Jennifer Busmann, guest services manager at Nk’Mip Cellars in Osoyoos, is one of many wine-industry professionals celebrating this week after Bill C-311 passed a third reading in the House of Commons last Wednesday. The bill, which was introduced by Okanagan-Coquihalla Conservative MP Dan Albas last October, will put an end to many restrictions currently being placed on inter-provincial wine sales. Photo by Mathew White.
The wine industry and Canadians are one step closer to being able to carry and ship wine inter-provincially after MPs unanimously voted in support of Bill C-311 last Wednesday night in the House of Commons.
“To represent my constituents and talk about their issues, bring it to the national stage and have that debate, but not only just have a debate about it, but to actually form an all-party consensus, where you have 278 members of parliament … say that your issue is something they agree on, your solution is something they agree on and to see that pass unanimously is a big honour,” said Okanagan-Coquihalla Conservative MP Dan Albas, who introduced the bill back in October.
The passing of Bill C-311 is the beginning of the end for a prohibition-era law that has prevented Canadians from shipping or carrying wine across provincial borders for nearly 90 years.
Albas said even with the bill passing third reading, it still has to go to the Senate before it becomes actual law, but that is something he’s hoping can be done before the summer tourist season really hits.
“In this parliament, there have not been a lot of things we agree on, but we certainly agree that we should open up personal consumption on the wine front and to allow people in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec … to be able to market their products outside of their provinces,” said Albas.
Albas went on to say if and when this bill does pass, it will still be up to provincial governments to decide the appropriate amount of wine someone is allowed to ship or carry across the border.
He remains hopeful, however, that provinces will take note of the potential this has for Canadian businesses and make the right decision.
“We stand to benefit a lot by keeping these restrictions as low as possible and have as liberalized of a trade policy as possible,” said Albas.
Jennifer Busmann, guest services manager at Nk’Mip Cellars, said she is beyond thrilled to see this bill pass third reading and move one step closer to becoming law.
“It’s really nice for us to be moving into the 21st century and to be changing laws from prohibition,” said Busmann. “It’s just a really great opportunity for the B.C. wine industry.”
Busmann said it has been really hard to operate in such a tourism-based industry without the ability to send wine to other provinces. She said they constantly have to tell customers they’re unable to ship them a bottle or case of their favourite wine, so this change is nothing but positive news.
“For these borders to be open to us, it’s a huge opportunity in that we can now sell inter-provincially and sell to our customers,” said Busmann. “And our customers who are visiting here, we can now ship their wine home for them. How great is that?”
Bill C-311 will receive a second reading in the Senate on Tuesday, June 12, said Albas.
