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LCBO strike threat solved with privatization
Toronto Sun ^ | April 24, 2013 | Christina Blizzard

Posted on 04/25/2013 8:12:31 AM PDT by Squawk 8888

So a guy walks into a liquor store, picks up a $26,000 bottle of scotch and a cheaper bottle of wine — and walks out of the store, paying only for the wine.

How stupid are we — on several levels?

First, how can any 700 ml of liquid be worth that kind of dough?

I defy anyone to tell the difference between that and, say, an $80 bottle. But, hey, I’d like in on the taste-testing.

Second, how come a bottle that pricey was so easily accessible?

PC leader Tim Hudak says whoever took the bottle is “stealing from taxpayers.”

He’s right, of course. But he shouldn’t be.

Why is the government in the business of selling $26,000, 50-year-old bottles of booze?

This is a pretty niche market.

The number of people who are actually going to shell out that kind of cash for a bottle of booze is fairly limited. I’m sure the LCBO has their names.

Is someone going to walk in off the street and pick it up on impulse?

I think not.

Of course, this wouldn’t happen if the LCBO were privatized.

If you were the owner of a private booze store and you were trying to flog a bottle of expensive scotch, you’d keep it behind the counter — and you’d make darn sure it got checked out with the bottle of wine.

The LCBO actually tells their employees not to chase people stealing from their stores.

You won’t find any David Chen-style citizens’ arrests happening in Vintages.

Then we have the threat of a strike by LCBO workers.

They’ve already voted 95% in favour of a strike and set a deadline of May 17 — the day before the long Victoria Day weekend.

Hudak said the deal the government cut recently with two teacher unions who punished students in their protest will embolden other public sector workers to demand more money.

“I’m concerned, when it comes to the LCBO, where the union leadership is dramatically out of touch with realities people who are not on the public payroll face every day. And they are threatening to go on strike just before the Victoria Day holiday weekend,” Hudak said.

“It’s because the Liberal government of (Premier) Kathleen Wynne rewards them,” he said.

“The two teacher unions that held our kids hostage were given more money.

“That kind of decision by the Liberal government is going to cause more labour action as a result,” he said.

Wynne said there’s plenty of time for a deal.

“There’s a lot of time between now and May 17 in terms of negotiations,” she said. “That’s a lifetime so I’m sure that both sides will be able to come together and work this out.”

Am I stocking up on Chardonnay and $26,000 bottles of scotch in anticipation of a strike?

No — because I have faith in the great good sense of LCBO workers.

I think they realize that as retail workers go, they’ve got a pretty soft touch.

Parents were patient when powerful teacher unions selfishly held their kids hostage.

Thirsty drinkers won’t stand idly by on a long weekend if liquor store workers shut stores and hit the bricks. It could get ugly.

The union, OPSEU, is not nearly as militant as the teacher unions. They understand if they shut down booze stores, there’ll be increased pressure to allow competition.

In this economic climate, people are just glad to have a job.

Government of all stripes have balked at privatizing the LCBO. They’re addicted to the profits and taxes they rake in from booze.

But they could allow competition.

Let us buy booze somewhere else.

Open up the market so we can get it in supermarkets and convenience stores.

Just one more question:

How many Air Miles do you get on a $26,000 bottle of Glenfiddich?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Canada; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 04/25/2013 8:12:31 AM PDT by Squawk 8888
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To: Clive; exg; Alberta's Child; albertabound; AntiKev; backhoe; Byron_the_Aussie; Cannoneer No. 4; ...
To all- please ping me to Canadian topics.

Canada Ping!

2 posted on 04/25/2013 8:14:46 AM PDT by Squawk 8888 (True North- Strong Leader, Strong Dollar, Strong and Free!)
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To: Squawk 8888

After the first shot, they all taste the same. At least that was my experience when I was an imbiber.


3 posted on 04/25/2013 8:33:23 AM PDT by Parmy
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To: Squawk 8888

Ontari-airi-ferri-o.

Glad I moved to Alberta in 1992. She used to be known as ‘Ontario the Good’. Not so much now. Too many leftists and ROP terrorist types.


4 posted on 04/25/2013 8:38:24 AM PDT by A Formerly Proud Canadian (I once was lost but now I'm found; blind but now I see.)
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To: Squawk 8888

Pennsylvania has been talking about this for at least forty years. Never seem to have the guts to pull the trigger on it though. The union representing the clerks and other vested interests always scare them off at the last second.

So who will go first? Ontario or Pennsylvania? And are we talking the 22nd. Century here?


5 posted on 04/25/2013 8:54:11 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Squawk 8888
Then we have the threat of a strike by LCBO workers. They’ve already voted 95% in favour of a strike and set a deadline of May 17 — the day before the long Victoria Day weekend.

Dartman shops at the Beer Store. He's happy.

6 posted on 04/25/2013 5:32:01 PM PDT by Dartman (Mubarak and Gaddafi are going to look like choirboys when this is over)
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To: Dartman

Ditto, there and Wine Rack for me.


7 posted on 04/25/2013 7:00:35 PM PDT by Squawk 8888 (True North- Strong Leader, Strong Dollar, Strong and Free!)
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To: Squawk 8888
“There’s a lot of time between now and May 17 in terms of negotiations,” Kathleen Wynne said. “That’s a lifetime”

Biache!

Also, a lot of you city people don't know us country folks have had local convenience stores selling beer/liquor for the last 4 or 5 years.
Yes. In Ontario. We can stop for beer, gas, smokes, bread, and a coffee at one place. You can't do that in Toronto without going to two different stores.

8 posted on 04/26/2013 4:39:32 PM PDT by fanfan ("If Muslim kids were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war.")
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To: fanfan

Ontareeoo started doing that 25 years ago. Before 416 was built, from Ottawa, I would often visit family North of Smiths Falls, ON. There was a small convenience store in a village called North Gower (now a part of the City of Ottawa) that sold beer. Not being a wine or spirits drinker at the time, I’m not certain they sold these products. It was much quicker to buy there than to wait in line at the Brewer’s Retail (aka Beer Store) to make a purchase.


9 posted on 04/27/2013 2:00:32 PM PDT by A Formerly Proud Canadian (I once was lost but now I'm found; blind but now I see.)
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To: A Formerly Proud Canadian

Ontareeoo

Lol! Ontarierierio! Remember this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsfFlMG33Qw
Ignore the first 13 seconds.

Interesting. I have never lived far enough away from a city to know about those places. I’m about 1/2 hrs drive from the nearest LCBO, or beer store, so they opened up one convenience store in each area. There are 3 within a 15 min. drive now.


10 posted on 04/27/2013 2:37:16 PM PDT by fanfan ("If Muslim kids were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war.")
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To: A Formerly Proud Canadian

Ontari-airi-ferri-o.

LOL!


11 posted on 04/27/2013 2:38:47 PM PDT by fanfan ("If Muslim kids were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war.")
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To: fanfan
I remember that song. I was six when that came out. Here's some more schmaltz for ya! We should save it for Canada Dominion Day!

Ca-Na-Da! Bobby Gimby

Unfortunately, after 'Buttermilk' Bill Davis and Turd-owe, Ontario and Canada have gone downhill. All the pro-Sodomism, pro-Mohamedism and socialism, especially in ON makes me ill. I do however, miss the family, lakes, trees, etc. back there, but Calgary is home. Our so-called 'Conservative' government (AB), is really Liberal!

12 posted on 04/27/2013 7:17:47 PM PDT by A Formerly Proud Canadian (I once was lost but now I'm found; blind but now I see.)
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To: A Formerly Proud Canadian
Man, wasn't it exciting back then? I was 6, and the whole country was singing.

Multiculturalism has turned Toronto, and much of southern Ontario into what most Canadians would consider a foreign country. We have surrendered Canadian culture. Without a single bullet.

According to a United Nations report, Toronto has the second-highest proportion of immigrants in the world (over half were born outside Canada), after Miami, Florida. Toronto's however reflect a much more diverse cultural & linguistic mix, with a tranquility and tolerance that is the hallmark of Canadian society. 1 on 6 Scarbough residence is Chinese, 1 in 6 is South Asian, 1 in 10 is black. These immigrants have clustered into vibrant multicultural localesaround Scarborough, including a Chinatown in Agincourt, and the major throughfares all feature Caribbean, Chinese and Halal restaurants and shops.

http://scarborough.foundlocally.com/local/Info-CityHistoryPostWWIIgrowth.htm

13 posted on 04/30/2013 6:45:39 PM PDT by fanfan ("If Muslim kids were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war.")
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To: fanfan

I am your age and I remember taking a Colonial Coach bus from Ottawa to Montreal with my parents and our church, to see Expo 67. The bus did not have a toilet, as I think buses were only just starting to be equiped with toilets. Expo was fun, as I recall. I recall eating lunch at the Swiss Pavillion and having a Swiss cheese sandwich, the first time I had eaten anything but cheddar. As an adult, I now look at it as the last good year, the year before Turd-owe became PM.

Some immigrants are OK. I live in near Forest Lawn, on the SE side of Calgary, a lower to lower middle class community and there are lots of immigrants. Generally, Phillipinos are very friendly and helpful and work VERY hard! Most Africans are the same, they appreciate Canada much more than we do, especially knowing that they WILL have a next meal. Most of these Africans are Christians, escaping from Muslim persecution or war and famine. Chinese are OK, though not neccessarily as friendly as Phillipinos. The only troublesome ones seem to be lighter skinned Muslims, such as Northern African (Arabs) and Eastern-Eurpoean/Western Asian; and of course, Jamaicans and Haitians.

I appreciate the ones who take advantage of skills training our government provides and who make something of themselves, contributing tax dollars. The ones who milk the system, living on welfare, not contributing and even complaining, I would prefer to give them one-way plane tickets back to to their much warmer homelands. There is a real correlation between high percentage Christian countries and the friendliness/helpfulness/contribution of the immigrant.


14 posted on 04/30/2013 9:31:16 PM PDT by A Formerly Proud Canadian (I once was lost but now I'm found; blind but now I see.)
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