Alberta government boycotts B.C. wine

Alberta's governmentwill immediately boycott all imports of wines from British Columbia, Premier Rachel Notleyannounced Tuesday, escalating the inter-provincial spat over theKinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline.

The province's tough stance follows B.C.'s call last week for further review ofthe oil-spill risk from the pipeline expansion, a move that could delay a project Alberta sees as vital to its economy.

• Weaponizing wine: Notley's engineering a federal crisis in her battle with B.C.

Alberta first retaliated by suspending talks to buy B.C. electricity.

But Notleyupped the stakesdramatically on Tuesday, saying the Alberta Gamingand Liquor Commission (AGLC) will immediately halt the importof all wines from its western neighbour. The AGLCcontrols almost all alcohol imports into the province, which are then sold through privately owned liquor stores.

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"The wine industry is very important to B.C.,"Notleysaid at a news conference from the Alberta Legislature. "Not nearly as important as the energy industry is to Alberta and Canada, but important nonetheless.

"I know a lot ofAlbertanswho love B.C. wine. Quite frankly, I'm one of them."

In 2017, Alberta imported about17.2 million bottles of wine from B.C., Notley said. That amounts to about $70 millionper year paid to B.C. wineries. About 95 per cent of Canadian wine sold in Alberta liquor stores isfrom B.C.

The AGLCwill also be "stepping up enforcement on direct-to-consumer sales," the premier said.

In response, B.C. Premier JohnHorgansaid his government has the right to consult with citizens on the impact of diluted bitumen spills on the coastline.

"If Alberta disagrees they can make that argument in the proper venue, in our court system," Horgan said in a written statement.

"Our consultation on proposed new regulationshasn't even begun, but Alberta has seen fit to take measures to impact B.C.businesses.

"I urge Alberta to step back from this threatening position.

"We stand with B.C. wine producers and will respond tothe unfair trade actions announced today."

Alberta plans legal action

Of the B.C. wine already in the province, Notley said her government encourages Albertansto think about the province'senergy workers when ordering a beverage in a bar or restaurant.

"Maybe choose some terrific Alberta craft beer instead."

Notley added this is one step towardwaking B.C. up and forcing the federal government to take action.

Notleysaid she regrets the boycott will hurt the B.C. wine industry but said sheis frustrated that Alberta is playing by the rules for pipelineapprovals while B.C. continues to flout them.

The premier said her government still plans to take legal action against B.C. on the issue.

The AGLCsays there are currently about 160,000 cases of B.C. wine in its Alberta warehouses. Thatsupply would lastabout 30 to 35 days based on last year's daily average sales figures,a spokeswoman said.

Fort McMurrayrestaurant owner 'proud'

Notleynoted the boycott was prompted by suggestions from Albertans.

One of the first to go public with a boycott was Karen Collins, owner ofAstiTrattoriaItalianain Fort McMurray, who announced last week she would no longer carry B.C. wines. On Tuesday, she said she never believed her stance "would snowball like this."

"Proud of my community and my province," she said on Facebook.

But some wine customers weren't so sure.

Larry Nicholat, 72, has been drinking wine for more than 50 years. He said he likely wouldn't notice a sudden disappearance in B.C. wines from Alberta shelves but he's still not a fan of the strategy taken by the Notley government.

"I won't feel ridiculously deprived because I won't have this," Nicholat said outside UnWined Fine Wine in downtown Edmonton. "I just don't like the idea."

Nicholat said the boycotthurts the B.C. wine industryand limits consumer choice in Alberta.

"We live in a world where choice is a part of life and I don't think most people would view reducing choices as a good thing," he said.

"I'd just leave the wine thing alone."

But Nicholat isn't sure B.C. wines will disappear off the shelves at all. He thinks the process will take time and, by then, the two governments will resolve their spat.

"It's going to blow over," Nicholat said. "Like it always does."

Industry group Restaurants Canada said it opposed the boycott as it is using Alberta consumers and B.C. businesses as pawns in a provincial trade war.

"As a country, we are trying to strike down domestic and international trade barriers and this decision moves us in the completely wrong direction," Mark von Schellwitz, WesternCanada vice-president, said in a statement.

Jason Kenney, the leader of the United Conservative Party Official Opposition, said in tweets he supported Notley's boycott.

"This response is hardly proportionate," Kenney noted.

"The value of oil shipments is orders of magnitude larger than that of B.C. wine sold in Alberta.

"But perhaps this response will get the attention of the B.C.NDP, and underscore that Alberta is serious about defending Canada's economic union."

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Notleyhinted the boycott could have political consequences for Premier John Horgan, who has the slimmest of majorities in the B.C. Legislature. A byelection is underway inthe heart of B.C. wine country to fill the KelownaWest seat vacated by former B.C. Liberal premier Christy Clark.

When asked if she felt the Alberta wine boycott could have an impact, Notleyresponded, "I'm not sure who expected to win what in that byelection but I suspect it will be matter of discussion."

However, KelownaWest has been held by the Liberals for decades.