Just because Quebec allows its corner stores to sell alcohol doesn't mean Ontario should follow suit, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Monday.
Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory floated the idea last week of selling Ontario wine and beer in convenience stores as a way of boosting the profile of homegrown alcohol.
Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory, seen Sunday in Caledonia, Ont., says Ontario's brewers and wineries are getting a 'raw deal.'
(Canadian Press/Dave Chidley)
Tory said that, if elected premier on Oct. 10, he would look at setting up a few "test markets" where Ontario craft beer and wine could be sold in corner stores.
But Ontario already has an efficient system in place to sell liquor, McGuinty said during an election campaign stop in Walkerton, Ont.
"Again, thinking like a parent, my kids are older now, but when they were younger and might have wanted to get early access to booze, I felt comforted by the fact that the Beer Store and the LCBO was carding anybody who looked to be under the age of 25," he said.
"I take a great deal of comfort in that, and I see no reason to change the system."
The idea was first floated in April by Liberal backbencher Kim Craitor, who introduced a private member's bill that was welcomed by wineries and convenience store operators but quickly shot down by McGuinty.
A Liberal insider said the party had concluded there were too many "safety concerns" associated with the idea.
McGuinty said that while Quebec allows its convenience stores to sell beer and wine, Ontario has different standards and values.
"I can recall growing up, I'd come to my parents and I'd say, 'You know, they get to stay up until 10 o'clock at night.' Or, 'They've got a colour TV and cable vision.' And my parents would say, 'Hey, you can't compare,' " he said.
"We're our own family, our own home. We do things that we think is in keeping with our standards, our values and our priorities."
In a statement, the Liberals questioned Tory's stance on the issue, saying that the Conservative leader told reporters in April the province should not "get carried away with having alcohol too available in too many places, because there are aspects of that I think a lot of parents and others are concerned about."
The statement also quotes Tory as saying that he did not feel expanding access to alcohol should be a priority.
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District Profiles
More Ontario Votes Headlines »
- McGuinty wins massive majority, Tory loses seat
- Dalton McGuinty won a second majority government for the Liberals in Ontario on Wednesday night, a triumph for a party that earlier expressed fears of a drop to minority status.
- Ontario rejects electoral reform in referendum
- Ontario voters have rejected a proposed electoral reform that would have seen some provincial legislators chosen based on a party's share of the popular vote, results showed Thursday.
- Ontario voter turnout a record low
- The percentage of eligible voters casting ballots in Wednesday's Ontario election hit an all-time low despite changes introduced in an effort to boost turnout.
- Ont. Green party scores 8 per cent of vote
- No Green party candidates made it to the Ontario legislature in Wednesday's election, but that defeat was sweetened by a swell in their share of the popular vote, which more than doubled.
- McGuinty only leader not facing leadership questions
- Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty won re-election in Ottawa South and NDP Leader Howard Hampton again won his northern Ontario riding of Kenora-Rainy River. PC Leader John Tory was defeated.
