Nunavut MLA charged with liquor possession

Baker Lake MLA Moses Aupaluktuq has been charged with the unlawful possession of liquor, marking the second alcohol-related charge the territorial politician faces.

Aupaluktuq has been charged in connection with an Oct. 1 incident, Nunavut RCMP confirmed to CBC News on Tuesday. Police say they will release more details on Wednesday.

Aupaluktuq, who has represented the Baker Lake constituency since 2008, is scheduled to appear in court next month on impaired-driving charges from November of last year.

In the impaired-driving case, police allege that they found Aupaluktuq sleeping inside his vehicle, which was in a snow-filled ditch in the community, on Nov. 7, 2009.

He was charged with having a blood alcohol level over 0.08 and with the impaired care and control of a motor vehicle.

But Aupaluktuq has publicly denied that he was driving drunk, telling CBC News after the charges were laid that the car was already in the ditch from an incident earlier that day.

If he is convicted, Aupaluktuq could face sanctions or even lose his seat in the Nunavut legislature.