of individuals I am totally insulted. Inuit have been fighting for equality for decades and this is stepping on rights and going backwards- what's next?- Censorship? There's bigger fish to fry in Nain than drinking. If people want to help the community, please don't exercise controlling rights and freedoms, people should create Jobs, establish training and apprenticeship programs for Young People and Old People alike.
    People are saying it's for the children, well as a Parent, I will respect the decisions my Daughters make in regards to drinking and for anything else for that matter.
    Who are the councillors? Can anyone tell me? and how were they elected or is it appointed? That needs to be addressed also because if they were appointed, that would be as Un-Canadian as not allowing people to have a Canadian.

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