Is government control of the liquor trade still justified?

While in the 1920s the Quebec government clearly had the most liberal and least detrimental policy in North America for controlling the sale of liquor, in 2005 it is among the most restrictive. The time has come to discuss the various ways of privatizing the SAQ and liberalizing liquor sales, turning a page that goes back to the era of prohibition.

Neither theoretical arguments nor economic performance justify maintaining the SAQ’s current monopoly. No reason exists to preserve this paternalistic attitude on the part of public authorities who seek to dictate lifestyles and to tell consumers which beverages they have the right to drink. As responsible adults, citizens are capable of making their own choices.

While in the 1920s the Quebec government clearly had the most liberal and least detrimental policy in North America for controlling the sale of liquor, in 2005 it is among the most restrictive. The time has come to discuss the various ways of privatizing the SAQ and liberalizing liquor sales, turning a page that goes back to the era of prohibition.

Links of interest

Léger Marketing Omnibus Survey Results: Omnibus Survey Report on the Opinion of Quebeckers regarding Privatizing Retail Trade of Alcohol

Media reactions to the MEI study on alcohol trade

Press release: Privatization of alcohol trade in Ontario and Quebec: Consumers would come out ahead in an Alberta-style system, says the MEI