tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826637739916486721.post5548968202177716368..comments2023-09-19T06:58:49.690-07:00Comments on VanEast Beer Blog: Open Letter to Honourable Minister Rich ColemanPaddy Treavorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16360223916204727525noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826637739916486721.post-14510722269962890312012-02-25T19:57:37.312-08:002012-02-25T19:57:37.312-08:00Thank you for your comments Darthphaidra, your int...Thank you for your comments Darthphaidra, your interpretations of what I posted are interesting to say the least.<br />Spec orders for private liquor stores, bars and restaurants do have to go through the LDB and the LDB do have the ability to just say no and according to my sources, people who actually attempt to place these orders, the LDB often does. The LDB also have the ability to demand a restaurant order a case of a bottle of wine instead of that restaurant being able to buy a single bottle of that same wine from a private liquor store or for a private liquor store to order a pallet of beer instead of a few cases that they may require. <br />As president of CAMRA I actually do understand the laws.<br />As for you being satisfied with LDB stores, I am pleased for you. Myself, I would rather go to one of the private liquor stores that are open seven days a week, every day of the year and which are all open until 11 PM. <br />I would also like to shop in those private stores that have a comprehensive choice of BC craft beers with staff who generally are educated and know what they are talking about. Not all private stores are like that, but the ones I choose to frequent are. I have tried asking many employees at government liquor stores, who are making substantially more money than their private store counterparts, about craft beer products and I have found few that have any product knowledge whatsoever. I know many private liquor stores that actually take the time to have education classes and training for employees about the products they are selling.<br />Maybe I am just too demanding??<br />I do not think I suggested anywhere privatizing the whole system and cutting union jobs. Overhauling and redoing, yes. Modernizing and streamlining, yes. <br />I fail to see where I advocated for the loss of union or living-wage jobs.<br />As for kids in licensed establishments, I would propose that establishments should have the choice to declare if they want to be +-19 or family oriented. Why should a pub not be able to be family oriented and advertise and market this...if you feel the need to get liquored up and "hook up" you could just choose not to frequent that establishment. I do not think all places should be all ages. Again, I do not see where I advocated for that. Giving the licensee the choice I think is what I would say I was looking at. These liquor primary and food primary licenses are a joke in many cases. <br />Again, you can see alcoholic debauchery in a restaurant that has cheap booze and are a bit loose with their interpretation of the laws. As a responsible parent, I am careful about where I take my daughter and a licensed establishment that is food primary doesn't guarantee it is a suitable environment. And being a responsible parent,I would not have my child in any establishment until closing time. I have seen vulgarity on transit and on the sidewalk of Commercial Drive in the afternoon, so sheltering a child from said vulgarity is much more difficult than keeping them out of licensed establishments. <br />Again, we can agree to disagree on things, but I do take exception with some of the things you seem to believe I said in my post. I have no issue with people who disagree, but please, if you are accusing me of taking a certain viewpoint on something, be accurate. Many of the points you seem to feel I was making are not in fact what was written.Paddy Treavorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16360223916204727525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826637739916486721.post-28507872081566273882012-02-23T18:26:17.565-08:002012-02-23T18:26:17.565-08:00The LDB does not have "complete control"...The LDB does not have "complete control" over alcohol products sold in this province. There are many spec wines, beers, and spirits in fine private stores, wineries and brewpubs. As the President of CAMRA, I would expect you to know this--perhaps even patronizing some of these products now and again.<br /><br />The biggest ramification of privatizing the LDB is the loss of blue collar jobs. Alberta did this, and they are paying prices similar to what we currently pay, on average. And you can bet their clerks are not making a living wage. Neither are the private liquor store clerks here, for that matter. Since you speak of responsibility, consider joining us in the Campaign for Real Jobs.<br /><br />As a responsible adult, I never have a problem with the LDB hours, and do not find the system any more archaic than any other retail outlet. In fact, the hours are usually better than other stores I shop at. I like being able to find my way around different LDB stores, thanks to a streamlined layout. I can drop off upto 24 cans at the LDB stores. Private stores do not offer this. There is no guarantee their hours would not be regulated or restricted. Even after doors are shut, I don't have a problem finding booze when I need it in this city, right to the wee hours. In fact, there's another reason towards homebrewing Real Ale -- it's available whenever you want. Are you not a member of the Vanbrewer's association, Paddy?<br /><br />Considering your apathy towards local pub culture, I'm surprised you would like your kids to be privileged to be admitted to one of the only "adult-only" zones in the city. I think if you want to take your kids to a pub for food, you could advocate for more split-zoned restaurant-pubs, such as what exists at the Cambie. I personally would be very much against letting kids into pubs. This changes the nature of the environment from one to relax and cut loose, maybe even find a hook-up, to one where you must be on better behaviour because there are 'kids around'. Some patrons would no doubt show an awful side of alcoholism ans sexuality to children in pubs--perhaps you (and your kids) have been fortunate enough not to witness this vulgarity first-hand. I wouldn't patronize pubs which welcomed kids until closing time, and I think there is 'a legion of voters' who would also boycott. You could take a survey about it if you want, but I bet the pub business would suffer. <br /><br />Instead, the laws for closing time could be back on the table. Extending the hours again benefits the merchants--and maybe the public might finally be able the leverage a 24-hr skytrain at last.<br /><br />Should the laws be reviewed? Absolutely. But there are more points that Mr. Coleman and I will consider before rants like yours truly take hold in the public sphere. For now, these arguments belong to a small group (mostly private liquor store merchants) who are only half-educated in the relevant policies, scope of the laws, and probable scale of impact. Like any other major change, time needs to be taken to educate and broaden the scope of the arguments and proposals fully before the public. Unfortunately, the liberal government has no interest in good governance, so all we can expect is yet another robbery of the public trust. Say it ain't so.<br /><br />ReplyDeletedarthphaidrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00773891543761791031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826637739916486721.post-12350274393151753882012-02-23T18:22:13.716-08:002012-02-23T18:22:13.716-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.darthphaidrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00773891543761791031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826637739916486721.post-39897534626383763842012-02-21T23:35:15.452-08:002012-02-21T23:35:15.452-08:00I think you make some decent points. We all know ...I think you make some decent points. We all know there are lots of problems with liquor laws in BC. One thing to consider. A large part of the reason why the LBD sets liquor prices and forces private stores to buy from them is to enforce a minimum per unit price on alcohol. Studies have found that a minimum per unit price has the greatest effect on low priced high concentration alcohol and has serious public health benefits. The BBC recently ran a story on Scotland's move towards minimum per unit pricing. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15537338 I'm sure you can find more on this subject. My point being that you're likely to have more success attacking anachronisms in the liquor laws than areas that have proven/strongly believed connection with public health initiatives. Best of luck with your campaign.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04526532491352298787noreply@blogger.com