Call us cynical, but we wonder if John Yap's announcement that beer could be sold in grocery stores was timed to go with the huge Hydro hikes and the release of yet another damning report on child poverty in B.C.
Yap, the parliamentary secretary tasked with the review of the provincial liquor laws, noted that, "British Columbians lead busy lives, and they are often hard-pressed for time, so I'm recommending we have a more convenient option available to them so they're able to pick up a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer when they are shopping for their groceries."
It's certainly nice to know that the government is thinking about how to make things easier for its hard-working citizens - particularly when it involves mind-numbing substances.
After all, after reading about Hydro hikes that will mean about $300 more for each family in B.C., and discovering that 93,000 kids are living in poverty in this province, we'll all need more alcohol to numb what little collective social consciences we still have left.
Call us old-fashioned, but making booze more accessible seems to be counterproductive in many ways. Studies have shown, not surprisingly, that more teens have access to booze when grocery stores sell it, and, of course, more get drunk and get into trouble. And do we really need more adults grabbing a case of beer instead of a loaf of bread and chicken steaks, when there are so many families already fighting poverty and addiction issues?
The big retailers who make oodles from booze sales are keen on the idea. But the little liquor stores are not so keen. They argue that there is an abundance of liquor stores conveniently placed near grocery stores already.
Is it really so difficult for someone to walk from one side of the parking lot to the other for a case of beer? Will this make our lives easier, or just more alcohol-soaked?
