Get your booze now kiddies...LCBO strike looming

[fluffhead77]

worst news I've heard in a while...I mean there's always my friend beer, but man cannot cause a scene on beer alone...

here's the article

[Jaimoe]

At least wine will still be easy to get. God bless The Wine Rack.

[Hux]

...they forget to inform the public of the 6 billion in profit the LCBO makes every year, and the crazy middle/upper management salaries and perks that would never exist in the private sector.

I vote privatize.

[fluffhead77]

either way, we in toronto do not have the luxury of driving to Hull to get booze if this goes down (lord knows there's no OTHER reason to go there)

I hope it gets resolved either way...i think the 2 could co-exist...looks at Quebec and the depanneur/SAQ

[Kaidy Mae]

Thank goodness I work with a bootlegger.

Summer just ain't summer without gin and rum.

[Kaidy Mae]

LMAO!!! I just noticed that the banners being waved in the pictures state, "No Justice. No peace." Did they steal those from an anti-war protest? Get yer own damn signs LCBO! Hahahaha!

[M.O.B.E]

At least wine will still be easy to get. God bless The Wine Rack.

and the $5.85 Brights Sherry wine rack sells

my mom manages a winerack in Oshawa maybe we could set up some kind of speakeasy

[Tooly]

im downs with just the beerstore, but the tallboy selection at LC is sop much better

hopefully it works out for all of us

[ollie]

I love Hull!! Hull rules!!! Toronto drools.

[Freak By Night]

either way, we in toronto do not have the luxury of driving to Hull to get booze if this goes down (lord knows there's no OTHER reason to go there)

There is a HUGE other reason to go there... Bouche and Ms. Hux's fine home coooking! Mmmmmm.

[fluffhead77]

well i've yet to experience the culinary delights that Hull has to offer...although Hull gave rise to one of our country's greatest musicians...

[DevO]

Shit. As long as the Beer Store remains open though, I'm fine with this strike. I love the LCBO, one of my favourite places to shop, and I want it to stick around for a long time!

[SmoothedShredder]

Lick BO? Oh No! Where will we get our stratified assortment of fermented Blood Thinners!!!

[TomFoolery]

Hux,

I'm surprised - would you rather see the $1 Billion transferred to the province of Ontario go to even fewer already wealthy people (you'd need to be to wade through the red tape and purchase private vending licenses that would undoubtedly be a part of privatization).

The LCBO is the single largest purchaser of alcohol in the world - yup - THE WORLD. The LCBO offers a pretty incredible array of product that you may, but likely would not get in privatized stores.

I think the taxes on alcohol are a little over the top but I don't have an issue with well paid middle management. I'd rather see the wealth spread around than feeding into the investment portfolio of some rich guy.

[Jaimoe]

Part of the liquor tax goes into health care. I find this a great thing, although many of the people with chronic medical conditions that need free health care got that way by too many trips to the liquor store.

It's sort of similar to having Burger King at The Sick Kids Hospital ( which I see every day when I pass the Sick Kids Hospital on Gerrard Street ).

[Hux]

The reason this issue is in the news is because of a independent report by an expert panel concluded yesterday that privatization would be the best route for the Provincial Gov't and would address or improve many of the concerns some of you feel would be lost with privatization......but don't take my word for it, read it, opt for the factual over anecdotal, and then decide (facts kick ass!):

The Beverage Alcohol System Review (BASR), Strategy for Transforming Ontario's Beverage Alcohol System

[ollie]

independent report

You don't think there's any special interest in that report? And no, I haven't read it.

[Hux]

Panel Members listed below - draw your own conclusions - (but c'mon, no one should make a judgement like that on anyone until they've read the report) but if you're talking special interests by pure definition there is none more obvious than the unions themselves coming out swinging at all costs to resist change.

John Lacey, Chair

John Lacey served as a member of the board of directors of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) from 1996 to 2001, and as vice-chair of the board in 2001-2002. Currently chairman of Alderwoods Group Inc., he is a seasoned professional in the corporate sector with more than 37 years of experience in senior executive positions. From January 1999 to January 2002, he was chairman of the board of directors of Loewen Group, of which he was a director from December 1998. Lacey has served as president and chief executive officer of the Oshawa Group, president and CEO of Western International Communications (WIC); president and CEO of Scott's Hospitality Inc.; and vice-president, operations, Loblaws Companies Ltd.

Gwen Boniface

As Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.), Gwen Boniface leads more than 7,000 uniform and civilian members of the O.P.P. Commissioner Boniface earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University and a Bachelor of Laws degree at Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Bar in Ontario during 1990, and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada. In 1997, she was appointed to the Law Commission of Canada, an independent federal law reform agency that advises Parliament on how to improve and modernize Canada’s laws. She has been the recipient of the Humber College Alumnus of Distinction Award and was invested into the Order of Ontario in 2001, and the Order of Merit of the Police Forces in 2002.

Ann Dumyn

Ann Dumyn is currently managing partner of the private consulting company Arrawac Associates Inc., and corporate director for Aeroquest International Limited. Dumyn has 35 years experience in business development, relationship facilitation, project management, social responsibility practice and financial services. Between 2000 and 2004, she was vice-president, Aboriginal and northern affairs with SNC-Lavalin Inc., where she developed and managed business opportunities with governments, agencies and corporate partners in the power, mining and infrastructure sectors across Canada. Before joining SNC-Lavalin, Dumyn held a series of senior positions with the Bank of Montreal. She is a member of the board of governors of Lakehead University and a member of the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity, Dufferin-Caledon.

Suzanne Labarge

Suzanne Labarge is recently retired as vice-chair and chief risk officer of RBC Financial Group. She has more than 30 years experience in commercial and corporate lending, audit, advanced portfolio management and market risk management. Labarge began her career with the Royal Bank, where she served in a number of executive positions. In 1985, she joined the federal government as the assistant auditor-general, and two years later she was appointed deputy superintendent in the federal Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. She returned to the Royal Bank in 1995 as executive vice-president, Corporate Treasury, before assuming the role of vice-chair and chief risk officer of RBC Financial Group in 1998. She also serves on the board of governors for McMaster University, and is a board member and former chair of the Risk Management Association.

[Calamity Jane]

Oh -- so question answered....no, there's no fractious frictions at mini-main. YAY for booze!

[rubberdinghy]

SAQ! SAQ! SAQ!

[bouche]

One of the great benefits to the LCBO is that they are very careful in terms of health and safety precautions - when people return items for tasting funny it all gets recorded into a computer bank. If several of the same items are returned or people get sick etc. the liquor gets sent to be tested in a lab for anything bad. If there is reason to believe something is really wrong with the product it can be immediately taken off of all the shelves. Since we get our liquor from all over the world this is a very good safety measure.

LMAO! I can only imagine taking in a near empty bottle of scotch complaining that it made me sick! I may try that

Curiously, are there problems with the way other provinces are being run do to privatized booze? I see drunks in Ontario and Quebec laying on bridges and benches with an empty bottle of something.

The province would still get lotsa cash from booze too, right?

Edited July 19, 2005 by Guest

[\/\/illy]

...they forget to inform the public of the 6 billion in profit the LCBO makes every year, and the crazy middle/upper management salaries and perks that would never exist in the private sector.

I vote privatize.

I am so sad to hear you say this. I completely disagree. Now, I am sad.

[\/\/illy]

LMAO! I can only imagine taking in a near empty bottle of scotch complaining that it made me sick! I may try that

You don't drink scotch. At least not like a real scotch drinker. The only way you'd have a near empty bottle of scotch is if you had spilled it on your carpet.

(Love ya bouche!)

[Blane]

I quite like the system here in Quebec. Beer & wine available widely and until 11pm, and booze kept more strictly controlled. Makes sense to me.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

I quite like the system here in Quebec. Beer & wine available widely and until 11pm, and booze kept more strictly controlled. Makes sense to me.

Quite agreed. My favourite outside of Canada, though, is Japan. I remember a number of furious bike rides to get to the vending machine (beer, wine) before it shut off at 11. Imagine trusting people with their hooch like that (not like it was any cheaper, mind you).