'HEN PARTY' DREW 800, POLICE REPORT

Whitehorse RCMP seized alcohol and drugs from young people heading out to a
bush party outside Whitehorse on Saturday afternoon.

Const. Shawn Lemay said today about 800 people attended the event, known as
the annual "hen party", off the Mayo Road near the Alaska Highway.

They started three bonfires that grew to at least 3.6 metres high. By
midnight, more than 300 youth remained, he said.

One officer checked 45 party-bound vehicles and seized alcohol from 12 of them.

Only two of the people caught with alcohol were the age of majority; the
rest were primarily 17-year-olds. The four to six other officers present
checked about 45 vehicles as well.

Lemay said that seeing teens consuming alcohol in vehicles, drinking
alcohol prior to the event and the fact that the liquor was travelling to a
place of illegal consumption were factors contributing to the seizures.

In addition, marijuana was seized, primarily from an adult male who
travelled from Alberta to sell it to the youth at the bush party, Lemay said.

Police didn't break up the party, citing the difficulty in doing so because
of its immensity. The party ended with time, Lemay said.

Police received calls from parents concerned about their sons and daughters
going to parties where alcohol is available. Lemay himself received 20 calls.

He said youth also call him because they don't want to go to bush parties
but feel peer pressure to attend.

Some parents drove their youth out to the party. Lemay said parents need to
be aware of where their sons and daughters are going and the events taking
place there.

Police will continue to enhance their presence in an effort to address any
possible bush parties before they begin, Lemay said.

The public is reminded that it is an offence to provide alcohol to minors.