Not all big brewers alike

Re: “Small brewers, province at lager-heads; Liberals charge Alberta has reneged on promise to help,” the Journal, March 30. As a taxpayer, I support the government’s efforts to promote buying local and to diversify the market. The need to prevent abuse of loopholes in the beer tax has been an ongoing concern for the industry.

This article lumps the two big brewers — Molson and Labatt — together, but there is an important distinction between the two that needs to be noted.

In 2007, Molson-Coors laid off more than 100 Edmontonians and closed its brewery here to move its production to another province. It doesn’t make any beer in Alberta anymore.

Labatt’s Edmonton remains open, employing some 200 operational, technical and office staff as well as generating economic spinoffs. It brews international brands locally, and has been doing so for 50 years.

Lumping the two major brewers together is appropriate in some contexts, but not when we are discussing “made in Alberta” policy, our local beer market and a program that clearly gives a competitive advantage to brewing out of province.

If the idea is to have a conversation with the government about these subjects, even if the focus is to improve the opportunities of our craft brewers, the question of who deserves to be part of it should take into account everyone who brews here, and keep in mind those who do not. Aaron Mann, Edmonton