Minister says province can't act over assault allegations against bar security staff

The minister who oversees Nova Scotia's Liquor Control Act says there's nothing in the legislation that allows the province to intervene in situations where there are allegations of dangerous behaviour toward patrons by security staff at bars.

"My part of the Liquor Control Act is to oversee the safe consumption of alcohol in licensed liquor establishments … anything beyond that is not within the scope of the act at this time," said Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services Colton LeBlanc, whose department is responsible for the Alcohol, Gaming, Fuel and Tobacco division.

LeBlanc made the comments following a cabinet meeting on Thursday in response to a question about alleged incidents involving security staff at the Halifax Alehouse.

On the early hours of Dec. 24, 2022, 31-year-old Ryan Sawyer was found unresponsive on the street outside of the bar. A witness told CBC News he saw an altercation moments before in which a bouncer placed Sawyer in a chokehold.

Sawyer's death was later ruled a homicide and police have not laid any charges.

Police will not say if Halifax Alehouse staff were involved in Sawyer's death or if they are suspects in their homicide investigation.

Two months before Sawyer was killed, police charged two men with assault after an Alehouse customer said he was attacked and held in a chokehold by security staff outside the bar.

A man allegedly attacked in a third incident last year said he was put in a chokehold while being assaulted by security at the Alehouse, leaving him with serious injuries, according to a lawsuit against the Alehouse.

CBC News previously contacted the owners of the Halifax Alehouse several times for comment and did not receive a response.

LeBlanc said bars must notify the Alcohol, Gaming, Tobacco and Fuel division if charges are laid against them.

In 2010, the NDP government of the day introduced the Security and Investigative Services Act. It passed all three readings, but was never proclaimed into law. It would have required in-house security staff to be licensed and trained in a number of areas.

Stephen Cyril Giffin died on Christmas Day in 1999 after being beaten by bouncers at a former Halifax bar, Captain Eli's. Two men charged with manslaughter in his death were acquitted of the charge.

Giffin's father, Cyril Giffin, lobbied government to require mandatory training for bar security staff.

2010 law was never proclaimed

Justice Minister Brad Johns said it's unclear why the Security and Investigative Services Act was never proclaimed into law. He's asked staff to look into it and said he's limited in what he can say about the matter until then.

In 2010, he was a Halifax Regional Municipality councillor.

"I felt it was good legislation at the time," he said.

MORE TOP STORIES