Our local wine industry, which is a key driver of Agri-tourism in the Okanagan Valley, requires market access to wine customers across Canada if it is to grow and prosper. Our local MP, Richard Cannings, needs to step beyond partisan politics and work collaboratively with his fellow Okanagan MP, Dan Ashton, to free interprovincial wine trade. 

The current minority government situation provides a unique opportunity for Cannings and Albas to work together as non-partisan parliamentarians to pass legislation which would open up a truly Canadian common market for B.C. wines. 

Dan Albas’ private members bill would require Canada Post to deliver wine from B.C. producers to customers across the country. 

To ensure the constitutionality of the legislation, the Albas proposal provides for provincial opt-outs. Because of the opt-out provisions, Cannings criticizes the proposal as not accomplishing much other than the embarrassment of provincial governments and refuses to support it. 

With respect, Cannings entirely misses the point. Because the issue of interprovincial wine trade is a matter of dual federal-provincial jurisdiction, of necessity, any federal efforts to establish free trade must be tempered with such an opt-out provision. The fact that provincial politicians would have to embarrass themselves to opt out is exactly the point. 

Both Premier Ford in Ontario and Premier Kenny in Alberta are free trade advocates at heart; but both are currently sitting on the fence and bowing to parochial interests in blocking direct shipment of B.C. wine into their provinces. If the Albas legislation is enacted, there is a strong likelihood that both of these politicians will yield to opening their borders to direct shipment of B.C. wines rather than suffer the embarrassment of having to opt out of free trade. 

With Cannings’ support of the Albas proposal, an NDP/Conservative voting coalition could achieve the elusive goal of free interprovincial wine trade. 

Al Hudec, legal advisor to the B.C. wine industry