Due to the nature of summertime and all the outdoor activities and travel opportunities it brings with it, I have not updated this blog for several months.
Now, as most of us return to our every day routines of regular work, school, etc., it’s time to make everyone aware of what matters and is important to us as stakeholders in the consumer-made wine world.
Most of my recent articles have focused on the trials & tribulations of Ross Harrington and his efforts to introduce in-store winery services to Nova Scotia. Since there was no closure on this issue at the time of my last article, I will bring you up to date on this seemingly never-ending topic. Hopefully it will be the last (but probably not).
If you have read my June article, you are aware that Ross Harrington was charged and found guilty of “Selling alcohol without a license.” As previously noted, the judge clearly indicated that her decision was not based on the in-store winery services provided by Mr. Harrington, but solely on the definition of alcohol contained in the Nova Scotia Liquor Act. In her opinion, this broad definition of alcohol deems a wine kit as alcohol.
Since that time, numerous Nova Scotia consumer-made wine retailers have written our provincial government requesting this definition of alcohol be changed to exclude wine & beer kits and prevent every Nova Scotia retailer from breaking the law each time they sell a wine or beer kit. In what seems to be its haste to make things right, the NS government, without first consulting with NS industry stakeholders, directed the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation to issue a permit to retailers who sell wine & beer kits.
Needless to say this band-aid decision does not sit well with any NS retailers I do business with. Current feedback is that most NS retailers will not be applying for this permit. There are many reasons for this stand. First and foremost we are being asked to apply for a non-legislated liquor permit to sell a product which is not liquor. Furthermore, we simply do not want the NSLC delving into our business. This year’s permit fee is a nominal $15. What will it be next year? What will be the criteria for permit renewal in future years? Now that wine & beer kits are considered alcohol, will they be taxed accordingly? Will wine & beer kits soon be available on NSLC store shelves? This permit raises numerous other issues but these are our main concerns.
Our objective remains two-fold. First, convince our provincial government to change the definition of alcohol under the Nova Scotia Liquor Act. Second, introduce in-store winery services to Nova Scotia, hence, employ fellow Nova Scotians, collect taxes and provide Nova Scotia wine consumers with the same services available in many other Canadian provinces.
One fellow retailer has already taken steps in this direction.
On August 19th, Ross Harrington was sentenced to a $301 fine for the above mentioned charge. It took two-and-a-half-years, police resources, lawyers, judges, court time and far, far too much money spent by far too many people including NS taxpayers to reach this point. I guess these are the types of things that can happen when non-elected bureaucrats go on power trips.
Until next time,
~ Blair
Recently:
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009