The Bar Towel

Belgian wrote:

pootz wrote:We want free access to things like vitamin therapies and rare beers because we as typical Canadians are thoughtful and selective, not because we are on a Drano-sucking bender to self destruction.

Speak for yourself.

borderline_alcoholic wrote:

Belgian wrote:

pootz wrote:We want free access to things like vitamin therapies and rare beers because we as typical Canadians are thoughtful and selective, not because we are on a Drano-sucking bender to self destruction.

Speak for yourself.

I always do....

but in this case you're quoting someone else

It's hard to say where practical action leaves off and lunatic belief in one's ability to change the world begins.

Seems fairly clear to me...you are the consumer of everything from toothpaste to government services....if you figure you're not getting value in the private sector you change brands/vendors/manufacturers.

If you figure the government service is to monolithic and limiting for your tastes agitate to privatise it...then vote with your dollars.

If this was a true demand economy it would be simple. But in a mixed economy it's still pretty obvious what you have to do when you feel a marketing system is inadequate for your wants.

Yes we can email and write letters and demonstrate; really overcoming the thick-headed establishment may take a lot more clever media-based strategy.

Street politik gets you nowhere and abusive letter witing and baiting gets you on a loon list somewhere and ignored by the established order.....the best strategy is to make requests and threaten their security upon default...all in a very diplomatic way. In this case it seems the best way to damage a monolithic retail monopoly is to threaten to vote with your dollars as they migrate to a vendor who will service your demands....If you're motivated the LCBO really isn't a monopoly.... shop abroad and import....lots of options. Eventually the established order gets the message that revenue is migrating as complaints to politicians are escallating. The other option is the fetal position and Kum-by-ah mantra chanting and faith in magic.

The choice is yours...change is never driven by the establishment it comes from end user activism.

Michael Moore may be kind of a pinhead sometimes but he can make a lot of people uncomfortable who really deserve to be. That takes a shewd approach.

I wouldn't call a rumor peddler whoring his credibility for a couple of cheap movies "shrewd". I wouldn't call making people uncomfortable by lying about them a good business practice or a template to get them to change to your way of thinking.

Direct activism is always responded to ...in this case let your purchasing power be the hammer.

Common sense is the most uncommon sense. If someone puts a roadblock in your way, go around it. Pissing and moaning never helped anyone and. quite frankly, I enjoy a challenge. Had enough? Mob rules and so does the Liberal government. Work with it and bypass as you see fit.

Salut Steve

"shop abroad and import"??? Every bottle of alcohol coming into the province "legally" is subject to all the same duties, taxes and LCBO mark-ups that anything on the shelf is so you're just putting more money in their pockets without them even having to bother with retailing the stuff...that's certainly not an answer.

esprit wrote:"shop abroad and import"??? Every bottle of alcohol coming into the province "legally" is subject to all the same duties, taxes and LCBO mark-ups that anything on the shelf is so you're just putting more money in their pockets without them even having to bother with retailing the stuff...that's certainly not an answer.

It's less on personal import declarations. I'm buying as much beer in NY, Mich, OH and Quebec as I buy here...locally I buy craft tap beer but a larger portion of my bottled beer is imported by myself or friends. And of course Esprit Agencies

Buying import sends a message to the monolithic brewing industry here that continues to market sleaze...If it hurts them it hurts their cronies in the government and it's agencies. I may pay tax but I did not pay for their goods.

As I said earlier the best way to hurt the LCBO is constant complaints to the exec of poor selection and high prices....agitate for privatization..even if it never happens it will light a fire under some lethargic butts and they may get more creative to quell the noise.

The other way to go in a sirt of 2 proned attack is to agitate and petition government to open up to private enterprise the buisness that the LCBO can't/won't service.

As an individual I'd be happy if for a few bucks I could buy a licence to do personal imports for my own use....what will that cost them? If the LCBO and provincial import laws do not allow the goods I require to be sold retail allow me to import them myself for personal use.

On a larger scale enterpreneurs should lobby to open retail and distribution for the things the LCBO won't/can't import and shelve...allow them the risk and the profit.

Our agents' association submission to the panel examining the alcohol beverage industry included a recommendation for 40-50 private stores to be allowed to operate in the province. Frankly, I don't for a second believe that this is going to happen but the thought of a few well placed stores in Toronto, Ottawa, London which could carry all of the beers which the LCBO doesn't want makes my mouth water...not so much as an agent but as a beer lover.

esprit wrote:Our agents' association submission to the panel examining the alcohol beverage industry included a recommendation for 40-50 private stores to be allowed to operate in the province. Frankly, I don't for a second believe that this is going to happen but the thought of a few well placed stores in Toronto, Ottawa, London which could carry all of the beers which the LCBO doesn't want makes my mouth water...not so much as an agent but as a beer lover.

You've done more than you can know...Repealing this massive control Bureaucracy and monopoly on retail will be done in incriments....but it wouldn't have hurt to publicize your initiative to special interests and have some interested consumer assn's give support with petitions or letters to MPd ot agnecy execs. Bar towlers and RBians here's the opportunity to make your voice known.

I prey you get what you want...we'll all benefit....do you ahev a contact name or dept. that would be a good place to send personal letters an a petition?

Interested parties should be referred on to the website established for the Beverage Alcohol System Review Panel -- www.beveragealcoholreview.on.ca.

The Review Panel was inviting direct online feedback from all stakeholders through info@beveragealcoholreview.on.ca. While the official deadline for comments has passed (it was March 4, but was then extended a couple of weeks to give social responsibility groups time to mobilize), this e-mail link feeds directly to the Review Panel’s Executive Director, Larry Clay. We encourage consumers to pass on their thoughts. It will likely be June before a report is issued by the Panel.

esprit wrote:Interested parties should be referred on to the website established for the Beverage Alcohol System Review Panel -- www.beveragealcoholreview.on.ca.

The Review Panel was inviting direct online feedback from all stakeholders through info@beveragealcoholreview.on.ca. While the official deadline for comments has passed (it was March 4, but was then extended a couple of weeks to give social responsibility groups time to mobilize), this e-mail link feeds directly to the Review Panel’s Executive Director, Larry Clay. We encourage consumers to pass on their thoughts. It will likely be June before a report is issued by the Panel.

This is important info Peter...maybe ot should have it's own thread.

Also take the mail link and redistribute to all who want access to provate bottle shops.