The New Brunswick Government appeared before the Supreme Court to appeal the acquittal of Gerry Comeau who was charged after buying beer in Quebec and taking it back to New Brunswick.
Comeau challenged the constitutionality of the New Brunswick Liquor Control Act.
The lawyer for the Attorney-General of Canada is supporting New Brunswick as are Attorneys-General from the other provinces and the Territories.
The lawyer representing the Quebec attorney general also is calling on the Supreme Court to reverse the trial judge’s interpretation.
Both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are telling the Supreme Court they need the ability to regulate the sale of liquor as a matter of public health.
The justices were told by Nunavut that liquor has contributed to high rate of suicide which is 9 times the national average. 85 per cent of Nunavut’s population is Inuit.