This bill was last introduced in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session, which ended in September 2013.
Dan Albas Conservative
Introduced as a private member’s bill.
This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.
This is from the published bill.
This enactment amends the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act to add an exception allowing individuals to import wine for their personal use to the provision that requires that all imports of intoxicating liquor be made by the province.
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
The House resumed from April 4 consideration of Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act (interprovincial importation of wine for personal use), as reported (without amendment) from the committee.
The Acting Speaker Bruce Stanton
There being no motions at report stage, the House will now proceed without debate to the putting of the question on the motion to concur in the bill at report stage.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
The Acting Speaker Bruce Stanton
(Motion agreed to)
When shall the bill be read the third time? By leave, now?
Some hon. members
Agreed
Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
moved that the bill be read the third time and passed.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin tonight with sincere thanks, not only to my colleagues in caucus, but to all members of the House for the unanimous all party support they have shown for Bill C-311. Tonight we have a chance as parliamentarians to change history, to right a wrong that was created 80 years ago and to help a relatively small but thriving wine industry that we as Canadians should all be very proud of. This is an issue that unites all Canadians. In Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, and all across this great country, many citizens are watching and hoping that common sense and doing the right thing will guide us this evening. I will keep my comments relatively brief as this is a time-sensitive issue.
First, I would like to provide members of the House with a brief update on Bill C-311.
My bill proposes an amendment to the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act. This amendment creates an individual exception respecting location.
During the committee stage review we heard first hand the immense frustrations from many of our Canadian wineries. Canadian wineries can legally ship wine directly to customers in Hong Kong and Japan, but not legally to customers in Calgary, or anywhere else in Canada.
Even closer to home, if we were lucky enough to leave the House tonight and cross over into Gatineau to buy wine and return back into Ottawa, we would have broken this out-of-date Prohibition era federal law. For a first offence we could be subject to a fine of up to $200 and or imprisonment for up to three months. If we were on vacation in the beautiful Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, or the Niagara region of Ontario, and brought back wine with us to our home province, we would have also broken this outdated law. Canadians are quite rightly often shocked by this.
There are over 130 VQA wineries in Ontario and none of them can legally sell one bottle of wine to Saskatchewan. There are over 200 wineries in British Columbia and not one can legally directly sell or ship one bottle of wine to Alberta. They can sell to Asia, yes, but not to Alberta. The fact is, it is easier for Canadian wineries to sell outside Canada directly, as they cannot legally do so within the borders of our own great country. This is something that needs to change.
There are currently nearly 50 wineries in Quebec. Times have changed, and it is high time to change the legislation.
All across Canada I have heard overwhelming support calling for this change. We have an opportunity to make history. We can put an end to this out-of-date and unjust law and allow our outstanding Canadian wineries to be able to sell directly to Canadians. All we need to do is support sending Bill C-311 on to the other place.
Before I close, there are a few comments that I ask all members of this House to be mindful of.
Our Canadian wine industry needs our help. “Made in Canada” VQA wine productions make only 6% of the Canadian domestic wine market. “Cellared in Canada” occupies a further 26% share. This means that 68% of our wine market is served by imported wines. Anything that we can do to help increase our wine production would mean more jobs here in Canada. That is why I am asking for members' support for Bill C-311.
The reason I am keeping my comments relatively brief is one of time. If members of this House can support sending Bill C-311 on to the other place this evening, this would have an immediate impact in helping our Canadian wineries capitalize on this year's grape cycle. If we cannot find a way to support the bill tonight and end up with a second hour of debate, we will in effect enter into another growing cycle. That would be an opportunity lost for hundreds of small Canadian wineries that are hoping today is the day we come through for them. I have not met a single winery owner who does not intend to reinvest and expand his or her wine operation in some way as a result of the bill. That would not only help the wine industry, it would also help support our local economy.
Tonight, the fate of Bill C-311 is in members' hands. We have a chance to change history and take a small but important step that would open up the Canadian marketplace for our small Canadian family-run wineries. I ask that we take this step together and request members' continued support for Bill C-311.
Dany Morin NDP Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, I went to a tasting of wines from Nova Scotia, here on Parliament Hill.
Being a fan of wine, particularly white wine, when I go to buy wine from the Société des alcools du Québec, the SAQ, I buy wines from France or Germany. They are my favourites.
However, during that tasting, I discovered a passion for Nova Scotian wines, which I would very much like to buy. However, as a result of this current archaic act, we may not import wines from other provinces.
Can my Conservative colleague tell me how much it would help Canada's domestic economy if we changed these regulations so that Québec wine lovers like me could buy the good wine of Nova Scotia?
Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see the member has taken a liking to the wines of Nova Scotia. I am sure many members of this House would agree with him. They do make some fine wines in Nova Scotia. As well, Quebec is an aspiring region.
As we heard at the finance committee, many of the wineries in Nova Scotia, also, would like to see their wines being marketed. One of the challenges that they face is that, even though they have an abundance of farmland so that they can grow the grapes and then use them, they have some of the lowest wine consumption rates in this country. They need to grow their markets. Going from 1 million people in Nova Scotia to 36 million people across this great country would be quite an opportunity.
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise in this House on a bill that has so completely brought everyone together. I thank the member for Okanagan—Coquihalla for bringing it forward.
I am going to rise to say a few words on it a little later in this hour--not too long, I hope, to interfere with the process--but I have a question. Might this eventually extend to interprovincial barriers on transporting beer, for example? There are a lot of microbreweries around the country doing a wonderful job. They are creating jobs and producing great product.
I am fully supportive of this for the wine industry. What are the barriers to moving forward, in future, on to other local products?
Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Okanagan region, where I come from, has over 100 wineries. Most are small family operations. Many of them simply lack the volume to sell through the traditional government liquor distribution system and so this is an important policy for them. As their MP in Ottawa, it is an issue I am happy to take forward on their behalf.
I have been contacted with support from other wineries across Canada, but I have only received a few contacts with regard to that. Every industry is different and has different needs. What I have heard from the wine industry, large and small producers right across this country, is that they support this amendment.
It might be an idea for us as members to speak with the industry representatives to see how we could help grow the economy in other industries such as beer.
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member very much on behalf of the fine wine producers in the riding of Prince Edward—Hastings. I do not think the member would object to a little plug. We have over 30 world-class wineries.
I am so pleased to be able to second the bill. It is so long overdue. To literally make a crime from an issue that most people take as a foregone conclusion is a classic oversight. I would like to say, on behalf of this House and colleagues I have talked to on this side, who I know will give unanimous consent, time is of the essence on this bill for our producers. Would the member please give us a little more reinforcement on why we need this bill tonight?
Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, my Conservative colleague has done a tremendous amount of work on this issue. It is important that we see this bill go forward. There are people in the grape growing sector, vintners and consumers, who have been waiting 84 years for this legislation to be clarified, for the federal government to get out of the way so that we can free our grapes.
I hope that all members will consider them and the families of those vintners as this grape growing season looms ahead.
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to say a few words in support of Bill C-311. I would like to thank my colleague for Okanagan—Coquihalla for taking the initiative to introduce the bill.
I know there is pressure to fast-track the bill through Parliament, and I understand that. However, it should be noted that this issue is not new. The Canadian Vintners Association has been requesting more flexibility in our liquor laws for a number of years.
I became involved a few years ago. I wrote the minister on September 2010 and received a very favourable response. At the time, he mentioned that he was soliciting input from provinces and territories to enter into a consensus-building approach to explore the impact of the limitations in place under the act. Subsequently, we had more communication. It is my understanding that this was in the process.
To those who say that we need to go very quickly, I understand that. However, we should put this in context: this issue has been under consideration for a while. Theoretically, the government could have introduced legislation long ago and resolved the issue. That did not happen and we are here today debating this important bill.
Hopefully we can move it forward today. It would certainly be very appropriate if we could change this law before the summer tourist season.
Why is this bill important?
First, it would allow consumers to buy a reasonable quantity of wine directly for personal consumption. The quantity would be defined by each province.
Let us not forget that it is illegal for me, for example, to go to a winery in Ontario, buy a bottle of wine there and take that bottle home with me to British Columbia. It is absurd.
This bill would also address the legal issues surrounding interprovincial wine tourism and would allow wineries to ship their products, including products ordered online, directly to customers in other provinces, according to the limits set by those provinces.
So to support this bill is to support choice for consumers. It would greatly benefit Canadians to have a wider choice of wines, particularly from small wineries all over Canada.
We must remember that the Canadian wine industry is beginning to make an international reputation for itself as a temperate zone wine producer. It has won an impressive number of awards and has earned the praise of a number of the world's most influential countries in terms of wine appreciation.
Making this act more flexible would broaden the choice, while still maintaining the monopoly enjoyed by each province's liquor board.
While I am here I will give a plug to our B.C. government liquor stores and their employees. It is my understanding that the passage of Bill C-311 will not in any way interfere with our provincial liquor boards to serve citizens in our communities. Our government liquor stores are first-class with a wide variety of products and employees who are knowledgeable and proud of what they do. We should also not forget that they play a major role, with their half-decent wages, in contributing to the economy, especially in our small communities. Good union jobs in our small communities are the best guarantee of the survival of a small business. Government liquor store employees contribute significantly to the economy of the communities in which they live and work.
It is important, especially for our small rural communities, for everyone to rally in support of retaining well-paying jobs. I have spoken with representatives of chambers of commerce and labour about the idea of presenting a united front the next time there are proposed government cutbacks that threaten our workers and the way of life in our small communities.
I thank the Canadian Vintners Association, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and all the wineries in my riding, the riding of the member for Okanagan—Coquihalla, in Kelowna and right across the country. I have tasted fine wines in Ontario, too. These wineries have rallied in support of this legislation.
Hopefully very soon, ideally this summer, the summer tourists will be able to visit wineries in other provinces, buy a few bottles and take them home with them legally.
I thank my colleague from Okanagan—Coquihalla again for spearheading this important issue.