I'm pretty happy with the retail environment in Alberta. I wouldn't mind being able to pick up a bottle of wine for dinner while picking up dinner, but the stores have invested in having separate stores already. But maybe a limited amount of beer and wine could/should be available on store shelves? This would benefit smaller grocery and convenience stores a little.
What really needs changing in Alberta, and hopefully BC's changes will help this, is the general segregation of drinking at events. The beer garden at the folk festival (or other events)? Ridiculous. Segregating and isolating beer drinking is completely unnecessary and probably encourages excessive drinking more than it does to prevent it. And kids aren't going to go down a path of alcoholism because they saw an adult drinking responsibly from a beer can. If a drinker can't do it responsibly, turf his ass out of there. It really doesn't have to be this complicated.
And does a waiter really need to carry my drink for me from the lounge to the dining area? Absurd.
|