As most of you know the government of BC has begun the first public liquor consultation in almost 60 years and CAMRA BC is all over it. The consultation comes in 2 phases, the first was a letter to key industry people and stakeholder groups asking them if they want to make any suggestions on changes to BC’s liquor laws – CAMRA BC received the letter and have arranged a meeting with John Yap MLA and the BCLDB to put the needs of the consumer first – after all we’re the biggest and most important stakeholders in the industry. Over the next few weeks I’ll be writing a few posts about CAMRA BC’s suggestions in the run up to the phase 2 public consultation which starts in a few weeks.
In BC there is a class hierarchy when it comes to alcohol, wine is at the top, it has the strongest support and has the most generous legal status; beer & cider are second (still seen by many as lower-class beverage although we has improved its profile) and poor old spirits languish in third place. Each of them has a host of specific rules and policies that favour or punish each one individually which seems baffling. Why should corkage in restaurants be limited to wine? Why do spirits made from all BC produce get tax-breaks? Why is only craft breweries and brewpubs that gets to fill growlers?
By creating a distinction between forms of alcohol it creates a huge amount of extra rules and regulations that are mostly unnecessary, creating this complicated tiered system when a simplified consistent and comprehensive approach would be far more workable and equitable.
CAMRA BC – Vancouver Chapter supports a harmonization of laws, regulations, political support, taxation and policy for all forms of liquor.
Adam Chatburn,
President, CAMRA BC – Vancouver Chapter
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