During the last few years, almost forever, both Liberal and Progressive Conservative governments have floated the idea of allowing beer and/or alcohol to be sold in places other than government-run stores manned by union workers. The idea never went anywhere.
Ontarians who favour the end to the government monopoly, were hopeful during the late 1990s when Mike Harris was premier and the late Jim Flaherty was Ontario’s finance minister. In a rare act of true conservatism in Canada, Flaherty opined that if something can be advertised in the Yellow Pages, the government should not be doing it. But, as under other Ontario governments, nothing came of it.
Last week Premier Kathleen Wynne announced her government would allow the sale of beer and alcohol in selected supermarkets throughout the province. Unlike other occasions, Wynne appears to be serious about bringing in legislation to allow this where other governments have failed to act. And no one who follows Ontario politics has any doubts about why Ontarians are somehow now grownup enough to buy a six-pack in a store that is not under the control of Premier Mom.
There is no doubt the willingness to allow the expansion of alcohol and beer sales is a diversion by Wynne to take the heat off the scandals and multiple police investigations currently taking place concerning the conduct of the Liberal government. Obviously, the low information voters who helped Wynne achieve a majority government last summer, will be distracted by the bread and circuses the premier is now offering.
The Liberals are currently being investigated by the OPP for allegedly offering a bribe to a potential candidate in the Sudbury by-election to step aside in favour of the candidate the premier wanted. The police are also investigating the gas plant scandal where the Liberals spent billions of dollars to move two gas plants under construction in order to save two seats in the 2011 election. Police are looking into allegations that crucial emails concerning the scandal were deleted to cover up the details.
The government is now negotiating with supermarket chains to allow 300 stores throughout the province to sell spirits and beer. Naturally the government union, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), is upset about the potential loss of jobs. The employees of liquor and beer stores make big bucks to do such tasks as stocking shelves, putting goods in bags and accepting payment from customers, the same worked performed in other retail outlets by employees who make minimum wage or close to it.
After Wynne made the announcement, a media release was issued by OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas. Thomas gave not one, not two, not three, but four reasons why allowing the sale of booze in grocery store is a bad idea and life as we know it in Ontario will come to an end.
One reason Thomas gives for not allowing sales in supermarkets is the government will be giving up some of the profits it makes selling alcohol at a time when the government needs the revenue. Using this logic, perhaps everything that people need, such as gasoline and food should be put under government control. Then the Liberals will have a lot more money to spend and there will be more overpaid OPSEU employees. Why not go the distance, outlaw free enterprise and have the government control everything. That’s worked before, right?
A second reason is that OPSEU workers are highly trained in safety (ie. don’t sell to a drunk) and knowledgeable about the brands they sell. Obviously Thomas thinks ordinary grocery store employees are just too dumb to ever learn these things in order to collect payment for someone who wishes to purchase a bottle. Nonsense.
A third argument is that the poor will suffer the most from grocery store sales. Supermarkets will not stock expensive brands or vintages; only the cheaper stuff that the poor, of necessity, are forced to purchase. According to Thomas, by the ability to make convenient purchases in supermarkets these people will be further marginalized with easier access to products they may or may not be able to afford. In other words lower income people, unlike corporate executives, professionals, and OPSEU workers, should not be able to avail themselves of the convenience of purchasing booze while at the grocery store. Serves them right for being poor.
If anyone thinks these three reasons are ridiculous, the fourth is simply over-the-top. Thomas asserts what we all know—being drunk can lead to violence and Thomas specifically refers to “violence against women.” So, as the logic goes, allowing liquor and beer to be sold in grocery stores will increase violence in the province especially against women.
This presupposes there are men out there who purchase liquor from government-run stores and get drunk but are never violent. But once they start buying booze from their local supermarket, they will get drunk, go home and beat the hell out of their wives and girlfriends. If Smokey has statistics on this, he has chosen not to share them.
Unfortunately, the violence against women argument is the only one that has a chance of working with Wynne. She definitely won’t be moved by economic arguments or the fear of further marginalizing the poor.
The idiocy of these reasons do nothing other than support the argument that beer and liquor should be sold not only in selected supermarkets but in all grocery and convenience stores.
There is no way these arguments will stop the premier whose main goal is to take attention off the current scandals and police investigations.
