Whitehorse Daily Star

‘We have an alcohol problem in the territory’

Alcohol continues to be a significant factor for violent crime in the Yukon.

By Emily Blake on July 26, 2017

Alcohol continues to be a significant factor for violent crime in the Yukon.

New data from Statistics Canada show that while crime severity in the territory has remained stable from 2015 to 2016, violent crime severity has mounted.

Dan Cable, a spokesperson for the Yukon Department of Justice, noted in an interview with the Star that 90 per cent of all violent crime lists alcohol as a factor.

“We have an alcohol problem in the territory,” he said. “Yukon has one of the highest uses of alcohol, and alcohol is a factor in criminal behaviour.”

The information comes from Statistics Canada’s annual report on police-reported crime.

It shows that the Yukon’s crime severity index (CSI) dropped by less than one per cent between 2015 and 2016 – while the violent CSI rose by more than eight per cent.

The crime rate fell by five percentage points, with 9,118 actual incidents in the territory last year.

The crime severity index includes all Criminal Code of Canada violations. It tracks changes in crime severity by reflecting the seriousness of individual offences, while the violent CSI focuses on violent violations.

Other reports show that the Yukon has almost three times the national rate of hospitalizations caused entirely by alcohol. That excludes emergency room visits and accidents resulting from impaired driving.

As well, the territory had the highest rate of alcohol sales per capita in 2014, and the second-highest percentage of self-reported heavy drinking.

Last year, there were 366 impaired driving charges in the Yukon and 169 drug violations.

Yukon RCMP also reported 1,555 violent Criminal Code violations in the territory last year, with assaults accounting for the majority, at 1,019.

As well, there were four homicides reported in 2016.

In three of those cases, suspects have been charged and have yet to plead:

• Travis Dennis in connection with the July murder of Andy Giraudel in Watson Lake;

• Tristan Joe in connection with the November murder of Raine Andrew Silas in Pelly Crossing; and

• Alfred Thomas Chief Jr. in connection with the December murder of Olsen Wolftail in Watson Lake.

The investigation into the October shooting death of Matthew Devellano in Porter Creek remains under investigation.

So far this year, police are investigating five homicides.

Charges have been laid in one case against Edward James Penner in connection with the murder of Adam Cormack earlier this month, west of Whitehorse.

Still under investigation is the June murder of Wilfred “Dickie” Charlie in Carmacks, as well as the April murder of Greg Dawson and the double-homicide of Wendy Carlick and Sarah MacIntosh in Whitehorse.

Police also reported 75 sexual assaults last year, a four per cent drop from the previous year.

The Statistics Canada report noted that based on self-reported data, only five per cent of sexual assaults in 2014 were reported to police across Canada.

The most common reasons cited for not reporting were that the victim perceived that the crime was minor, the incident was handled informally as a private matter, and the victim perceived that no one was harmed.

This is especially significant for the Yukon, which has three times the national rate of sexual violence. As well, less than half of cases with criminal charges result in convictions.

The new report also highlighted a Canada-wide Globe and Mail investigation released earlier this year that looked at sexual assault allegations deemed as unfounded by police between 2010 and 2014.

The investigation found that police dismissed one in five reports of sexual assaults as unfounded, meaning they determined a crime was neither committed nor attempted.

In the Yukon, 29 per cent of sexual assaults in Whitehorse were deemed unfounded, 35 per cent in Dawson City, 37 per cent in Haines Junction and 21 per cent in Watson Lake.

Over the coming year, Statistics Canada says, it will provide standards and guidelines to police services to ensure standardized reporting on unfounded incidents.

The investigation also prompted an RCMP national review of all sexual assault cases deemed as unfounded in 2016. Data have been sent to RCMP headquarters in Ottawa and are currently under review.

Cable noted that the Statistics Canada report also shows more than 60 per cent of crime in the Yukon continues to be attributable to three major areas:

• mischief (1,867 incidents);

• disturbing the peace (2,341); and

• administration of justice violations (954).

These are big numbers that are much higher than in other jurisdictions, he said.

But over the last decade, there has been a drop in property crime which includes mischief, theft and breaking and entering

“I know it doesn’t feel like that to some folks,” said Cable.

But disturbing the peace violations are up by more than 51 per cent since 2006, which Cable said may be attributable to population growth.

The recent Statistics Canada report showed that CSI and crime rates continue to be highest in the territories.

The Yukon had the third-highest CSI at 183.9, behind the N.W.T. at 291.7 and Nunavut with the highest CSI, at 286.4.

The Yukon also had the third-highest crime rate, at 22,543 per 100,000 population, after Nunavut with 34,413 and N.W.T at 40,588.

Nationally, crime severity climbed by one per cent, the second consecutive rise following 11 years of decline.

However, Canada’s crime severity index is still 29 per cent lower than it was in 2006.

Comments (18)

Up 16 Down 2

Groucho d'North on Jul 31, 2017 at 10:43 am

Mankind has been searching for new ways to get a buzz since we fell out of the trees millennia ago. As soon as we discovered that fruit fermented and produced alcohol, we have sought numerous ways and recipes to make it cheaper, faster and in some cases – better tasting – but the buzz is the important part for many and they will consume some awful tasting stuff to get it.
Why we drink is as diverse as what there is to drink. Feeling good or feeling bad - it's ok to celebrate or commiserate with a drink. Winning or loosing - have a drink. Proud individual or suffering from personal issues - have a drink. Some drink to forget, some to reminisce. When you sober up, your problems will still be there, perhaps even larger than they were before you departed on your recent bender.
Race does not matter as self-abuse is not limited to one type of human, nor is determined by where they live, what school they went to, or what their net declared income was last year. Substance abuse impacts all within our communities, from the lawyers and shirt & tie executives to the street people. Each demographic group have their favorite buzz, usually determined by how much they can afford to spend on their personal little sin substance. From the homemade bathtub gin to the Bolivian marching powder, there’s something for everyone.
It is a human condition to want to put the real world on pause for a bit and let the mind wander or park in a delusional haze for a time. The Demon Rum and all the recreational drugs help mankind to get there. Trouble is: Many don’t want to return to the real world.
And there are as many excuses for addictions as there are people afflicted by them, but it all boils down to individual responsibility and self-respect; some have it - many do not.
How do you fix a lack of self-respect?

The original version of this commentary I wrote was posted August 2013 and nothing has changed since, other than there are perhaps more new booze addled people, and also some have left this Earth for the other side.

Up 21 Down 3

moe on Jul 29, 2017 at 3:09 pm

Three times now in this territory I've seen that if you get your home invaded and your stuff stolen and you call the RCMP, they do not show up. Even if you know who did it! They do not show up. 2x me, 1x someone I know.

Up 17 Down 10

moe on Jul 29, 2017 at 2:03 pm

I sincerely hope that when marijuana is legal, some of the people who can't handle or aren't interested in white knuckle sobriety will switch from booze to pot. I really do. The social and health care outcomes for having these people anesthetize themselves with marijuana instead of booze are much better. I can't believe it has taken this long to legalize marijuana, and that instead we have spent 80 years or whatever with alcohol, one of the worst of the worst in terms of violence and health problems, be our only legal drug.

Up 11 Down 6

Josey Wales on Jul 28, 2017 at 8:29 pm

Hey DRUM...what then you ask? Hopefully you are alert to the danger, do your best to parallel your response to said threat...and neutralize it.
Then call M, they may have a member not babysitting adults...and they will respond.
Of course do not forget to "fear for your life" out loud...seems to be fine for law enforcement to use lethality...should be for you too?

Up 32 Down 2

DRUM on Jul 28, 2017 at 4:43 pm

Having my home broken into twice and the feeling of violation that lasted for a long long time, I can vouch for people who do not bother to report. I reported and the RCMP said it was highly unlikely that anyone would ever be caught and certainly not charged. It is just expected people will put in insurance claims and be reimbursed for what was stolen or damaged. Not the point -the fear that is caused by that violation can last for ever. Many people in this Territory fear home invasions - you may be home when the thief decides to break in - what then!!!!

Up 26 Down 6

Mark on Jul 27, 2017 at 8:01 pm

Alcohol is like cigarettes in the way that it kills but the government wil never ban it because it's a money maker plain and simple. We also have a high divorce rate here as well. Coincidence? i think not.

Up 26 Down 14

Doreen on Jul 27, 2017 at 7:59 pm

Alcohol is the symptom of a deeper problem..

Up 34 Down 6

Max Mack on Jul 27, 2017 at 5:58 pm

Beware the misuse of statistics, as appears to have been done so blatantly in this article by government mouth-pieces. There is an agenda at play here.
Alcohol or drugs are a factor in almost all violence-related crimes. This is true all across Canada. The Yukon is no different in this regard.

"Yukon has one of the highest uses of alcohol," Really? According to who? Compared to what? Even if that were so, how does "use of alcohol" translate to a problem. This logic is equivalent to saying Yukon has one of the highest uses of motor vehicles. The statement is meaningless by itself, but is intended to convey that we have a "serious problem with alcohol".

"Other reports show that the Yukon has almost three times the national rate of hospitalizations caused entirely by alcohol." We have a dedicated crowd of alcoholics, some of whom are picked up by the ambulance and taken to hospital every single day. This group of chronic drinkers heavily skew the "statistic" as the same person may be taken to the hospital 365x in a year (or more).

"As well, the territory had the highest rate of alcohol sales per capita in 2014 . . ." Sales do not equal consumption. How hard can it be for smart people to understand this?

". . . and the second-highest percentage of self-reported heavy drinking." Cite the study please. And what exactly does "heavy drinking" mean? 5-drinks on any one occasion in the last year? I assure you that most people would consider that anything but "heavy drinking". And, take any of these measures and so-called studies with a grain of salt. Our small populations and a demographics are a significant factor and any survey must take this into account or the results are simply not credible.

"Last year, there were 366 impaired driving charges in the Yukon." Yukon RCMP are fortunate that there are so few roads to/from all Yukon residential areas. This allows them to easily catch impaired drivers. Compare this to other jurisdictions, where there may be dozens of routes that drivers may take. Thus, Yukon RCMP can catch more impaired drivers relative to the population compared to other jurisdictions. As an aside, public transportation options may be more readily available in other jurisdictions - particularly in large urban centres.

Up 29 Down 3

Just Say'in on Jul 27, 2017 at 3:46 pm

So is the Alcohol the problem or who is using it, and how it is being used? We call it an illness now so everyone can get a "get out of jail free card", and our medical can pay for treatment at our expense. Does no one else make these connections. It is an industry, and these are their clients.

Up 47 Down 6

This survey again? on Jul 27, 2017 at 9:51 am

How many thousands of tax payer dollars did they spend on this same survey they do every year and do nothing about? We drink a lot, get over it.
There has always been violence and crime, and yes, a lot is probably triggered by alcohol consumption but the only thing that will change that is actually handing out a punishment.

And the murders, hate to say it, most (not all) are targeted and not because someone had a few beers.

Up 51 Down 4

Roger on Jul 27, 2017 at 9:43 am

Alcohol problem in the Yukon eh? Understatement of the century I'd say.

Up 49 Down 5

jc on Jul 26, 2017 at 9:48 pm

An alcohol problem? Well, duhhh!. I've been in the Yukon since 1975 and nothing has changed. Even with all the new laws, no drinking while driving, no drinking on the street, no open liquor in vehicle, Ride program etc. Nothing has changed. I go on my walks every day along the highway, and pick up several beer cans along the way. I get a free fill up on gas every year with what I pick up and recycle. However, even though most of us know, the media and police won't tell us who is mostly responsible for most of the drinking and crime deriving from it.

Up 48 Down 2

And this is news? on Jul 26, 2017 at 5:39 pm

Alcohol has been a problem since I moved here 40 years ago. That nothing has been done about it is what's remarkable. As far as the crime rate goes, I have to ask which group or demographic is most involved in committing the crimes? Once this has been established, then we can get busy and work at solving the problem without casting blame.

Up 60 Down 0

Rod on Jul 26, 2017 at 5:35 pm

A drinking problem in the Yukon? Who would of thought! I'll drink to that!

Up 37 Down 9

June Jackson on Jul 26, 2017 at 5:20 pm

Wow.. there's a surprise.. NOT...

Up 50 Down 7

Lost in the Yukon on Jul 26, 2017 at 5:02 pm

Over the last 20 years taxpayers have funded Alcohol and Drug Services in excess of $60,000,000.00 and what has changed?
Time to dump ADS and get addiction services out of the hands of Health and Social Services.

A territorial strategic plan needs to be developed by all the key stakeholders ... First Nations, NGOs, YG, Law Enforcement, Doctors/medical community, and the public. Clear measurable targets need to be set that are measurable and accountability to the public through transparent reporting.

Up 21 Down 8

Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2017 at 3:41 pm

Ahhhh...booze...liquid gold to the tax reaper...blood for many up here.
Hopefully they did not pay anyone to study this captain obvious statement of the millennia?
Been the lubricity for the many many Trevor the human types we enable daily in this our...decomposted community.
We are so hooped for any spore of a healthy community with all the progressive delusional idiots we are as they say.."over represented with"
....in this our current year.

Up 56 Down 1

Nope on Jul 26, 2017 at 3:28 pm

"But over the last decade, there has been a drop in property crime which includes mischief, theft and breaking and entering" - Dan Cable

There may have been a drop but only because people don't bother to report property crimes like B7Es or Car Shopping knowing full well nothing will happen in terms of investigation and potential charges.

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