ST Alpha - "Why should the gov't still be involved in the sale of liquor? You need a reason beyond, "It makes money."" (Reading a Post)

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In response to "I hate that Ontario is thinking about selling the LCBO (liquor control board). It *makes* the province about $1.5B a year. Selling it is very short " by zork

Why should the gov't still be involved in the sale of liquor? You need a reason beyond, "It makes money."

Posted by Name Withheld By Request (aka BlueKopo) Dec 22 '09, 11:51

Gov't needs a valid purpose for being in any sector, otherwise, what's the point? There was a similar debate about that here a month ago when the City of Winnipeg sold a parkade for $27M even though it "makes" (there was some question on gross or net) $1.5M/year.

Sure it is an earner, but if "It's profitable" was the only criteria for gov't invovlement, then why shouldn't the province open up a chain of Tim Hortons and collect all the sweet sweet donut loot that follows?

Responses:

I prefer that liquor sales not be in the hands of someone who is purely motivated by profit and is more likely to turn down intoxicated shoppers. plus - zork Dec 22, 12:01 2
- Let's think about this one a little bit: One situation in two settings.... - Name Withheld By Request Dec 22, 12:06 1
  - you are missing something though, in private enterprise, those small stores are usually run by the owners... - Elf Andie Dec 22, 12:12
i would be totally fine with the government opening up a Tim Hortons if it was well managed. -- nm - Elf Andie Dec 22, 11:57 5
- You don't think that's a little outside the mandate given a government by the constitution? -- nm - Name Withheld By Request Dec 22, 12:01 3
  - it is, i suppose, but governments invest in all sorts of things to make money, why not just a simple business? -- nm - Elf Andie Dec 22, 12:03 1
    - Because typically there's another underlying philosophy behind it. (Think: "We're getting more jobs/investing where the private sector wouldn't.") -- nm - Name Withheld By Request Dec 22, 12:08
  - You'll beg the Queen for your Crown Royal, or you'll GTFO. -- nm - Beryllium Dec 22, 12:02
- I would be fine with the goverment opening up a Tim Hortons that was badly managed, just to watch the documentary about it. -- nm - Beryllium Dec 22, 11:58
There's a lot of evidence that it's reduced costs and increased selection for Ontario. - Reagen Dec 22, 11:54 10
- There's been more than a few studies suggesting otherwise as well, so it's a point of debate, but I'm talking about the underlying belief system... - Name Withheld By Request Dec 22, 11:58 8
  - I'm with Andie. If it's efficiently run, I don't see the problem. -- nm - Reagen Dec 22, 12:00
  - Why should Doctors be the only ones who can prescribe morphine and heroin? -- nm - Beryllium Dec 22, 12:00 3
    - Because they are trained and knowledgable about the proper administrating and dosage of them? -- nm - Name Withheld By Request Dec 22, 12:02 2
      - and you've heard of "alcohol poisoning", right? -- nm - Beryllium Dec 22, 12:03 1
        
        Of course I have, but 99% of the people who serve alcohol in Ontario are not government workers. - Name Withheld By Request Dec 22, 12:10
  - because it is a less painful way for the government to make money and not raise taxes? -- nm - TFox Dec 22, 11:59 2
    - They can tax alcohol sales -- nm - Roger More Dec 22, 12:01 1
      - they still do. They keep the taxes *and* the profits -- nm - zork Dec 22, 12:04
- Though whenever I go to Quebec, I always bring back several bottles of wines etc, because I find the variety there is much better - Roger More Dec 22, 11:58
To clarify: That's the *retail* side of liquor I'm speaking on. Even I believe some regulatory powers are needed. -- nm - Name Withheld By Request Dec 22, 11:53
Why shouldn't it? Crown corporations rock! -- nm - Mop (229 lbs) Dec 22, 11:52 1
- They do. (*curses the death of BC Tel and the privatization of Petro Canada*) heheh -- nm - Beryllium Dec 22, 12:01

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Why should the gov't still be involved in the sale of liquor? You need a reason beyond, "It makes money."

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