Wow. Extreme measures. Can a ban on yeast sales to Aboriginals even be enforced? As a store owner how can you deny this sale to anyone? What would be the implication legally speaking?
WINNIPEG — Young aboriginal leaders in Manitoba are asking the provincial government to ban the sale of brewer's yeast to all First Nations people in the province — a desperate bid to curb the production of a potent form of home-brewed liquor linked to rising levels of assaults, domestic violence and suicides in their communities.
The Island Lake Regional Youth Council met with provincial cabinet ministers in the fall and asked for a province-wide law prohibiting the sale of brewer's yeast to all First Nations people in Manitoba, said council member Saul Harper. The unusual, race-based prohibition would force retailers throughout Manitoba to ask for identification and refuse First Nations customers trying to buy brewer's yeast, the main ingredient in so-called "super juice."
"Get the status cards being checked. The ones that are First Nations status cards, they won't be allowed to serve them," said Harper, 31, who represents Wasagamack First Nation on the four-member council.
The council blames super juice for increasing levels of violence and death in their communities, roughly 600 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. "We've had so many super juice-related deaths, I lost count," said council member Bobby Monias of Garden Hill. "Super juice suicides, super juice gang violence, beatings. So many other things and super juice was almost always a factor in everything that happened.
"But a race-based ban on the purchase of a legal product simply won't fly, said one human rights expert.
"Under human rights legislation, any kind of public service that is denied on the basis of one of the protected characteristics, and that would include ethnic origin and ancestry, is likely to be found discriminatory," said Dianna Scarth, executive director of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission."
It's denying something to a human being on the basis of their race," said Damon Johnston, president of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg. "Refusing to sell something to someone on the basis of race is not permissible.
"Super juice is a potent alcoholic drink that can be brewed quickly from simple ingredients, but it sells in northern communities for as much as $40 a litre.
It's made from brewer's yeast, sugar, and water left to ferment for 48 hours, often in five-gallon pails hidden in the bush.
Provincial Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Eric Robinson said super juice is so potent it quickly turns addicts away from beer.
"Super juice is becoming the number 1 problem very quickly," he said.
Harper said alcohol has been banned from Island Lake First Nations "as far back as you can remember. It's always been a dry reserve."
He said yeast has been banned from Island Lake First Nations for about three years. If people want to bring in yeast for bread-making, they must make special arrangements.
Robinson confirmed that the law was discussed during the last provincial round table with the Island Lake Youth Council.
"We're obviously as concerned about the issue as they are, and it's caused a lot of grief in the communities. As to whether you can ban it or not legally, I really don't know.
"Provincial ministers will travel to Island Lake First Nations for a round table with the youth council this spring.© Copyright (c) Winnipeg Free Press
