Finance committee  That's right.

Finance committee  I know the two store owners you've been discussing this with. I'll just comment that not many store owners have the ability to have this as a side job or to have a chain store. The majority of them are mom-and-pop shops across the province that may not be able to afford a loss of

Finance committee  I would defer again to the counsel here, but the regulatory bodies for alcohol already exist, so we're just working within the system or bypassing jurisdiction.

Finance committee  I will just say quickly that many of the examples that were provided were from the U.S. We don't have any real studies here in Canada, because there's no monitoring that goes on from direct sales. That's all.

Finance committee  Currently the process goes through AGLC and the liquor stores, and right now that is legal. What Bill C-311 proposes is that you would bypass both of those and would go directly to the consumer, and you are asking the provinces to limit the amount a person would be able to order.

Finance committee  Basically, because it would lose the revenue from this liquor product—

Finance committee  I have had discussions with AGLC, and they have informed me that yes, they would have to impose restrictions, much as many of the other provinces would, if Bill C-311 goes through.

Finance committee  It's because you're changing the way liquor is provided to consumers.

Finance committee  Well, ordering online is not quite the same as going to the winery and coming back, they would argue, but perhaps I can defer to my friend Rowland.

Finance committee  That's right.

Finance committee  In terms of increased sales?

Finance committee  The only part that was privatized was the retail side of it.

Finance committee  The liquor still was regulated.

Finance committee  Absolutely. There used to be 230 stores, I believe, in Alberta before privatization. Right now we have 1,200 stores out there.

Finance committee  And a lot of access in Canada to alcohol from all over the world.