Crown Explains Demise Of Dry Reserve Bylaw

Crown Explains Demise Of Dry Reserve Bylaw

Friday, September 29, 2006 at 14:07

A federal Crown prosecutor says she thinks there could be more northern reserves out there with improperly drawn up alcohol bans.

This week, the RCMP told MBC the dry reserve bylaw in Stanley Mission couldn’t be enforced due to problems with its paperwork.

Attorney Fran Atkinson was one of the people who helped spot the flaw.

She says none of the other bylaws banning alcohol will stick, either, unless the minutes of the meetings where they were passed are kept, the proper procedures are followed, and an entire First Nation votes on the rules — not merely the reserve in question.

Atkinson says the Lac La Ronge Indian Band should be able to renew the bylaw if it wants to, as long as if follows the proper procedures.