https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies

‏ @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos@Kathryn98967631 and 49 others
Methinks all supporters of SANB and "Canada"s Natural Governing Party" truly believe that they are entitled to their entitlements N'esy Pas?

https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/03/cannabis-liquor-stores-best-kept-out-of.html

#nbpoli#cdnpoli

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-liqour-cannabis-crown-corporation-1.5037310

Cannabis, liquor stores best kept out of private sector, say Liberals, Greens

152 Comments

Commenting is now closed for this story.

Travis Thériault

Let's be real here; the only reason Kris Austin and the PANB care about and want ANBL privatized is because their party and their supporters get triggered every time they're greeted with "Hello/Bonjour".

Arnold Stone

who privatized health care, who tried to sell NB Power to Quebec, how about ambulance NB, the list goes on and on, who else but the Liberals, I am not saying it is the right thing to do but the Liberals complaining, about it, it is like a pig rolling in :::: and complaining about the smell.

David Amos

@Arnold Stone All the political parties are in on the wicked game

Shawn McShane

Every province is in debt. When any provincial crown corporation makes profits the government du jour raids those revenues to balance their budget. Then they raise the rates and they get raided again. When the debt at the crown corp gets big enough to cause public outrage due to rate increases they wash their hands of it and sell it then those governent du jours get a cush job at the privatized corporation. Keep your eye on NB Power...and the CEO.

David Amos

@Shawn McShane Ask yourself why the EUB just barred me from another rate increase hearing

Jason Inness

Why is it so many people are against this idea? It is not the job of government to take our tax dollars and give large wages and benefits to some citizens. The job of government is to provide SERVICES with our tax dollars. Any wonder we are in such a mess. People think that the answer to everything in this province is more government, more tax, more granny state telling us what to do.

The most ironic part is... government does NOTHING well. It is barely functional. We get better service at WalMart than the government.

David Amos

@Jason Inness Why not run for public office like I do? At least you can get to embarrass them now an then Maybe someday enough folks will quit voting for the crooks..

David Amos

The political parties and their media buddies did not have enough sand to talk to me during six elections thus far Hence whatever they say in the media between elections should be irrelevant to me except I cannot ignore humourous entertainment factor That why I often say Welcome to the Circus

Seamus O'hern

@David Amos ...thank You Sir...."my kind" never feel welcomed...

David Amos

@Seamus O'hern Enjoy the show Pass the popcorn and I will share my peanuts

David Amos

@David Amos FYI I you wish a good chuckle Google 3 words

Fundy Royal Debate

Seamus O'hern

@David Amos ...I have in the past, thank you. I live in two Canadian provinces at the best of time...but the "Arkansas of Canada"(NB) has learned well how to manipulate NBer's, just like their neighbour does to CANADIANS.... me thinks.

David Amos

@Seamus O'hern Methinks that I am living proof that the FBI and the RCMP/GRC know that not all of us are easily manipulated

If you were to Google David Amos Sussex RCMP then David Amos Wiretap I am certain that you will enjoy the Circus some more N'esy Pas?

Seamus O'hern

@David Amos ...will do...thank you

William Reed

This sort of despicable attitude that wants to treat everything that is collectively owned as something that should be in the hands of select private citizens is the cause of our greatest societal problems. You end up with monopolies and billionaires when the private sector seizes the profits. With the proceeds they then buy up government by funding parties they shape ideologically that further the rot. For crying out loud, deny the richest more revenue streams before they are owners of absolutely everything. It's already getting there when a fraction of a percent of the population has more than 70% of us. They won't want to pay tax on any profit they make, and you' ll not be able to afford to prosecute them.

David Amos

@William Reed "They won't want to pay tax on any profit they make, and you' ll not be able to afford to prosecute them"

Nay not so

David Peters

@William Reed

Ban monopolies and break up the ones that exist. Then let free market competition handle it.

Changing from one form of monopoly to another only helps a select few.

David Stairs

isn't it funny how we continue to keep our heads in the sand..let's not move forward like all other provinces..let's just keep going in the hole for spite...wow....the Liberals have already proven that they cannot run this province anywhere, except into debt...it's time for a new approach...and oh yea..let's start being democratic and let the majority have control...no more special interest B.S.

William Reed

@David Stairs

Alward ran this government into debt to the tune of an 800 million dollar deficit with Higgs as his minister of finance. The Liberals pared it down to what, 160 million? This is the same old exact tactic that the right does in the US--attack the other side for what it does and never stop repeating it. It should be noted that much of the debt incurred during the Cons years went to tax breaks to special interest. No effort was made to address revenues. It took the Liberals to come in and address that with what is the least attractive of all options when special interests are getting tax breaks. We had to all pay more sales tax to make that up.

David Amos

@David Stairs "no more special interest B.S"

Good luck with that

Seamus O'hern

@William Reed ....and what flavour kool-aid is your favourite.??..lol

Rosco holt

@Seamus O'hern
Let me guess yours?
Blue....

James Reed

@William Reed

Are you serious - Graham a liberal, inherited a government that had run a surplus for 5 of the 7 years in office and had paid down the debt or debt was smaller than when they took office - Graham ran 750 and 800 million dollars deficits his last two years in office... Alward trimmed that down 250 million dollars his first year but couldn't eliminate the deficit... he was back up to 500 million by the end of his term, which is still 300 million less than the previous Liberal government. Part of the problem was the structural deficit created by Graham... the civil service jumped from 46,700 to 48,700 a 2000 employee increase in just two years.

Seamus O'hern

@Rosco holt ....nope....Shamrock Green....meaning, I go with what may be the best at the given time and you know that's not easy, because of the given options usually....I never win.

Bob Smith

Perhaps the Green Party should announce that they are merging with the Liberal party to speak on environmental issues mostly. The Greens don't seem to function well either provincially or federally without the Liberals helping or instructing them.

William Reed

@Bob Smith

Save your complaining for when we have Green governments. It won't happen soon enough. If the Liberals are paying attention they will move to be the Greens of the future by another name. The Green party is a party pd social responsibility that couldn't care less about what individualists see as best for them.

David Amos

@William Reed Dream on

Arnold Stone

@William Reed the green's want to control how much we drive, by raising taxes on gas, what we eat by adding 20 cents per liter on sugared beverages, so after that what is next, anything they think is not good for us,

Lou Bell

Liberals , more gov't jobs, more higher paying jobs to their SANB base.

David Amos

@Lou Bell YUP

Seamus O'hern

@Lou Bell ...absolutely....truthyness hurts ...

Pierre Cyr

Funny that Chris Austin wants to see hundreds of good paying jobs become minimum wage no benefit and thus taxpayer subsidized jobs for the private for profit sector when he complained his wife was starving at 13$ an hour in homecare and that homecare workers needed a good raise. That was on Terry Seguin's radio show last year. Lets hope his wife decides to get into retail work.

Dave Peters

@Pierre Cyr Wow, personal attack on the Austin family, attack the private sector mom & pop shops. Did you leave anyone out. :(

Jef Cronkhite

@Pierre Cyr So, you would rather see unskilled people overpaid at our expense, rather than allowing small business people to make a bit of profit? No one handing out booze DESERVES to make over $20/hour as a base wage!! Some good servers may average that much, with tips factored in, but those people have to work VERY hard. How hard do NB Liquor employees have to work?
Let me guess, you're in a union job, aren't you?? I can practically SMELL the entitlement......

Rosco holt

@Jef Cronkhite
You prefer paying more in taxes, have services cut, so you friends in the private sector can fleece NBers.

Lou Bell

@Jef Cronkhite Pete, Marc , and Maggie , the smell of entitlement from all 3.

Colin Seeley

@Lou Bell

Comment of the day.

Marc Martin

@Pierre Cyr

Exactly well said, but what do you expect with someone who has no experience in any finance department.

Marc Martin

@Dave Peters

Maybe it is but its actually true.

Marc Martin

@Jef Cronkhite

*you would rather see unskilled people overpaid at our expense*

The salary they are paid is going back into the economy unlike if it was private with the minimum salary.

*rather than allowing small business people to make a bit of profit?*

NB Liquor made a total profit of 150 $$ last year after all expenses and that's not even counting the taxe revenue...Are you saying the small business owners will re-invest 150 million in our economy ?

Marc Martin

@Rosco holt

Exactly

David Amos

@Lou Bell Methinks all supporters of SANB and "Canada"s Natural Governing Party" truly believe that they are entitled to their entitlements N'esy Pas?

Seamus O'hern

@Marc Martin ...class act as usual

Seamus O'hern

@Colin Seeley ....indeed

Marc Martin

The government will never sell it only profitable crown corporation to satiny a few alcoholics in NB.

David Amos

@Marc Martin Methinks everybody knows they won't do it because of your Union N'esy Pas?

Rosco holt

@Marc Martin
It's the reason why government will sell.

Marc Martin

@David Amos

You seem to have a problem with unions Davis, maybe you should have gotten an education like I did ?

Seamus O'hern

@Marc Martin ...you certainly don't carry yourself as "educated"...edgemacated maybe....

Mario Doucet

Cannabis NB will never turn a profit.

Colin Seeley

@Mario Doucet

Agreed. Too much overhead. Too much staff and too many stores for the market.

There are 20 stores.

Close 10 .

David Amos

@Mario Doucet How can they not?

Mario Doucet

SANB has spoken, got to keep those civil service jobs no matter what even if the government is losing money.

Marc Martin

@Mario Doucet

The problem is they are not losing money at al, NB Liquor total profit after all expenses 150 million and that's not even taking into account the taxe they got on top of this.

Dave Peters

@Marc Martin Why is it that money is better in the hands of government than the private sector. Do you always bite the hand that feeds you.

Rosco holt

@Dave Peters
Because it's money that you'll know will stay in the province and it helps to pay for services such has healthcare and education.

Marc Martin

@Dave Peters

That 150 million is going to several provincial department including health and education , are you saying that the small business industry will be investing that money into our economy instead of buying bigger cars and houses ?? We know where your kind stands..

*Do you always bite the hand that feeds you.*

By the way none of them feed me, I have work hard all my life over 30 years by the way.

James Reed

@Marc Martin

the gross profit on sales is about 420 million, the actual product only costs 190 million, so government's mark up is about 230 million on the product. They have other sales and revenue in there so they give about 170 million back to the province. Their administrative costs are actually about 70 million. That's where the argument for privatization comes in - it would not cost the private sector 70 million to run these stores... the cost of the front line staff, although the greatest expense is only 21 million - and that's at a starting salary of $19.40. The argument is that there may be a more efficient way than to run this sector. Under the current model there is no incentive to innovate - in Alberta they saw thousands of new products being brought in mostly in wine a specialty spirits which have a much higher profit margin. In Alberta every private vendor buys their product from the government, which is still marked up.

David Amos

@Mario Doucet "SANB has spoken"

Don't they always?

Seamus O'hern

@Marc Martin ....bahahaha....

Rosco holt

@James Reed
So you want to sacrifice 170 mil because of what the employees gets paid?

The province will get allot less from the private sector.

Guess where the government will get the money that they're missing?

Nicolas Krinis

@Rosco holt Both pretty much in disarray. Have you seen the scores of our kids compared to others across Canada? As for healthcare Soviet style, our outcomes are getting worse every year.

Nicolas Krinis

@Rosco holt NB Power?

Marc Martin

@James Reed

This is all about the greed of a few privateers who wants a piece of the pie, and then the government will have to compensate by taxing us elsewhere, we are not in Alberta by the way we don't have the same population if you have not noticed.

Marguerite Deschamps

Shouldn't the good pastor be against all these vices, period?

Rosco holt

@Marguerite Deschamps
He is a failed pastor.

Dan Lee

@Rosco holt
A wanna be............

Lou Bell

@Marguerite Deschamps So you want to mix government and religion !!

Marc Martin

@Lou Bell

Who rang your bell ?

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps Methinks even you must admit that you have not met a pastor or a politician who did not love money and Austin is both N'esy Pas?

Dan Lee

@David Amos
Austin loved the collection plate

Seamus O'hern

@Dan Lee ...so he does have something in common with the sanb....

Seamus O'hern

@Marc Martin ....Your Kind....

Marc Martin

@Seamus O'hern

My kind is the best around, there should be more of me in NB and less of you.

David Amos

@Marc Martin "My kind is the best around, there should be more of me in NB and less of you"

Hmmmm

Seamus O'hern

@David Amos ....says a lot.

Jarrod Yeo

As a consumer, privatization sounds great - competition generally drives innovation, better value, etc. As it stands I find prices to be more nauseating than the booze itself.

But on the other hand, the greater availability of alcohol (and other controlled substances, probably) is causally associated with increased consumption. Violence, drunk driving, domestic abuse and a laundry list of health problems are just some of the things that happen when we increase the number of outlets where alcohol is sold with longer hours of sale and an enhanced strong profit driven interest in the alcohol market.

There's balance in nature.

Barb Scott

@Jarrod Yeo how would you feel if the privatization had restricted hours? maybe booze and drug purchases only between 9am and 7pm. still a sensible restriction yet allowing small business (mom & pop shops) to share a piece of the pie.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Jarrod Yeo, you can't state this here, it makes too much sense.

Lou Bell

@Jarrod Yeo They're already there , whether you 've noticed or not !

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps "you can't state this here, it makes too much sense."

Since when did you care about anyone making sense or not?

Pierre LaRoches

@Jarrod Yeo Who says there needs to be more outlets? Who says they have to be open longer? The government can still regulate all those things when private industry runs something. Way less hassle, sit back and collect taxes.

Joseph Vacher

"Melanson also said Austin can't compare the two economies, since Alberta is larger and people have more disposable income."

Then why are the taxes and the cost higher in NB then the rest of the country if we are so poor

Shawn McShane

@Joseph Vacher We are so poor in NB BECAUSE we pay the highest taxes in Canada and have the lowest median income in Canada.

Rosco holt

@Joseph Vacher
"Then why are the taxes and the cost higher in NB then the rest of the country if we are so poor"
NB has the most seniors.

Wages are the lowest, while the cost of living is the same, if not hire in some instances.

Alberta's refineries pay more taxes, while here the refinery pays less tax than the Timmies that's close to it.

More government sweet generous deals to the private sector.

David Amos

@Joseph Vacher "Then why are the taxes and the cost higher in NB then the rest of the country if we are so poor"

Good question Can you understand what the crickets are trying to tell us?

Joseph Vacher

Dont let the government be your drug dealer

David Amos

@Joseph Vacher Methinks they already are N'esy Pas?

Evan Day

Sell NB Liquor and Cannabis NB. As for the "good jobs" argument, why should taxpayers pay someone almost double the going rate (i.e. 2 x minimum wage) to work what is basically a retail job? I'd rather the government direct my tax dollars into providing decent health care than paying someone $20 an hour to ring in my beer. As for the profits, there's no reason the government can't continue to collect tax on both products. It can also continue to regulate them to the same level they are now. Allowing ordinary retailers to sell cigarettes seems to work just fine, and they're arguably regulated more strongly than either alcohol or pot.

Marc Martin

@Evan Day

*As for the "good jobs" argument, why should taxpayers pay someone almost double the going rate*

Because last year after all expenses including these good paying jobs the government made a profit of 150 million and that is not counting taxes.

Beer is not a necessity but a privilege.

David Amos

@Evan Day I wholeheartedly agree

daryl doucette

@Evan Day 20 bucks an hour is peanuts. And the government takes back half of that in taxes. Let the poor working stiffs at the liquor stores keep their jobs. Leave them alone.

Shawn McShane

Are Albertan consumers better off after privatization? When it comes to prices a bottle of liquor is now being marked up twice. Albertans are worse off after two decades of privatization because they are paying higher prices at private liquor stores and the government is receiving less tax revenue. (But if you want a liquor store on every corner that pays minimum wage you can stumble up the street....)

-Liquor privatization: Did Albertans get what was promised? Edmonton Journal

James Reed

@Shawn McShane

I'm not arguing for privatization, I'm not sure that is the way to go - but if you read the methodology used to come up with the conclusion Alberta pay higher prices I think it's a little flawed... actual example, price of a bottle of a certain brand of vodka varies from $18 at the big retailers, loblaws to $28 for the same bottle in a small corner shop - the average price in Alberta is $23... that bottle is $22 on average in the rest of Canada... it ignores the fact many more bottles are purchased for $18 than for $28... and I think that in the study he only used 60 data points whereas immediately after he published that report someone ran the numbers with over 1000 samples and found the opposite to be true. That being said, there would be more stores in the south and people in the north would probably be paying higher process.

David Amos

@James Reed I wish folks cared so much about the price of cigarettes

Shawn McShane

@James Reed There is a big monopoly of private liquor stores in Alberta. They are the only ones that offer the cheaper prices because they can afford to buy bulk and have loss leaders. When the rest go bankrupt the price will go up. The same thing will happen in NB with Circle K Irving.

Gary MacKay

There is an excellent article in the TJ on this very subject (Feb 26). "Time to put NB Lqr. to pasture" the title says it all.

Tim Locke

@Gary MacKay I don't trust anything Irving says.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Gary MacKay, time to put the purple pastor to pasture, I say.

Rosco holt

@Gary MacKay
You miss the part were taxes would need to be raised to make up the short fall.

David Amos

@Gary MacKay Methinks Norbert Cunningham and the Irving Clan would have it no other way N'esy Pas?

"NB Liquor’s monopoly has long been a sore point for the public. An internal 2012 study – a "strategic review"– of whether privatization is desirable offered only crumbs to ease taxpayer pressure while making moves to protect its own jobs.

The news on Feb. 20, 2012 was that NB Liquor wasn’t privatizing, but was willing to give the private sector a larger role. The corporation argued, without sign of irony, that this would make it more profitable.

The report’s own numbers required considerable pretzel-like logic to reach its obviously foregone conclusion. Public servants seldom suggest their own jobs are unnecessary."

Shawn McShane

Frank Hood

I once was told: if private sector WANTS to buy something from public sector = money making machine. If they don't want a part of a government branch = 0$
So sale is immediate money in pocket of government but long term means we will need to pay more taxes to pay for other services such as hospitals. Funny no one from private sector is asking to buy hospitals or schools , wonder why, yet they are a necessity! let's think long term please!

David Amos

@Frank Hood I always do and look back as well. Methinks the government should oversee booze and dope but not sell the stuff just like they don't sell cigarettes but tax the hell out them anyway N'esy Pas?

Fred Brewer

@Frank Hood
Why not wait for the proof of which model puts more money into government coffers? Private or government?

Joshua Jackson

Thank you CBC for posting the podcast with the story this week at the same time. I know my comment last week might have been a little harsh to the person handling the content. I do hope you take my other recommendations to have a dedicated space on the CBC NB news page for the political panel, and start uploading the videos again. Thanks for listening.

David Amos

@Joshua Jackson Why not that them for editing things as well?

Richard Riel

Total control of taxes is at the forefront of this discussion.

David Amos

@Richard Riel Methinks everything political is always about the money N'esy Pas?

Paul Bourgoin

If political influence would be stopped at the Store door, Friends of Friends stopped at the Store Door, also an accurate accounting of what comes in the store and what leaves. The sold goods audits balances with the cash in the register at the end of the day. I am certain this could be a great source of revenue for New Brunswick. Also no Political Influence involvement in the store finances. A daily inventory and a weekly Auditor Inspection.

Marc Martin

@Paul Bourgoin

Corruption is everywhere, do you remember when Harper told the public he would cut 30 000 Federal jobs ? Well all these jobs he cut he had them contracted and paid more for the employees. Now the Federal service is a mess with the phenix fiasco and it will cots us billion.

Paul Bourgoin

@Marc Martin
You can thank Harper for the mess with the Phenix fiasco and for a long time!

Joseph Vacher

@Paul Bourgoin
the pay system that was designed by the cons, but put in force by the liberals after being advised that it had problems? yea....,

Marc Martin

@Joseph Vacher

WRONG , they had no choice to roll it out Harper already laid off over 2000 pay advisors across Canada, comment on thing you have knowledge about.

David Amos

@Marc Martin "Corruption is everywhere"

Methinks you should know N'esy Pas?

James Reed

@Marc Martin

actually Marc, the payroll clerks didn't get laid off until they started to switch to the new system, which took place in Feb 2016 - 4 or 5 months after the election. The first round of jobs cut did happen earlier, 700 payroll positions were transferred from various departments to NB - most people didn't want to move here so 550 new people had to be hired... this compounded the problem, because experience people were being replaced by new hires, but the elimination of the 2,700 payroll clerks happened later once they switched to the new system - which they were told had over 100 deficiencies in January, but they decided to go ahead with the initial roll out any way even after the problems in Feb, in April they then decided to decommission the old systems even though the problems were apparent - the Lib Minister at the time admitted this was a huge mistake.

Marc Martin

@David Amos

I'm sorry I dont only you do with all your conspiracies.

Marc Martin

@James Reed

* the payroll clerks didn't get laid off until they started to switch to the new system*

WRONG they went trough the Workforce adjustment years before that, they where notified of this way before 2016.

*most people didn't want to move here so 550 new people *

WRONG the center was suppose to run with less then 300 people, when the troubles started they went across Canada and ask all the Pay advisors if they wanted their job back most said NO, I know this because I know a bunch that works across NB and NC. Next time inform yourself more when it comes to government services.

Shawn McShane

daryl doucette

I disagree with Mr. Austin on this one. The folks that work at the liquor stores make a living wage and good benefits. Leave it be.

Marc Martin

@daryl doucette

We finally agree on something..

Evan Day

@daryl doucette Maybe the government should take over Walmart too? Maybe all the retail? Certainly those retail workers deserve a living wage and good benefits just as much...

Joseph Vacher

@daryl doucette

its a great time to be a bilingual cashier in NB

Marc Martin

@Joseph Vacher

All the ones I talk to in Fredericton are English bilingual, they took the time to learn maybe you should too.

David Amos

@daryl doucette I disagree Check how much money goes into Alberta's tax coffers sourced from alcohol, gambling and cigarettes without while private companies do most of the work.

Shawn McShane

Liquor stores were already there, the mistake was spending millions for stand alone pot stores, from what I have read NB charges the highest prices for the stuff and has supply issues.

Nova Scotia on the other hand put the pot in the already existing liquor stores.

daryl doucette

@Shawn McShane I agree. I wonder who built the cannabis stores, and how much the lease payments are to them?

Marc Martin

@Shawn McShane

I agree on this, I would have sold it at the liquor store also..

Graeme Scott

@Shawn McShane Separate issue to privatization but I agree. Building a chain of stand alone stores for pot was ridiculous. I wonder how much was spent and who got the money?

Colin Seeley

@Marc Martin

Agreed.

David Amos

@Graeme Scott Exactly

Jeff LeBlanc

Increase in social harms eh? Prove it. I don't buy that at all. It's not pot smokers breaking into your car or home or robbing stores looking for that next fix although Anne Berube would try to convince you otherwise. It is the devil's lettuce after all.

David Amos

@Jeff LeBlanc True

Richard Dunn

Let's get out of NB Liquor, Cannabis NB, NB Power and ALC.

The revenue from selling these would pay off a tremendous amount of our debt, and would also help to shrink the civil service and the related liability.

I trust that the current government will look closely at all of these options, and make informed decisions. We are a very small province and need to fix our financial situation.

David Amos

@Richard Dunn Oh So True

Joseph Pierre De Grandmont

Serious reviews of Government involvement in the private sector clearly show that
1- Government operations are generally ineffective, inefficient and more wasteful and costly.
2- Government operations should be limited to essential public needs like roads, health, etc...
3- Governments have no business competing against the private sector in this democracy.
4- Governments can impose controls by regulations far more effectively than by monopolizing sectors
5- Private enterprises must be responsive to the needs of the public or go bankrupt.
6- Private enterprises produce tax revenues with no up-front costs to the public purse.

Marc Martin

@Joseph Pierre De Grandmont

NB liquor made over 150 million last year after all costs and that's not counting the tax revenue.

Graeme Scott

@Marc Martin Not a particularly impressive feat when you have a monopoly.

Marc Martin

@Graeme Scott

150 miilons of profit even after they have paid all the good paying jobs associated to NB Liquor..150$ is not good ?? lol..How much would the private generate more ? Giving minimum salary with practically no benefits ?

Joseph Vacher

@Marc Martin revenue....... not profits. REvenue that was shelled back out to the employee's at double their worth

Marc Martin

@Joseph Vacher

NO its profit.

Rosco holt

@Joseph Vacher
When you check NBLiquor's government web page, it's 168.4 million in net profit, not revenue.

David Amos

@Graeme Scott True

Paul Bourgoin

Why sell the sacred cow when the problem is miss-management?

Rosco holt

@Paul Bourgoin
Government is mismanagement.

Paul Bourgoin

@Rosco holt
There you go Rosco you got it!

David Amos

@Rosco holt BINGO

Colin Seeley

Social Responsibilty they say. About buying a beer in a grocery store.

Lol.

David Amos

@Colin Seeley Who cares?

Fred Brewer

Yup. We live in NB where nothing ever changes. We are soooo afraid of change.

Jeff LeBlanc

@Fred Brewer remember how long it took to get Sunday shopping? In NB we like our things run by big brother and our stores closed!

David Amos

@Fred Brewer YUP

Nicholas Dippler

@Fred Brewer I think most residents understand the adage: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Aren't there more meaningful things to look at then our booze and weed in this province?

I'd guess this is just an agenda of the money behind the political parties. Another way to bilk the provincial taxpayer of more money, and cash in on the investment of supporting whatever party they wanted in power.

I'm not sure this is for the people.

Fred Brewer

@Nicholas Dippler
" I think most residents understand the adage: If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

And I think most residents would agree that insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

But more to the point. NB Liquor and Cannabis NB are broke, and are in need of fixing as far as I am concerned.

Cannabis, liquor stores best kept out of private sector, say Liberals, Greens

Kris Austin suggests higher tax to make up for lost revenue under the private system he wants

CBC News· Posted: Feb 28, 2019 7:07 PM AT

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin said he's already brought up his privatization idea with the Progressive Conservative government. (CBC)

Listen to the full CBC New Brunswick Political Panel podcast by downloading from the CBC Podcast page or subscribing to the podcast in iTunes.

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin met pushback from other opposition parties Thursday over his call to privatize liquor and cannabis sales.

On the CBC's New Brunswick Political Panel, Austin argued that reducing the overhead for distributing liquor and cannabis could allow government to spend less and still make money from selling those products by "adjusting" the sales taxes.

But Liberal MLA Roger Melanson and Green MLA Kevin Arseneau argued the revenue coming from NB Liquor and Cannabis NB is already steady, and allows money to be put back into the province's education and health systems, for example.

Information Morning - Fredericton

Should NB Privatise Liquor and Cannabis Sales?

Peoples Alliance leader, Kris Austin, pushes for a privatised system he thinks will boost efficiency, increase revenue and create jobs. 11:24

Privatization in Alberta has resulted in lower revenue for the government "and an increase in social harms," Arseneau said.

Austin began speaking out about privatization after Brian Harriman, the CEO of NB Liquor and Cannabis NB, announced last month that he was stepping down to join a private cannabis company.
Austin said it's "kind of ironic" that Harriman left the Crown corporation to go to the private sector in Alberta.

Kent North MLA Kevin Arseneau says privatization could cause social harm. (CBC)

"Alberta does it better, New Brunswick is behind on that," he said. "Government should have nothing to do with retail, especially with retail of alcohol and marijuana."

However, Melanson said Alberta has a privatized distribution of liquor and cannabis, but it is still responsible for regulations and procurement.

Brian Harriman resigns as boss of NB Liquor and Cannabis NB

People's Alliance pushes for private liquor, cannabis retail system

"Mr. Harriman is … not going to Alberta in the distribution side, he's actually going on the production side of the business," he said.

Melanson also said Austin can't compare the two economies, since Alberta is larger and people have more disposable income.

Liberal MLA Roger Melanson says it's incorrect for Austin to assume that what may work for Alberta will work for New Brunswick. (CBC)

"It's not apple to apple in terms of revenue being generated," he said.

Arseneau said government can't only look at policies from an economic standpoint but should also focus on social responsibility and public safety, and privatization could cause harm on that end.

Silence from government

No one from the Progressive Conservative government was available to participate in this week's panel.

Austin said he's had some discussions with the government about privatization, but it's unclear where the conversations were left off.

"We've certainly pushed the file with government," Austin said.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

Cannabis, liquor stores best kept out of private sector, say Liberals, Greens

Cannabis, liquor stores best kept out of private sector, say Liberals, Greens

Cannabis, liquor stores best kept out of private sector, say Liberals, Greens

Kris Austin suggests higher tax to make up for lost revenue under the private system he wants

Silence from government

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