Rookie MP from Okanagan fights Prohibition-era ban
Wine lovers in Alberta might want to raise a glass to rookie B.C. MP Dan Albas, who is fighting to exempt wine from a Prohibition-era ban on interprovincial movement of liquor without the authorization of provincial liquor commissions.
Albas, 35, MP for the wine country of Okanagan-coquihalla, is close to winning passage for his Bill C-311, a private member’s bill with all-party support, that would mean vacationers returning to Alberta with a case or two of B.C. wine would no longer be breaking the law.
He said small wine producers and wine-lovers across Canada will appreciate his fight to provide consumers with direct access to some of the high-quality wine produced not only in B.C. but in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
In a rare show of unity, federal MPS gave unanimous support in December to the bill, which would amend the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act to allow individuals to import wine for their personal use.
The legislation, passed in 1928 after most provinces had ended Prohibition, bans liquor movement across provincial boundaries except when authorized by provincial government liquor commissions.
The law imposes a maximum $200 fine for a first offence, a fine of up to $1,000 for the second offence, and jail terms of up to a year for three or more offences.
Albas said it’s tough to defend such a law in the 21st century.
“Many people will come from Alberta, for example, to the Okanagan and say, ‘I’d like to take a case back with me’ or ‘I’d like to send a case back’ and the answer is ‘No,’ ” he said.
He recalled an anecdote from Ontario’s Niagara wine-growing region when two couples, one from Texas and the other from Montreal, tried to order wine to be shipped home from the same producer. The Montrealer was turned down, but the Texan’s order was filed.
The law was ridiculed by MPS from all parties during debate in December.
“In an era when it is possible to buy products from just about anywhere on the planet, via the Internet, and have them shipped in a matter of days to people’s homes, it is almost unbelievable that Canadian consumers are currently contravening federal laws if they attempt to purchase wine from their favourite outof-province winery,” said Ontario Tory MP Peter Braid.
While Albas said the law isn’t enforced against individuals who buy for personal use, many wineries abide by the law and major courier companies refuse to ship wine across provincial boundaries.
Bill C-311, introduced after a motion calling for a similar amendment by Ron Cannan (Kelowna-lake Country) died on the order paper in the last Parliament, is to be studied by the Commons finance committee before going back for a final vote.
The bill is strongly supported by the Canadian Vintners Association.
“Changing the law will pave the way for small Canadian wineries to have access to a sales channel that is currently closed to them,” association vice-president Luke Harford.
“Small boutique wineries that cannot support the sales force needed to sell through the liquor board retail system in a province won’t have to rely solely on customers driving up their driveway to make a sale. (The bill) creates an opportunity for small wineries to build their brands in a much larger market space.”
But one major barrier remains — provincial and territorial governments and their revenue-thirsty liquor boards.
A lobby group representing liquor boards in the 10 provinces and three territories hasn’t taken a formal position on the bill, and has asked the federal government “seeking clarification as to possible effects and implications,” said Canadian Association of Liquor Jurisdictions executive director Rowland Dunning.
Dunning said by email that liquor boards are “strong” supporters of the Canadian wine industry and happily will order wine for customers from any winery across the country.
But Dunning said MPS and vintners may underestimate the impact of C-311, particularly since trade agreements require Canada to treat foreign wine producers the same as domestic firms.