It would be nice to see the plodding, cruel and especially unusual Monopolosaurus that controls our booze go the way of the Late Cretaceous, but no – failing this – the time is not yet upon us. And so we are forced to read from the annals of babysteps…
Finance Minister Kevin Falcon thinks British Columbia can generate a minimum $706 million from sale of surplus properties as well as privatizing its liquor warehousing operations.
Falcon noted in a media briefing prior to Tuesday’s budget that the Christy Clark Liberals have issued a request for proposals [RFP] to bid on the Liquor Distribution Branch’s warehousing facilities and associated distribution services as part of a land sale involving less than two per cent of the value of B.C.’s property holdings.
“Government has on its books at any one time surplus properties in particular but surplus assets that are non-strategic, that are costing us money. They sit on our books, when we could actually turn them into economic generators,” Falcon said.
Mr. Falcon, tear down this wall. The system that determines the manner in which BC businesses and residents go about getting a drink is rotten to its ugly, bleeding core.
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baby steps…
The biggest obstacle to simplifying the alcohol system and regulations in BC is the massive bureaucracy and the attached unionized employees. If the BCLC doesn’t need to touch every bottle of booze that enters the province, what will the unionized employees do with their time? Falcon told the BCLC union that they are protected. So as long as these jobs cannot be cut for political reasons, the bureaucracy cannot be reduced and wine will still cost 250% of the price in Seattle.
What we need in this province are fewer well paying union jobs are more people making $10/hour. Because after all I need things like convention centres and new roofs on my stadiums. I hope this means I can finally get that certain vintage of Chateauneuf de Pape I read about in Wine Spectadvocate-robert parker.
The BCLDB is turning 91 on june15 2012 . Won’t you please let us reach 100 years. Do not cut us down so close to such a milestone. 9 more years please. I love my job . Families first ? What about my family ?
Work hard, John Bunbary, and you may well be able to purchase that special bottle.
I don’t understand how a business that makes over $850 million annually for the province of BC is considered a “non essential asset” that can be sold off. How is the government going to make up those losses. Please explain.
FYI a new association is forming focusing simply on modernizing the archaic liquor laws in BC…..
http://www.twitter.com/ModernizeWine
http://www.facebook.com/ModernizeWine
More info coming soon……
Why not just hold the 60000 public union members we hire to the same standards as the 85 we elect? We demand accountability from .001 percent? Questioning the waste and misuse of taxpayer dollars should be of concern to anyone who pays into the system. Money generated from the sale of liqour should go to more essential services then those of maintaining a bureaucracy who’s only purpose is to gererate revenue to spend on itself. Don’t tax me just so I can pay the tax collectors salary.
^ Go tell it on the mountain.
This seems like a massive step in the right direction. After all, getting rid of the LDB still means we will be stuck with those aforementioned archaic liquor laws. It’s the Liquor Control and Licencing Branch that gives us the inane liquor laws.
Regarding Julia Watt’s comment.
It’s like Tyson said: Questioning the waste and misuse of taxpayer dollars should be of concern to anyone who pays into the system. Bravo!!Can you imagine what’s next? Soon teachers will think they a right to complain the school system, or nurses will think they have the right to say what they really think about healthcare. It’s time civil servants realize how lucky they are we give them jobs.