‘I thought Albertans would have appreciated a more open approach to liquor,’ says Dale Nally, the minister on cutting red tape
Premier Danielle Smith still thinks it is a hell of an idea.
So does Dale Nally, her main man on cutting red tape.
But the Smith government now says it’s not happening, in part, because they think most Albertans do not want beer and wine and ready-to-drink cocktails and coolers sold in convenience stores and grocery stores.
Nally confirms Smith made it clear. She liked the idea as Ontario Premier Doug Ford also liked the idea and was making it happen in that province.
“There is no light between us. We will always default to a free and open market.”
Not this time.
“I thought Albertans would have appreciated a more open approach to liquor,” says Nally.
To show you how much he likes the free and open approach, Nally talks about being in Texas last year and looking up a place called Rudy’s Bar-B-Q.
“I got there. It was a gas station that had some of the best barbecue I’ve ever had. They had a liquor store in there. They had a complete convenience store. It was a one-stop shop for gas, liquor, cigarettes and barbecue.
“I just loved it.”
Nally says Smith wanted him to take a look at loosening up the rules here in Alberta so some UCP politicians were picked to go out and find out where people in the province stood on the question.
Liquor stores, of course, hated it. They were “adamant,” says Nally.
Many grocery stores didn’t want it, according to Nally, like those grocery stores owning a liquor store next door to them.
The public?
Nally was a little surprised.
“It was overwhelming that Albertans did not want to proceed in that direction.”
If you say so.
The minister for red tape reduction said those opposed felt there were already lots of liquor stores.
“They weren’t being teetotallers in any way, suggesting we need less access to liquor. They seemed to feel we had good access.”
The decision does not stop what’s happening in one chain of convenience stores in Alberta.
“What we have set up at 7-Eleven, that’s not going away,” says Nally.
“7-Eleven has 14 coffee shops in Alberta and you can go in there, get a beer and you can get one to go if you want. That’s not going to change.
“I’m hearing it’s going well and I wouldn’t be surprised if they did more.”
Nally even put out a video on social media of him in a 7-Eleven having chicken wings and a Crispy Tall Bois beer with his pal Larry.
The cabinet minister says Albertans were consulted but he didn’t have the number of how many in front of him.
The provincial government asked whether they should massage the current system.
“What we heard loud and clear was the answer No.”
There is a report on what the UCP politicians heard.
It is not going to be made public.
Nally says those involved in talking to the provincial government were told the report would not be public so “they could have more of a frank conversation with us.”
Had to ask the question since we’re not seeing the facts and the figures.
How much would a liquor store really suffer because a convenience store sells cans of beer and some coolers?
“I cannot disagree with you. Our decision was based on what Albertans told us.”
As for Smith, I can still recall the Christmas interview.
The premier spoke favourably about Quebec’s more open beer and wine sales.
She spoke of the convenience of buying some alcohol in a convenience store or grocery store.
“If people want to buy some beer, want to buy some wine and they’re of age, why not allow them to do that?”
But it is not to be.
Nally says “the premier does not arbitrarily make decisions.”
“She listens to Albertans. It was quite clear. There was no wide-scale support to go ahead.”
The interview over, we get the notice.
Nally is off to Las Vegas to attend the world’s leading casino exhibition to advance Alberta’s vision for an open online gambling market.
You win some, you lose some.