CAMRA BC Speaks Out on LDB Privatization - Time For Craft Beer Consumers to be Heard

Disclaimer: For those who do not know, I am the current president of CAMRA Vancouver. I write this blog as myself and the opinions voiced here on VanEast Beer Blog are mine, not those of CAMRA BC, CAMRA Vancouver or another organization

In case you missed it, last week the Campaign for Real Ale of British Columbia (CAMRA BC) spoke out publicly against the current Liberal Government plans to sell off the province's liquor distribution warehouses and warehouse distribution system to the private sector, joining groups like the Alliance of Beverage Licensees of BC, the BC Government Employees Union and The Craft Brewer's Guild of BC and the NDP Party of BC in voicing their dissent.

In an email to Rich Coleman (see below) and many other major players in the current privatization process, CAMRA BC, a craft beer consumer advocacy group, voiced displeasure about the fact the the Liberals have not been able to guarantee that the privatization plans will not negatively impact the access to locally brewed craft beer or that alcohol prices will not increase for the craft beer consumers of BC. They also point to the absence of consultation with the private and public sectors of the province and to the fact that the Liberals have not produced a business case or cost-effect analysis to support their privatization plans.

The email came one day before NDP Alcohol Critic Shane Simpson dropped a bombshell by releasing documents showing the BC Liberals had no current plans to privatize before being approached last summer by Exel Logistics, who made a pitch to take over the province's alcohol distribution which they had been pursuing for years. For excellent coverage of the whole affair check out Bob Mackins blog 2010 Goldrush #LiquorLeaks.

I hope the CAMRA BC (CAMRA Victoria, CAMRA Vancouver, CAMRA Fraser Valley) membership at large pick up on the cue that it is time to start voicing their dissent individually as well. It is all well and good when organizations speak out as a whole, but the voice becomes much louder when the individuals who make up the membership of these organizations take it upon themselves to make some noise themselves.

One email from CAMRA BC to Rich Coleman, et al, is essential. One thousand emails from CAMRA BC members will have Coleman and all involved sitting up and taking notice as each voice of dissent is a vote and in politics that is what counts.

This whole affair has the same stink to it that the HST did when the BC Liberals did another about face about face, changing their position from "no HST" prior to the 2011 election to announcing implementation of the since shot-down tax shortly after being voted back in.

Maybe it is time for an another HST-type, grassroots revolt here in BC to show the Liberals once and for all, we will not tolerate being lied to and deceived. The necessary emails are all below for anyone who feels it is important to speak out in order to try to stop this process until the government provides some evidence the move is good for British Columbians and determine that this is indeed what the citizens of BC want.

Democracy only works if there is participation from the masses.

From: CAMRA President <pres@camravancouver.ca> Date: Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 5:38 PM  Subject: Campaign for Real Ale of British Columbia position LDB Distribution Warehouse Privatization
To: rich.coleman.mla@leg.bc.ca 

Cc: <Shane.Simpson.MLA@leg.bc.ca>, kevin.falcon.mla@leg.bc.ca, margaret.macdiarmid.mla@leg.bc.ca, Roger.Bissoondatt@bcldb.com, office@macauley.ca, <Karen.Ayers@gov.bc.ca> 

Dear Mr Coleman   

I am writing you this letter on behalf of the Campaign for Real Ale of British Columbia (CAMRA BC), a craft beer consumer advocacy group who represent more than 1000 individual and 100 corporate members here in British Columbia and of which I am the Vancouver Branch President and member of the BC Executive.  

Since the announcement of the BC Liberal Government’s plan to sell off the Liquor Distribution Branch’s warehouses and with them the province’s warehouse distribution system, many groups have come out against the plan, including the opposition NDP Party, Alliance of Beverage Licensees of BC, the BC Government Employee’s Union and the Craft Brewer’s Guild of BC.   

There have been complaints of the complete absence of consultation with BC’s liquor industry or the general public, and the lack of guarantees that this privatization plan will not negatively impact the alcohol industry and alcohol consumers of this province.   

It is now our turn, the craft beer consumers of BC, to voice our dissent due in large part to  the lack of information as to how this privatization will affect the craft beer industry and craft beer consumers and because the current government cannot guarantee 100 percent that this privatization deal, when completed and implemented, will not have a negative impact on the craft beer consumers of BC.   

No business case has been presented. A clear cost-effect analysis should be completed and presented to both the liquor industry and general public in order to clarify exactly how privatization will affect liquor prices before this process goes any further.   

No study has been done and no guarantees have been made as to whether privatization will affect access to BC-brewed beers from local, craft breweries.  

At the moment, the Provincial Government has a mandate to make these beers accessible, but will this continue after privatization?   

In short, CAMRA BC cannot currently support this privatization plan and will continue to voice dissent until the following steps are taken:

1. Conduct a study to provide objective data showing how this move will impact the craft beer consumers of BC  

1. Make public a business case and/or cost-effect analysis

1. Have a full and meaningful consultation with both the private and public sectors of the province in regards to the planned sale and privatization of the Liquor Distribution Branch's warehouses and warehouse distribution system  

If, after those steps have been taken and it is shown that this privatization plan will not negatively impact the craft beer consumers of BC, CAMRA BC will be willing to support this move publicly on behalf of our membership. 

Thank you for your time. 

Paddy Treavor  

President, Vancouver Branch - CAMRA BC

The Great Canadian Beer Festival Feeling the Heat of the BC LCLB

If the rumours circulating around some circles of the BC craft beer scene are true, something wicked this way comes, in the form of the BC Liquor Control and Licensing Branch (BC LCLB), and they come with the intentions of making it more difficult for BC beer festival organizers to operate.  Although the sources of this information do not want to go on the record, for fear of repercussions from liquor inspectors and the BC LCLB in the future, there is a story going around that a BC LCLB liquor inspector was voicing at a recently held beer festival that the BC LCLB is going to target beer festivals by strictly enforcing the laws that govern special occasions where liquor is sold and served.

What is true is that the BC LCLB, which operates under the umbrella of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, announced in February, 2011 that those holding temporary liquor licenses will be subject to the same fines as those holding permanent liquor licenses. Beer festivals come under the jurisdiction of the BC LCLB and are allowed to operate using a Special Occasions License (SOL), the same temporary liquor license used for weddings and small fundraising events. No matter if it is a wedding reception in the local community centre, a four-hour cask beer event in a restaurant/bar or a multi-day beer festival, event organizers require the same license and are governed by the same laws. In this case, size really does not matter and all "special occasion" liquor licenses are the same in regards to the laws and restrictions put in place to govern special events. And now they are subject to the same fines that hotels, nightclubs and bars pay when in violation of the BC liquor laws.

The fines that the BC LCLB can levy are substantial to the tune of thousands of dollars. Take for example the act of, "selling or giving liquor to an intoxicated person or a person apparently under the influence of liquor" which can get license holders a $5,000-$7,000 fine per infraction. If the BC LCLB inspectors decided to clamp down harshly on beer festival organizers, they could be financially cripple with a few strokes of a pen. At a festival celebrating craft beer, it is difficult to imagine that a majority of the people attending aren't "apparently under the influence of alcohol" or "intoxicated". There is no specific measuring tool in place to determine who fits these criteria so, on the surface, it appears all quite subjective and at the whim of the inspector and how he/she interprets the laws on any given day.

When contacted, via email, the BC LCLB categorically denied they were planning to step up enforcement at beer festivals. According BC LCLB spokesperson, Cindy Stephenson, the rumours are just that, rumours and that the BC LCLB, "are not targeting beer festivals." Stephenson went as far as to state the, "(BC) Government is supportive of our made-in-BC craft beer industry," and that these festivals, "are a great way to give consumers an opportunity to sample world-class offerings of our small breweries."

This should be reassuring to beer festival organizers here in BC, but where there is smoke, there is usually fire and there is at least one festival organizer out there feeling the heat and is worried that their event is under the BC LCLB microscope. Great Canadian Beer Festival (GCBF) Chairman, Gerry Hieter, believes his festival is being scrutinized and treated unfairly by the BC LCLB and their liquor inspectors and was willing to go on the record to voice his worry and frustrations.

"Somehow after 18 years they (BC LCLB) have now decided we are a bad event and they have told us and our lawyer as much," states Hieter. According to Hieter, neither festival organizers, nor their lawyer, have received anything in writing, but feels he has been personally "verbally taunted while in meetings" and that the BC LCLB personnel’s attitude “has been gleeful” when informing Hieter and the GCBF lawyer of the beefed up fines and what could possibly happen at this year's event, to be held Sept 9-10 at Victoria's Royal Athletic Park.

Although the GCBF has been operating for 19 years, making it the longest running beer festival in Canada, they have never been fined or even written up by the BC LCLB, according to Hieter. He states GCBF organizers go to great lengths to organize and coordinate  security and have a 37-page action plan that lays out every detail of responsibility, specifying who deals with what problems and how. They utilize Victoria Police Department officers inside and outside the festival and have a private security company on-site to deal the event's security issues. As well, they have their own security liaison, who has been with the GCBF since its inception, who oversees the event’s security plan while coordinating and liaising between the different groups working at the festival. Despite this great track record, Hieter states he is worried that this year the GCBF is in the BC LCLB's cross hairs.

"Our take is that everyone will be inebriated to a point and some will over indulge. It is not this fact that should be troublesome to the (BC LCLB), but how we deal with it as an organization that truly matters," said Hieter. "At this time, we don't feel that we will ever get fair impartial treatment from the (BC LCLB) and we may be looking at financial ruin if they decide to fine us $7000 for every person over-served."
When directly queried if they had any specific issues with the GCBF, the BC LCLB, through Stephenson, did not voice any concerns that would explain the unwanted treatment Hieter claims festival organizers are getting. Stephenson did state that the BC LCLB did, "recognize there are challenges faced by organizers of large events like this (GCBF), so liquor inspectors generally meet with event organizers in advance to suggest ways that potential issues can be avoided so their event can be a successful one." 
It seems there has been some sort of communication breakdown at these planning meetings between the BC LCLB and the organizers of the GCBF as Hieter and his team definitely are not voicing that they are feeling the support of the BC LCLB or that the BC LCLB are trying to make the event a successful one.

If the BC LCLB are not supportive of the GCBF organizers, the City of Victoria is behind the event, which the City’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Department Director, Karen Friars called a "premiere event." According to Friars, the City of Victoria has worked together with festival organizers since the festival's inception and "the festival organizers have worked cooperatively with the City and the (Victoria) Police (Department) to address concerns which may be raised by the neighbourhood or participants."

Hieter believes the GCBF does more than most, if not all other festivals out there to comply with BC liquor laws, even if it means more expense and cost. At a time when in Ontario, the government is financially supporting large festivals, through grants to the Ontario Craft Brewers and are loosening liquor laws including those governing SOL's, it would seem counterproductive for the BC government to put yet more restrictions in place in regards to the sale of alcohol, specifically events such as the GCBF which has such a positive impact on the craft beer industry and the economy of their local community. Time will tell whether the BC LCLB's assurances are true or whether Hieter’s concerns are justified. 
Until then, it is just rumour, but remember, where there's smoke, there's usually fire.

Reports and Ramblings from A Beer-Addled Mind

CAMRA BC Expands to the Fraser Valley
For those of you who haven't heard, CAMRA BC has quietly expanded to the Fraser Valley. On January 27th, with little fanfare, CAMRA Fraser Valley was founded, bringing CAMRA BC's chapter count up to four. The Fraser Valley branch joins existing branches Victoria, Vancouver and Penticton, giving CAMRA BC and even stronger voice here in Southern British Columbia. CAMRA Fraser Valley is headed by branch president Micheal Victory who reported, as of Feb 02/11, to VanEast Beer Blog (VEBB) that they currently have approximately 30 members.
"We will be building on an already growing craft beer scene here in the Valley. With the likes of Firefly (Fine Wines and Ales), Kingfishers (Waterfront Bar and Grill) and Mission Springs(Brew Pub) we are optimistic about Camra Fraser Valley - even in the short term," President Victory informed VEBB via email. "We'll likely have a member's appreciation event in the spring, and then something larger in the summer."
The branch is still in the beginning stages of setting up its social networking sites and website but there is some contact information available to those interested in joining the branch or gathering information.  Their website is currently under construction but you can currently access email contact links. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter @CAMRA_FraserVal.

Say No to Exclusive Beer Agreements!!
Recently I popped into one of the restaurants on Commercial Drive that features craft beer to speak to one of the managers about some business. During the course of our conversation, we started to talk about the lack of local representation amongst the restaurant's numerous taps, with both myself and the manager wondering aloud why this was. The manager mentioned that he had wanted to get one of the Lower Mainland's most well-known and popular craft beers on tap, as it was one of his personal favorites, but was informed he could not because another restaurant on the Drive had "an exclusive" deal to be the only establishment to carry said beer on Commercial Drive.
Now stop me if I am wrong, but doesn't this go against the whole movement to make craft beer more readily available to a wider cross-section of people in our fair city? While groups like CAMRA, individual advocates and bloggers like myself are doing our best to promote local craft beer in order, at least in part, so that we can convince as many places to offer local craft beer to their patrons, therefore increasing the sales for local breweries , it seems some of these breweries are limiting their options by giving "exclusive" deals. I can understand, from a business point of view, a restaurant or bar, if they really wanted to sell a certain brand of beer, making a deal with the brewery to only carry their beers, but this was not the case here. The establishment with the "exclusive" also sells beers from other craft breweries.
From a consumer point of view and as a lover of this particular beer, this disturbs me. I would love to be able to walk into any establishment in the city and be able to quaff the beers I love. I hope this notion of "exclusive rights" does not become a trend and spread as it will set back the craft beer movement and force people to possibly go to establishments they don't want to frequent, to get the beer they crave and love. In the end, this move could backfire on the breweries making these deals as people may just be forced to chose beer from their competion.
Isn't the idea to sell beer, not restrict sales? If a respected and dedicated craft taphouse wants to sell a certain brand of beer, you would think that brewery would be happy to have their beers sold there.
In a perfect world every pub and restaurant would be a "free house" dedicated to bringing the best craft beer products they could get their hands on, especially local products, serving these beers in the proper manner and with the respect they deserve. Let's keep fighting to open up the market, promote our favourite beers and advocate and campaign to get them in as many bars, restaurants and liquors stores as we possibly can. I know this can work from personal experiencing, having harrassed my local government liquor store to bring in a product until they get tired of me and relent. I have also, in the past, connected bar/restaurant owners with local brewers I know to try to get some of my favourite craft beers on tap in bars and restaurants that I frequent and in some cases, it has worked (lets you know how much $$s I spend on beers in these places!). Vancouver has come a long way over the past few years in regards to places where you can get great, local craft beers but lets keep pushing forward because there is still a lot of room for improvement. Let's encourage our local breweries to spread the love and work with us to promote craft beers not create "exclusive" places we must go to get their products.

BeerTourist Getting Ready to Roll

Late last year a group called BeerTourist popped out of nowhere to begin promoting beer tourism by chartering buses and going on road trips to sample great crafts beers afar. They organized two trips, one to Washington State to visit Skagit Brewery, Rockfish Grill/Anecortes Brewery and Boundary Bay Brewery and the other north, to Howe Sound Brewery for a daqy of beer and fun. Both trips were successful and for the most part, with one or two exceptions, BeerTourist recieved great feedback.
I have it on good authourity (I am one of the founders and organizers) that BeerTourist is busy organizing for the upcoming year. No dates are set in stone, as of yet, but stay tuned for details. BeerTourist is going to try to shake it up a little this year and organize a number of different type of events. I can tell you that one of the events currently in the planning stages involves a ferry ride and a visit to a brewery that is producing some of the best beers around at the moment!
BeerTourist is curently working on their website but can be found on Facebook, Twitter @vanbeertourist or you can contact them directly at info@beertourist.ca.