November 2, 2007

Around Iqaluit

Police return to council

For the first time in nearly seven months, the Iqaluit RCMP has sent a delegation to Iqaluit city council.

"It's very nice to see you," deputy mayor Al Hayward told Sgt. Kim Melenchuk and Staff Sgt. Charlie Gauthier, the detachment's new boss.

Hayward and Coun. Glenn Williams have both lashed the Mounties in the past for what they perceive as a lack of communication between the department and the city. That came to a head this summer when RCMP downplayed the seriousness of Iqaluit's growing cocaine problem.

Williams said he was happy to see a number of recent busts of cocaine traffickers in the city. He also said council and police must meet regularly to talk about what's going on the community, not just share statistics.

Gauthier, who previously served as the detachment commander in Tuktoyuktuk, NWT, said he agreed.

"Probably a week didn't go by I didn't have coffee with the mayor (of Tuktoyaktuk)," he said.