Opinion by Brian Lilley
The Ford government moved up the sale of ready-to-drink beverages in grocery stores by two weeks in response to the strike by LCBO workers. Now they’re considering whether they can speed up the timeline for booze in convenience stores as well.
The announcement, made Monday morning, said ready-to-drink beverages will be available for sale in the 450 existing grocery stores that sell alcohol starting on Thursday. The initial plan was for this change to take effect on Aug. 1, but the shutdown of LCBO retail stores due to the strike changed that.
“As the province implements its plan, the government will continue to constantly evaluate how it can deliver choice and convenience,” a government news release said, hinting they’d like to move sooner on corner stores as well.
The government’s plan for expanding to convenience stores originally called for allowing the sale of alcohol in licensed stores after Sept. 5. Allowing expansion ahead of that date might be a government goal now, but it will be hampered by licensing, training requirements for staff and most importantly distribution.
Some stores have their licences in place already, others are in the final stages and all will need to put their staff through government-approved training for selling alcohol, but that training is still in development.
My personal thoughts as an Ontarian I hate going into all government offices, I pay a lot of taxes, and I haven’t been to a hospital for over 20 years, the only time I go to the hospital is to visit someone else, I’ve received little benefit from the health care system in Canada, and nothing is more irritating than the LCBO, which makes me feel like a CHILD in my own province and country.
LCBO, similar to government run auto insurance in other provinces is an EMBARASSMENT to our nation, the mere fact there are millions of IDIOTS in this country that would VOTE for crap like this is EMBARASSING. Yes, Doug Ford isn’t perfect, but he’s still the best Premier in my lifetime, and it’s not even close.