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B.C. Liberal government plans to privatize Liquor Distribution Branch warehouses
Finance Minister Kevin Falcon talks about the 2012 budget in Victoria.
The Christy Clark government has announced that it wants to privatize the Liquor Distribution Branch's two warehouses by 2015.
According to a Ministry of Energy and Mines news release issued on budget day (February 21), the province will put out a request for proposals that would see the government-owned and operated warehouses in Vancouver and Kamloops sold off to the private sector.
"By privatizing the warehouses, the Province will realize a long-term capital gain, and create an opportunity for the private sector to find more efficient ways to distribute liquor in B.C.," the release states.
The LDB also runs 197 government liquor stores, which are not part of the privatization plan.
About 400 unionized staff work at the two LDB warehouses, which distribute about 55 percent of the liquor sold in B.C.
Meanwhile, the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union, which represents the workers, says it was "shocked" to hear the news.
In a news release today, the BCGEU claimed the 2012 budget shows the B.C. Liberals want to cut 2,000 public service jobs over the next three years.
“Today's budget is going to further undermine important public services that people rely on, eliminate thousands of good jobs, and will drive up B.C.’s unemployment rate which is already the highest in western Canada,” Darryl Walker, president of the BCGEU, said in the release. “This province needs an economic vision that provides opportunities for our young people, services for families and seniors, and that begins to close the widening income gap we see everyday. This budget does none of these things.”
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Gill: BC Hydro and BC Ferries are still government owned.
This actually constitutes Money Laundering.
Christy Clark, I have been and will always be a TRUE liberal (not the political definition - the REAL one!), what YOU are is a conservative in disguise - the VERY SAME as Campbell was!
Privatization in Alberta has resulted in some of the highest liquor prices in the country. Like gasoline, Americans pay far less than we do for Canadian made wines and spirits. What’s that all about?
If you are not already, get involved, join a political party, (it’s easy and costs 10-15 tax deductible bucks.) Don’t stop there either. Volunteer to help elect the party’s nominee and support the campaign financially, to the best of your ability.
When only 55% of eligible voters turn out to vote it sends a message to the government that the rest don’t care. That means essentially, 45% don’t need to be worried about.
Ms Clark is a smart cookie. She can see the writing on the wall and is looking toward being rewarded in the future for cooperating with big business today.
Don’t let her get away with it.
Check your facts before bleating....
BC Rail was sold because it was an open wound that was hemorrhaging money. It cost the BC taxpayer over $1 billion in operating losses over the years to keep it operational.
BCLDB warehouses are being sold in order to cut the costs of operating government as currently costs exceed revenues.
You may or may not agree with the way government is operating, but you need to know why they are doing things so you can make a rational decision if their actions are proper or not.
Get fucking real, Christy.
And I am not a Conservative.
Please use the proper title when referring to Dead Beat Conservatives.
When all the Right - Wing - Wing - Nuts came together the first name they chose was the most appropriate one I have ever seen, they immediately changed it. It was called and I am not kidding here my frendos,
THE CANADIAN CONSERVATIVE REFORM ALLIANCE PARTY
That's C - CRAP for us on the outside looking in.
Not kidding, they changed the name as soon as the laughing stopped and someone was able to pick themselves up off the floor and explain.
Should also be noted they increased MSP premium 4% yet only upped the corporate tax rate a miniscule amount.. still the lowest in Canada.
I wonder what crony of the Bc Liberals will buy the distro warehouses.
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