Let your #unhappyhour Letters Fly!

Since last week I’ve been cc’d on dozens of letters to politicians expressing their dismay over the new minimum pricing policy-as-law.

I’ve written my own letter as an individual and voter (not as CAMRA BC Vancouver President), you can see and download it here:

Dear Minister Anton

Here are some of the things you’ve been saying:

This policy is bad for restaurants; it is bad for service industry employees; it is bad for British Columbians as a whole, and I urge the British Columbia Provincial Government to reconsider this decision, and to fulfill their mandate: to implement policy that represents the best interests of all British Columbians.

I do understand the reasoning behind the minimum pricing of alcohol, and the idea that it would result in decreased alcoholism and other alcohol related issues. Even if I’m unconvinced about the research behind this theory (and there hasn’t been any definitive studies that identify that this would indeed be the result that I have been able to identify), I do understand that health advocates have been pushing this idea. But why have you jacked up prices to the point where it’s cheaper to get beer in places like Afghanistan than it is here?

What you’ve done here is a classic example of Big Brother government, using misleading or misinterpreted “facts” and a lot of deception, in order to appease some lobby segment. Whether it the health care advocates, or certain bar/restaurant industry groups, you have listened to them rather than to the public. And while I am not necessarily surprised, I am still disappointed. I was hoping that this government would do better than previous Liberal governments, but actions like this make it a case of “same old, same old”.

I think (based on various intelligence collected) this is combination tax grab, and a benefit for the big-pub-chain lobby groups. Your average British Columbian does not need this, and our alcohol was already the most highly-taxed on the continent BEFORE the price increase.

At a minimum, repeal this minimum pricing rule, or make the minimum low enough that it actually does result in cost reductions to BC bar/restaurant patrons. A preferred approach would be to not put a minimum and let the market figure it out.

I would appreciate you adding my name to the list of angry citizens who are complaining so you can really see the extent of the dissatisfaction. My request is that when the minimum number of letters have been received, you will take action to correct the mistake that was made.

Thanks to everyone who has written in so far! I hope more of you take a couple of minutes to write to these letters and copy us in along with it!

Here’s the link to the contact information page;

https://camravancouver.ca/2014/06/26/lots-of-support-for-camras-unhappyhour-stance/

Now go give’r!

Adam Chatburn,

President, CAMRA BC – Vancouver Branch

Let your #unhappyhour Letters Fly!

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