Vodka, pot and 4 bottles of wine led to standoff that shut down Happy Valley

A Nunavut judge says alcohol abuse is filling the territory's jails, and it's high time the territorial government, and community leaders, do something about it.

Justice Paul Bychok's remarks came as he was sentencing Jamie Mikijuk, the man behind a 41-hour armed standoff in Iqaluit's Happy Valley neighbourhood in April 2015. The 28-year-old pleaded guilty in August to discharging a firearm while being reckless to the life and safety of other people.

Bychok sentenced Mikijuk to four years in jail. With a credit for an early guilty plea, plus time served at time-and-a-half, Mikijuk will have a year and one week left to serve.

During the sentencing hearing on Friday, the court heard how Mikijuk has dealt with rampant alcohol abuse in his life.

Bychok referenced a psychiatric assessment, which revealed Mikijuk began drinking at 14 years old. For the three or four years before the day of the standoff, he drank on a daily basis "wherein he would share two to three 60-ounce bottles of vodka among five individuals," Bychok read from the report.

According to the report, Mikijuk had been to the emergency room 25 times to be treated for symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

During one binge he drank 80 ounces of alcohol by himself.

4 bottles of wine, alone

The night before the standoff, he and five others shared a 60-ounce of vodka and smoked three marijuana joints. Then by himself, he drank four, 1.25-litre bottles of wine.

"This court cannot ignore that Mr. Mikijuk sought out help time and time again. Mr. Mikijuk was an adolescent in distress. Mr. Mikijuk became an adult in distress," Bychok said.

"We must come to grips with alcohol abuse in Nunavut. We must take meaningful action to help Nunavummiut in distress. The need is urgent. If we do not, this tragic scenario will play out again and again in the future."

A 'model prisoner'

In a pre-sentence report, Mikijuk was described as a "model prisoner" who completed a Healthy Families program, an Alternatives to Violence program, and a substance abuse program while on remand.

But Bychok says jail can't be the answer for Nunavummiut who need help with alcohol addiction.

"Nunavummiut who belong in secure, residential treatment, wind up in jail," he said, noting that the few "who are lucky enough to get residential treatment are sent south, where they are isolated and far from home.

"The Nunavut Court of Justice cannot solve Nunavut's alcohol crisis. Jails are not the answer. Probation offers little meaningful help. It's up to our governments, community leaders and elders, who have the power and influence, to act."

Mikijuk 'very sorry'

Bychok also read an apology letter Mikijuk filed with the court.

"I'm very sorry for the suffering I've caused to my family, to my neighbours, to my community," the letter read.

"I'm very sorry to the RCMP for causing major disruptions in the day-to-day lives of my fellow Iqalungmiut. I'm also deeply sorry [for those] who felt afraid at that time because of what I did."

In an earlier sentencing hearing, the Crown said the standoff cost the RCMP nearly $77,000, largely in overtime expenses and to fly emergency response officers in from Ottawa, Montreal and Winnipeg to assist.

Neighbours rally behind Mikijuk

Friday's hearing had been postponed from November, as Bychok wanted to give the Crown more time to re-canvass the neighbourhood for victim impact statements.

At the time, the Crown had gone to 30 homes in the neighbourhood to offer an opportunity to submit them only one statement came back but Bychok said the Crown hadn't taken all reasonable steps to give people an opportunity.

On Friday, the Crown returned to court empty-handed after re-canvassing the neighbourhood.

But three neighbours did file letters with the court. Only instead of victim impact statements, they filed letters in support of Mikijuk.