Someone call Eliot Ness!

[Mr. Analog]

'Cause we got rum-running radio hosts:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ilz2u1NCMIwpXlkUcsKraWS8hVvw?docId=6839623

Terry Mulligan (from Mulligan's Stew, if you listen to CKUA) is making some noise in the hope that he can change a 1928 liquor law that prohibits the transportation of alcohol across provincial boundaries.

No doubt our stoic G-Men are hot on the trail of this dandy hahaha

[Thorin]

Wow, I broke that law when I bought a bottle of ice wine in Kelowna and brought it home.  Didn't even know I wasn't allowed to buy something in another province and bring it into my home province...

Ahh, here's the law in question: http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/stat/rsc-1985-c-i-3/latest/rsc-1985-c-i-3.html#sec3subsec1

Some interesting points:

1. The way this law reads, bringing booze to Canada from the US is illegal; yet when you go through Canadian Customs, as long as you declare it they don't care
2. If you can successfully claim it's for medicinal purposes, you're exempt (just like pot!)
3. Don't hide it on a government steamship - the law specifically states they're allowed to search those
4. Terry Mulligan himself claims this is a cash cow for the government, while also stating that he'll be the first one ever arrested under it...  how is it a cash cow if it's not enforced?

[Mr. Analog]

The cash cow theory goes something along the lines of restricting the commercial flow of alcohol to preserve Provincial liquor monopolies.

If I remember the argument correctly it's like if you made wine in BC it has to be imported into Alberta (not transported) and then resold. So if you are a wine shop and you want to just buy stock of something in another province for sale in your own you are technically breaking the law if you don't go through the importation process.

Again, I question the enforcement as well but if it's on the books still it could be enforced...

[Lazybones]

Almost all liquor used to be MUCH cheaper in Alberta than BC... I sued to remember bringing some extra with us when going to visit.

[Mr. Analog]

It was sorta the same thing when we came here from Ontario, like a good 20% cheaper, also the liquor stores were open on Sundays...!