Beer debate fizzy

In my June 1 MP report, I referred to the opposition #FreeTheBeer campaign that ultimately means asking the Liberal government to elevate the Comeau case to the Supreme Court for constitutional clarification.

For a quick refresher, New Brunswick charged Gerard Comeau for importing beer and spirits from Quebec, but a New Brunswick judge found Comeau was not guilty. The judge ruled that our Constitution clearly states in Section 121 that “All articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture of any one of the provinces shall, from and after the Union, be admitted free into each of the other provinces.”

Last week, New Brunswick announced it will appeal the ruling.

Elevating this ruling to the Supreme Court for constitutional clarification has the potential to open up our internal economy for all Canadian producers of other products aside from just beer, wine or spirits.

This obviously includes farmers and other agricultural producers. This week, the motion I wrote on elevating the Comeau case to the Supreme Court was the subject of the Opposition day debate in the House of Commons.

This was a my first as an opposition MP and I am pleased to report that both the NDP and Elizabeth May of the Green party joined the Conservative opposition to support this motion.

It was only a whipped vote — MPs have to vote the party line — from the Liberal majority government that defeated the motion after good debate from all sides. I am confident had this not been a whipped government vote it may well have passed.

Also occurring this week in Ottawa, and as I have reported in previous MP reports, is that Bill C-14, the physician-assisted dying legislation, is now in the Senate where the it has received seven different amendments.

The Liberal government has indicated it will not accept any amendments, so a potential standoff between the House and the Senate seems inevitable. Senators have also indicated they may reject the bill if the government does not entertain some of the proposed amendments.

As this is a relatively rare and uncharted situation, it is difficult to speculate what will occur next, however, I will provide updates in my future reports.

On a local note, the mobile constituency service has been so popular in Merritt that I will be expanding it to Princeton and Keremeos.

In Merritt, it is the first Tuesday of each month from 9 a.m. until noon at Merritt City Hall.

In Princeton, It will be available on the second Wednesday from 9 a.m. until noon.

In Keremeos,  it will also be on the second Wednesday 1-4 p.m. at the Village Hall. 

For more information, please contact me at [email protected]  or call toll free at 1-800-665-8711.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.