Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Torture

And this is kind of my point. Is it technically a trade barrier? No, it applies to everyone. But it's a new requirement because for the past 10+ years Albertans have been able to buy direct from BC wineries and these taxes weren't applied. A loophole maybe, but one the Government was certainly aware of. And arguably, the product never sat in an AGLC warehouse so there's no real reason for it to have the same tax as product shipped from (insert country) to AGLC warehouse and then out to a liquor store.

So last year the UCP said 'no more shipping direct from wineries to Albertans' while we review. Then they brought this in and took a victory lap saying 'woohoo, we removed trade barriers by allowing BC to ship directly to Alberta consumers BTW we're going to put this fee on everybody, please applaud us for free trade'.

In reality, their free trade allows us to do something you could already do, minus the short period when they put a stop to it. But they added a 30% price increase because AGLC has to get their share even though the product never touches AGLC's hands.

Net result, it's much more costly to buy Canadian wine than it was a year ago.



Ahh yes, except the tax starts at bottles of wine that cost more than $15 and goes up from there. (with the percentage also going up as the price goes up so it's a double wammy because the neat thing about percentages, is they already go up as value goes up. There's no need to increase them as value goes up. ) So it's more like adjusting the GST rate on all cars where a honda civic starts at 5%, a Rav4 goes to 10%, and Porches have a 15% tax.

But even then, we're not talking about a luxury tax that starts at $100 bottles of wine, it starts at wine that's $15/litre which is probably pretty much average. So it's probably more like drawing the tax distinction between a Civic, a Prius, and a Rav4.

First, your timeline is a little off as you seem to be relating the April 1 tax/fee changes with allowing DTC wine sales. They are two independent things. The policy on DTC sales was changed in late 2024 and allowed shipments to starting again in Jan 2025. With the new policy on DTC sales one of the stipulations was that the wineries had to register with AGLC and had to remit the existing fee/tax (~$3 at that time). As of April 1, there is a new tax structure that is ~$4 plus the sliding scale percentage.

You appear to claim that DTC shouldn't be taxed because it doesn't flow through an AGLC warehouse. I would question why you feel that DTC wine shouldn't be subjected to taxation when part of that revenue, theoretically, is a sin tax. We know that alcohol is a carcinogen and is bad for the body and as such all alcohol sales should be taxed.

[PepsiFree]

I love how UCP shills will even defend taxes and trade barriers if mom put it in. Just embarrassing to watch.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I love how UCP shills will even defend taxes and trade barriers if mom put it in. Just embarrassing to watch.

I love that you are so willing to consume misinformation when it attempts to cast a shadow on the UCP.

"They removed all the regulatory barriers. That was great news, they got the red tape out of the way." said Jeff Guignard, CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I love that you are so willing to consume misinformation when it attempts to cast a shadow on the UCP.

Says the guy who cut off the quote so it fit his narrative.

"They removed all the regulatory barriers. That was great news, they got the red tape out of the way. But then they added in new taxes just on wine, which feels particularly punitive at a moment like this," said Jeff Guignard, CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia.

Kind of pathetic level of boot licking.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I would say that is really humiliating, but I doubt he has any shame.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I would say that is really humiliating, but I doubt he has any shame.

Close to being a suspendible offence.

[direwolf]

And a few more quotes from the article just to add to Pepsi's post above:

"It's frustrating, to be honest with you. We had a deal in place and then it really feels to us like Alberta has just screwed this up," he said.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith often promotes the province as open for business and leading the way on cutting taxes and red tape.

Those messages come across as hypocritical for Kubek, with Lightning Rock Winery, because the new fees are effectively a tax that discourage interprovincial trade.

"She's championing free trade. At the same time, she's championing taxes that we never had before. They're saying one thing nationally, but then they're penalizing us on the other side," he said.

"She wants to be Captain Canada, but for me, she's Captain Tax Grabber," Kubek said, adding that it is now cheaper for him to sell wine in the U.S. compared to in Alberta.

[MRCboicgy]

yikes.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Says the guy who cut off the quote so it fit his narrative.



Kind of pathetic level of boot licking.

You claimed it was a trade barrier and I provided a quote from the CEO of the Wine Growers of BC where he states that the government has removed all regulatory barriers.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

You claimed it was a trade barrier and I provided a quote from the CEO of the Wine Growers of BC where he states that the government has removed all regulatory barriers.

You understand these are two different things, because you used two different words, but I'm not sure you've understood the meaning of what you typed.

[DFO]

It’s a leftist tax because everyone knows the UCP voter doesn’t drink wine.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I love that you are so willing to consume misinformation when it attempts to cast a shadow on the UCP.

hahahaha. just delete your account! no matter how much crap and lies you post you aren't going to turn us into UCP/Reform Party voters.

[troutman]

I have to wonder if some posters are part of some 50 Cent Army. Why come back again and again to get your head caved in unless you are being paid?

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by troutman

I have to wonder if some posters are part of some 50 Cent Army. Why come back again and again to get your head caved in unless you are being paid?

He is here because he is getting paid per post to own the libs.

He is still trying to recoup his money from renting that Rolls Royce Limo for Carney in Edmonton.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

You claimed it was a trade barrier and I provided a quote from the CEO of the Wine Growers of BC where he states that the government has removed all regulatory barriers.

Bro

Originally Posted by Torture

And this is kind of my point. Is it technically a trade barrier? No,.....

Originally Posted by torture

Technically an interprovincial trade barrier? Maybe not. But practically, it will lead to less interprovincial trade so it might as well be.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

He is here because he is getting paid per post to own the libs.

Jesus, whoever is paying him should probably ask for their money back.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Torture

Bro

Bro, that reply wasn't even to your post unless you are posting as both PepsiFree and Torture in this discussion.

[Looch City]

Hahahah gotta take the high road and admit it on that one dude. Loyally got served hard.

Almost as hard as the UCP is ####ing Albertans.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

You understand these are two different things, because you used two different words, but I'm not sure you've understood the meaning of what you typed.

Trade barriers come in the form of government imposed (regulations) and geographic/physical.

[puffnstuff]

Just gonna try and post thru it...