Bill introduced to remove inter-provincial wine and beer trade barriers
Queen’s Park – Rob Milligan, MPP Northumberland – Quinte West, introduced a new private members bill in the Ontario Legislature on Wednesday. The Bill, entitled “Interprovincial Importation of Wine and Beer Act, 2012” will amend the Liquor Control Act to add a provision that permits individuals of legal age to import wine into Ontario from another province so as long as it is for personal consumption only. Similar provisions are added with respect to the importation of beer from other provinces pending authorization from the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act (Canada).
“We’re following in our federal counterparts footsteps and reducing some of the red tape surrounding wineries”, said MPP Milligan. “Opening the borders for Ontario’s breweries and wineries will allow them to grow and sell to consumers in other provinces.”
The bill eliminates the ability of the LCBO to bar the importation of wine from other provinces, as part of a pan-Canadian effort to get all provinces to make similar changes. Ontarians should not be restricted from importing wine or beer based on red-tape and an 84-year old law. Now that the federal restrictions have been lifted, it’s logical that the provincial barriers would also be removed. “The old solutions from the prohibition era, that the government should have a monopoly on the importation of wine in the Province, are no longer appropriate for the 21st century”, Milligan added.
The bill will be debated in the Legislature on Thursday, September 6th. Anyone wishing to offer comment to Mr. Milligan prior to the debate of his bill, is invited to send them to rob.milligan@pc.ola.org.
Read full article at the Northcumberland View…
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