Mr. Speaker, yet another concession the current Liberal government made in the USMCA was to allow U.S. interests to dictate what wine can be sold in British Columbia's grocery stores. For many small family-run wineries, this might see them crowded off the shelves in favour of big, corporate California wineries. That is a real concern for the B.C. wine industry.
The current Liberal government also fought against the Comeau case at the Supreme Court, and continues to do nothing to increase internal trade. If the Liberal government will not stand up for B.C. wine against the United States, will it at least stand up for Canadian wine here in Canada?
I am calling for the Liberal government to take immediate steps to open up direct-to-consumer shipping of wine in Canada. Wineries in the United States enjoy this opportunity in their own home market, and it is time for Canadian wineries to have this same right to sell directly to Canadians. Mr. Speaker, free my grapes, free my grapes.