Monday, August 31, 2015

Booze Freedom!

This Canadian election may produce some good policy after all.  How so, you ask?  Booze!

Canadian liquor laws are, um, lousy.  There are heaps of barriers to inter-provincial trade, so much so that a guy is fighting the good fight after getting caught buying cases of sweet Quebec beer and then taking them back to his home across provincial lines.  And now the Quebec commission recommends the end the liquor monopoly so that people can get their wine and liquor from someplace other than a provincial liquor story with high prices and lousy selection.

Stephen Harper was asked about these laws and called them "ridiculous."  So, at least one of the five daily questions produced something definitive.  So, I am now hoping that Trudeau and Mulcair try to outbid Harper on booze freedom--that Canadians should be able to buy beer without restriction as much of the best microbrew is in places like Quebec and British Columbia (although this weekend's craft beerfest in Ottawa was most promising).  That wine and liquor should be sold competitively rather than via state monopolies. 

I expect some pandering to go on, as most Canadians are not fans of the status quo.  Ok, this may be wishful thinking, but I cannot help but think that we will see some outbidding on the issue of booze freedom! 
If modernization means freedom, then woot!




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