http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/455326
We are all aware that we can get beer from the good old LCBO and the Beer Store but the provincial government is proposing a different mode of selling alcohol – in corner stores and convenience stores.
A big barrier on the progress of this idea, however, is the fact that Ontario Premier McGuinty stated that it is easier to maintain security through the LCBO and The Beer Store than to give that power to thousands of convenience stores. It is interesting to see that McGuinty’s main concern seems to be the issue of power. What does this say about the government to you? Doesn’t it just seem like all they’re in it for is to exercise its power over its people? By selling alcohol publicly, the government is getting large tax revenue and is benefiting from this. Convenient stores have been given the authority to sell age-restricted products such as tobacco, lottery tickets and fireworks, so why should they not be given the authority to sell alcohol? It would give consumers easier, more flexible and open access to alcohol and could very well increase the amount of sales because of its extreme convenience.
What about the big issue of Going Green? The government wants to impose initiatives on Canadian citizens, encouraging us to go green. They want us to carpool, save gas, and they even want factories to cut down the amount of carbon gases they emit into the atmosphere. They want to make it seem like they care, yet they fail to realize that having a limited amount of locations selling booze will increase the amount of driving that people have to do. An increase in driving means an increase in gas usage, resulting in increased pollution, which contributes to harming the environment. In essence, the government has good intentions, but they don’t want to do what is necessary to achieve their goals!
I think that selling booze in corner stores should be strongly considered. There should be cameras put in place to ensure that there would be no under-aged individuals buying alcohol. Strict guidelines should be put in place regarding the age limit, and it should be enforced to its fullest degree.
What do you guys think about this? Do you think the government is only in it for themselves? Do you think it would be beneficial to sell booze in corner stores? What would the consequences be (if any) to sell booze in corner stores? What about the advantages? How can we ensure that under-aged individuals will not benefit from the selling of alcohol in corner stores?
SS
2 comments:
This is really interesting, however, I don't think "Going Green" is a reason that they should begin doing this. Sure it will make purchasing alcohol more convenient, but it will also be easier for underage people.
The LCBO and Beer Store both have tight security when it comes to the selling of alcohol and yet there is still a large amount of underage drinking happening. Making alcohol more easily accessible will more likely increase this number as convenience stores tend to be much more lenient compared to the LCBO. I was able to purchase a lottery ticket at the local corner store when I was just 16 years old without even being asked for some sort of identification. I don't think the potential for increase in underage drinking is worth the ease of purchasing alcohol.
I couldn’t disagree with you more. As much as I enjoy alcohol from time to time, I strongly oppose the idea of convenience stores selling alcohol. It would be like opening a Pandora’s Box full of new problems. First off, the government has put a lot of effort into the development of the LCBO and the Beer Store. This includes many steps to ensure alcohol is not sold to people who are underage. Not to mention, the selection in these stores is great! If we relied upon convenience stores for these same services, the quality and security of alcohol transactions would most certainly be degraded. Secondly, I think the argument for “Going Green” is bogus. From personal experience, I know that when people go to purchase alcohol, they go in groups. Potentially, this is even greener because people are car pooling and going to one location. In contrast, suppose alcohol was sold in convenience stores. What if the convenience store you go to doesn’t have the necessary selection and you end up going to more than just one store. This clearly would not be green. Having the government regulate alcohol sales via LCBO and the Beer Store is a good thing and it works. I find that there are enough of these stores around to meet my needs. Also, is more convenience necessarily a good thing? Do we really want our society to have such easy access to alcohol?
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