There. Question asked. Question answered. If you had a bunch of freeloaders such as Ford Nation supporting you in politics, would you not reciprocate by supporting some of their wishes? His base wants better access to booze. All these newspaper people fail to understand why premier Ford is changing the booze regulations in Ontario. Now you know. This is payoff time.
Doug Ford might be the first politician in Ontario to really honour his promises. Good on Dougie! He might be a jerk but he knows enough to keep some of his promises.
Former premier Kathleen Wynne knew that people were annoyed by Ontario’s antiquated liquor laws. She drove us crazy with that Chinese water torture of adding one large grocery store at a time to beer and wine sales. And then she restricted their hours of sale, forced them to charge the same as the LCBO and limited their sales.
I feel sorry for the local police in Hamilton, Ottawa and Toronto when we start having boozy tail-gate parties at Canadian Football League games. We already have enough drunks disturbing those games.
But the real problem with this circus Doug Ford is running are the lies the media are feeding people to try to stop this freewheeling opening up on booze.
One of the stupidest lies is that booze is already abundantly available. You should consider that there might be 2300 LCBO, Beer Store, Grocery store and agencies actually selling alcohol products in Ontario (population 14 million). That is ridiculous when you consider that 8 million Quebec citizens have a choice of more than 6000 outlets including SAQ and grocery stores as well as beer and wine in the ubiquitous dépanneurs. I cannot think of a better excuse to force our Ontario convenience stores to upgrade their premises.
And if you believe that Ontario is really on the hook for a billion dollars to abrogate some specious agreement with the foreign owners of the Beer Store, I will send you my bill for the inconvenience of having to get my two-fours at those disgusting, smelly Beer Stores. And no, it is not likely that convenience stores will carry many craft brews. Convenience stores are for convenience. Our liquor stores could learn how to merchandise.
Besides, I have a crying towel for all those stupid blue-stockings who think they have a right to tell others how to live. If you think booze is always harmful, hire your own billboard!
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Copyright 2019 © Peter Lowry
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