Liquor laws to reflect 21st century realities

The elimination of the hotel room requirement for bars is just one of many dramatic amendments proposed for the Yukon Liquor Act that could be implemented as early as May.

“This is something that has been a long time coming,” Virginia Labelle, the Yukon Liquor Corporation’s vice-president, said in an interview this morning.

“The Liquor Act is old and it does not reflect the current business situation in the Yukon,” she said, noting the act has not had major amendments in more than 30 years.

The proposed amendments to the Liquor Act include:

- eliminating the hotel room requirement for bars;

- eliminating the meal requirement, enabling the consumption of alcohol in a restaurant;

- permitting homemade beer or wine to be served at private family events held in a public place, with a reception permit;

- permitting minors to serve liquor in restaurants, enter bars for limited work purposes, and perform in bars;

- permitting RV park owners to sell beer or wine to registered overnight guests;

- permitting the RCMP to hold an intoxicated person in custody for up to 24 hours;

- an increase in fines and penalties for liquor-related offences, particularly for selling or supplying liquor to minors, bootlegging, over-service, and the use of a forged identification card.

Labelle said the amendments “strike a good balance between stricter rules and better business practice.”

The amendments, she added, are hoped to be implemented in May, in time for applicants for neighbourhood pubs “to take advantage of the busy summer season.

“We’ve had ongoing requests from businesses to have changes in that area,” she said in reference to the elimination of the hotel room requirement for bars.

Labelle said that Saskatchewan is the only other jurisdiction in Canada that has a law requiring bars to have hotel rooms.

“It’s very outdated,” she said.

The law in Saskatchewan doesn’t require brew pubs or nightclubs, any establishment that obtained its liquor licence prior to 1989, or establishments that are “adjacent” to hotels to provide rooms, she added.

“One of the things I’m trying to do is to keep 19-year-olds from getting hammered,” due to lack of exposure to alcohol, Jim Kenyon, the minister responsible for the liquor corporation, said this morning.

Kenyon described several real-life scenarios related to the Liquor Act that he described as “the ultimate stupidities.”

For instance, Kenyon described a couple who were unable to be served in a restaurant because the cost of their wine was more than that of their meal.

The minister also described a grown man who was unable to eat at a restaurant during the day with his 11-year-old daughter because the establishment was designated as a bar.

The proposed new “streamlined” licensing requirements will allow for “greater flexibility in the conditions of use and sale of alcohol for the service industry,” according to the amendment.

“We spent more time trying to get around the Liquor Act than trying to enforce it,” said Kenyon.

Minors who work in bars will still be subject to certain restrictions, he added.

For instance, minors will be able to serve alcoholic drinks but will not be allowed to open liquor bottles or pour the drinks.

Minors who perform in bars will be escorted on and off the stage, and all minors must have parental consent, Kenyon added.

“As usual, these guys are late doing anything,” Liberal MLA Don Inverarity commented this morning.

Inverarity said the former Liberal government performed consultations “around the turn of the century” and made recommendations for changes to the Liquor Act in 2001.

“When the Yukon Party came in (in 2002), the recommendations were put on a shelf for several years and forgotten about.”

Just last year, Inverarity said, Premier Dennis Fentie told the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce that changes to the Liquor Act were not even necessary.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said.

Kenyon said 28 of the 49 recommendations from the 2001 report were made in regulation.

Other recommendations which required the Liquor Act to be reopened took longer to be agreed upon, said Kenyon.

“You talk to 10 people, you get 12 opinions,” he said. “You need consensus from all parties.”

“I find it really interesting that the bedroom requirement has been dropped,” said Inverarity.

He pointed out cabinet minister Archie Lang, the former owner of a hotel in Watson Lake, will not be affected by increased competition with the elimination of the hotel room requirement.

Inverarity described the Yukon Party as “self-serving.”

He said the changes permitting minors to work in bars is “reasonable.

“Liquor’s out there. It’s everywhere. Education is the best way to deal with these issues. Most people are exposed to (alcohol) long before they’re 17.”

Inverarity added that the changes will “really help the bar owners with the labour shortage.”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that some of these amendments came from the consultation that took place years ago,” NDP MLA Steve Cardiff said this morning.

“Alcohol and alcohol consumption is a big issue in our community. It needs to be dealt with sensitively.”

Cardiff said the elimination of the hotel room requirement “allows for the creation of neighbourhood pubs.

“There are some good arguments about that,” he said.

“Neighbourhood pubs may keep some people from drinking and driving but at the same time it makes liquor more available in the community.”

Cardiff added that more treatment facilities and medical detox are necessary to help alcohol addicts “get off that path and get on one that leads to a healthier community.

We’re looking for the government to act on that front as well.”

Kenyon said Europeans he has met think Canadian liquor laws are “draconian.

“If we stay on schedule, and I have no reason to believe we won’t, the amendments will be tabled by the end of May,” said Kenyon.