The federal Conservatives are pushing to allow Canada Post to ship alcohol between provinces, saying the Liberals have failed to live up to their pledge to remove interprovincial trade barriers.
B.C. MP Dan Albas, whose riding includes the Okanagan wine region, has introduced a private member's bill that would amend the Canada Post Corporation Act to remove restrictions on direct interprovincial shipments of alcohol to consumers.
Albas said the change would "free the beer."
"We need to be our own best customers. This is a valid way to do that," he said.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said there are more barriers to trade between provinces than there are with many countries.
"It is currently against the law for Canada Post to deliver Canadian alcohol to Canadian consumers in six of 10 provinces," he said. "That is a federal law that Mark Carney refuses, so far, to change."
Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed during last spring's federal election campaign to eliminate trade barriers and have free trade in Canada by July 1.
The Liberals and Conservatives worked together last June to pass an omnibus bill that reduces restrictions on internal trade and speeds up permitting for large infrastructure projects.
The law targets federal restrictions on interprovincial trade and labour mobility, though most of the trade barriers within Canada are a product of regulations and laws that exist at the provincial and territorial level.
Premiers agreed at the Council of the Federation last year to tackle interprovincial trade barriers.
Some progress has been made, including a memorandum of understanding that commits all 10 provinces and Yukon to allowing consumers to buy Canadian alcohol directly from producers.
The agreement also says jurisdictions with personal use exemption limits on the amount of alcohol an individual can take across a provincial or territorial boundary "will work to either remove or increase these limits."
The provinces and territories have agreed to develop frameworks to make that happen by May of this year.
Nova Scotia and Ontario signed a deal on March 2 to allow people to buy alcohol from producers in either province.
One Canadian Economy Minister Dominic LeBlanc told Albas in question period on Tuesday that his idea to change the Canada Post Corporation Act "is a good one" and said he would raise the issue with provincial and territorial colleagues at the end of the month.
A spokesperson for LeBlanc did not respond directly to questions about whether the government would support the Conservative legislation.
In an emailed statement, Gabriel Brunet pointed to the deal between Nova Scotia and Ontario and said it's "something the federal government wholly supports and hopes to see replicated across the country."
Poilievre said the agreements that have been signed on interprovincial trade are "meaningless" and Carney pledged to fix the problem.
"He didn't put an asterisk next to that and claim that he wouldn't be able to do anything because the provinces would get in his way. He said he would be a strong national leader that would bring truly free trade," he said.
The federal government estimates that eliminating all federal, provincial and territorial trade barriers could boost GDP by as much as $200 billion.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
