The Blueprint: Canada's Conservative Podcast - May 09, 2017


Free the Beer, Free the Economy!


Episode Stats


Length

10 minutes

Words per minute

186.05032

Word count

1,893

Sentence count

138

Harmful content

Hate speech

1

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Join Tory MP John Barlow as he sits down with Tory MP for the Foothills in Alberta, Tony Clement, to discuss the importance of Canada's craft brewing industry and why we should be proud of it.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
00:00:00.000 You're listening to The Blueprint, Canada's Conservative Podcast.
00:00:09.000 Well, they thought they were going to have an easy day over there today, but not so fast, Mr. Speaker.
00:00:16.640 What is it going to take for the Prime Minister to have any respect for any laws in this country that may curb his out-of-control behaviour?
00:00:25.320 And now, here's your host, Tony Clement.
00:00:31.500 Welcome to Blueprint, the Conservative Party of Canada's official podcast.
00:00:36.840 I'm your host, Tony Clement, Member of Parliament for Paris Saint-Maskocca.
00:00:40.840 And I have with me as a guest, Mr. John Barlow, Member of Parliament for the Foothills in Alberta.
00:00:46.740 Welcome to the show.
00:00:47.660 Thank you very much for having me. It's an honour to be on the program.
00:00:50.340 Well, it's an honour to have you as well. This is Volume 2 of our podcast,
00:00:54.520 so you're one of our first guests, as a matter of fact.
00:00:56.600 Oh, that is a big honour.
00:00:57.660 It is a big honour, and I think that we're going to have a good conversation
00:01:00.380 because we're going to talk about Free the Beer.
00:01:03.380 And for our listeners, this is an important issue because, of course,
00:01:06.960 beer is not only important to the leisure aspect of our lives,
00:01:10.600 but it's also important to the Canadian economy.
00:01:13.020 So, John, why don't you just set the table a little bit.
00:01:15.260 Why is Free the Beer so important for the future of the Canadian economy,
00:01:19.240 and why is this such a big issue?
00:01:20.780 Well, we knew that the Canada Free Trade Agreement was going to be coming out this year,
00:01:24.900 and it was something that we had started on when we were in government.
00:01:27.340 Our colleague, James Moore, was instrumental in putting that together.
00:01:30.960 But we knew that alcohol would not be part of that Canadian Free Trade Agreement.
00:01:35.060 And we're seeing across Canada, we're Canadian.
00:01:37.000 We love beer, and we should be proud of these amazing craft beers that we have in Canada.
00:01:42.380 And it is a growing industry.
00:01:44.360 But, unfortunately, the ability for these businesses to be able to grow and expand
00:01:48.340 is literally limited by provincial boundaries.
00:01:51.780 It is very difficult for a craft brewer, a distiller, a winemaker
00:01:55.840 to be able to sell their products outside of their province
00:01:58.540 without getting permission from a provincial liquor board,
00:02:02.080 which means a lot of bureaucracy, a lot of costs,
00:02:04.760 and a lot of provinces will just simply say no.
00:02:06.920 I just want to come back to that one point,
00:02:10.400 how important the craft brewing industry is,
00:02:12.420 because I know in my constituency, I now have five craft breweries operating,
00:02:17.280 and they hire people.
00:02:19.180 They are good, year-round, full-time jobs.
00:02:22.400 And that's replicated throughout the whole country.
00:02:24.400 There are literally hundreds of craft brewers now.
00:02:26.680 Is that right?
00:02:27.340 Yeah.
00:02:28.060 In Alberta, my home province,
00:02:30.200 we are probably one of the provinces that was far behind in terms of this industry.
00:02:33.880 But we have more than 50 in Alberta.
00:02:36.280 I have five under construction in my constituency alone,
00:02:39.600 one up and operating.
00:02:41.600 But as you touched on, Tony,
00:02:42.920 what makes the craft brewing industry so attractive
00:02:46.240 is the fact that most of them are built in rural communities.
00:02:49.220 So they are bringing new economic development opportunities
00:02:51.640 to rural communities where opportunities have been limited
00:02:54.760 or been on the decline.
00:02:56.780 So not only are they bringing new jobs and new opportunities
00:02:59.680 to these rural communities,
00:03:00.700 but they're becoming tourist attractions, brewery tours.
00:03:04.260 Plus for the guys around them that are growing rye and barley
00:03:08.680 and those kinds of things,
00:03:10.000 that's something they really get excited about and buy into.
00:03:12.000 That's a really good point.
00:03:13.120 One of the breweries in my riding is in an old car plant
00:03:16.140 that was doing manufacturing parts for automobiles,
00:03:21.040 now repurposed to be a brewery.
00:03:22.580 Another one is in an old Canadian tire store repurposed for,
00:03:26.320 you know, going from retail to manufacturing.
00:03:28.560 So beer is manufactured now,
00:03:30.460 and it's part of our manufacturing prowess,
00:03:32.820 so we should be proud of that.
00:03:34.460 So tell me a little bit about what the campaign is about.
00:03:37.140 We know that beer cannot pass very easily
00:03:40.900 cross-border between province to province.
00:03:43.580 So what is the Conservative Party's Free the Beer campaign about?
00:03:46.700 Well, really, the main thing right now is raising awareness.
00:03:50.020 We want Canadians to understand that this is an issue.
00:03:52.560 We've been traveling across Canada since November.
00:03:55.660 We've done beer festivals in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Halifax.
00:04:01.240 And when you talk to Canadians about this,
00:04:03.180 not just the brewers and distillers themselves,
00:04:05.340 but also Canadians who are obviously beer enthusiasts.
00:04:08.880 We like our beer.
00:04:10.760 And they are surprisingly, they know this issue,
00:04:12.780 and they are very frustrated by the fact that we are,
00:04:16.160 as provincial and federal governments,
00:04:18.640 we are blocking the ability for these businesses to grow,
00:04:21.460 but also it impacts consumer choice.
00:04:23.540 For myself, being from Alberta,
00:04:25.540 I can't bring some of my great Alberta craft beer here to Ontario.
00:04:28.840 That's technically illegal.
00:04:30.580 Right now we have the Como case going on with New Brunswick and Quebec.
00:04:34.280 Tell me about that case a little bit.
00:04:35.600 So a couple of years ago, Bernard Como,
00:04:38.400 a gentleman from New Brunswick, crossed the border to Quebec,
00:04:41.420 bought a bunch of beer because it's significantly cheaper,
00:04:44.600 crossed the border back into New Brunswick
00:04:46.280 and was arrested and charged for transporting liquor
00:04:50.160 across provincial boundaries.
00:04:51.680 He challenged that charge and won his case.
00:04:54.940 The province of New Brunswick refused to go to appeal,
00:04:58.060 instead said, according to the Constitution,
00:05:00.580 free trade is a constitutional right,
00:05:02.200 and we want to go to the Supreme Court.
00:05:03.840 So very good news.
00:05:04.700 Last Friday, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear that case.
00:05:07.080 So this is a huge step forward and a great opportunity
00:05:09.860 that we could see free trade in Canada.
00:05:12.040 So we could get it by virtue of a Supreme Court judgment.
00:05:15.620 What you and other Conservatives are pushing for
00:05:18.500 is that this become a political issue,
00:05:20.720 that politicians do the right thing
00:05:22.420 and remove the trade barriers that are preventing beer
00:05:26.560 and other products as well from going cross-border.
00:05:30.300 Is that right?
00:05:30.900 That's correct.
00:05:31.380 You know, Section 121 of the Constitution is extremely clear.
00:05:35.600 Any product made or produced in one province
00:05:37.760 should be or shall be traded freely to other provinces.
00:05:41.120 Our founding fathers understood that free trade
00:05:43.540 was a foundational pillar of Confederation.
00:05:47.540 They knew that free trade was extremely important
00:05:49.500 into the growth of the Dominion.
00:05:51.200 But over the decades, provinces have put up barriers
00:05:54.460 and the federal government has allowed them to do it.
00:05:56.260 So we are asking the Liberal government to step up,
00:05:59.840 start fighting for Canada's economy,
00:06:02.180 act as an intervener in the Supreme Court case,
00:06:04.520 and try and influence that decision.
00:06:06.100 It is black and white in our Constitution.
00:06:08.960 It's very bizarre that it's in many cases
00:06:11.540 easier to trade with the United States of America
00:06:14.540 than it is to trade cross-border in Canada itself.
00:06:17.960 Absolutely.
00:06:18.540 I have a meadery in my constituency,
00:06:21.300 so honey wine or honey beer.
00:06:22.680 However, they have just signed a contract
00:06:24.620 to export their product to Japan
00:06:26.580 because they couldn't get an agreement
00:06:28.360 to sell it into B.C.,
00:06:29.500 which is literally an hour away.
00:06:32.780 So now he's having to go across the Pacific Ocean.
00:06:36.000 Many of our craft brewers have much easier opportunity
00:06:38.780 to sell it to Texas than Toronto.
00:06:41.440 You know, a much higher cost,
00:06:42.980 but it's a much easier process to go through.
00:06:44.800 And, you know, I would say we're probably
00:06:46.640 one of the only Western countries in the world
00:06:49.160 that has these kind of interprovincial barriers.
00:06:51.280 Yeah, no, well, that's wonderful
00:06:53.300 that our caucus, you and others,
00:06:55.520 I know Dan Albus, BC MP,
00:06:57.940 has been outspoken about this issue as well.
00:06:59.840 Many of our MPs have,
00:07:01.000 so it's good to have our MPs on the sides of,
00:07:04.100 this is really a consumer issue as well.
00:07:05.900 It's not just a political issue.
00:07:07.020 This is for choice for consumers
00:07:09.120 and pricing that is better for consumers.
00:07:11.640 Is that right?
00:07:12.200 Yeah, this is about consumer choice.
00:07:14.220 I shouldn't have a provincial liquor board
00:07:16.040 telling me as a Canadian
00:07:16.980 what I can and cannot have.
00:07:18.720 But also it's about small business.
00:07:19.980 These are small businesses who hire Canadians, 0.72
00:07:22.840 use Canadian products,
00:07:24.440 are Canadian entrepreneurs,
00:07:25.980 and we should be standing up for them
00:07:28.100 and championing their abilities
00:07:29.500 to be able to grow and succeed.
00:07:31.500 I'm speaking with John Barlow,
00:07:33.240 our Alberta MP from the Foothills.
00:07:36.060 Thank you for being on the program.
00:07:37.860 John, if our listeners hear this podcast
00:07:41.480 and they want to do something
00:07:43.460 to get involved in this campaign,
00:07:45.920 where should they go?
00:07:46.880 What should they do?
00:07:47.460 Well, we have a website,
00:07:49.060 freethebeer.net.
00:07:50.400 There's a petition online.
00:07:52.080 We're asking,
00:07:52.820 that petition is asking the federal government
00:07:54.540 to act as an intervener
00:07:55.580 in the Supreme Court case,
00:07:57.020 but also asking them to include alcohol
00:07:58.760 in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.
00:08:00.400 So there's two ways that they can get involved.
00:08:01.880 We have our petition,
00:08:02.960 but also go to our website,
00:08:05.060 freethebeer.net,
00:08:06.560 and there's a way you can sign online as well.
00:08:09.040 So freethebeer.net.
00:08:10.560 They can always go to conservative.ca,
00:08:12.700 which is the Conservative Party of Canada website.
00:08:14.760 You bet.
00:08:15.300 There are, as well,
00:08:16.760 these beer festivals coming up.
00:08:18.060 I know I've got a couple of beer festivals
00:08:19.420 in my own constituency.
00:08:21.140 You were mentioning that you've got some as well.
00:08:23.680 There'll be pop-ups there as well,
00:08:25.820 local MPs, conservative MPs,
00:08:28.080 taking this issue to where beer is being consumed.
00:08:31.120 It's a horrible job sometimes.
00:08:31.920 Responsibly, I'm sure.
00:08:32.920 Yeah.
00:08:33.580 At a little bit of music,
00:08:35.080 live music as well.
00:08:35.960 Beer fests are great.
00:08:36.920 Yeah.
00:08:37.260 So there'll be perhaps an opportunity there,
00:08:39.460 but freethebeer.net is the central site for this.
00:08:42.360 Is that right?
00:08:42.700 Yeah, that's correct.
00:08:43.620 And actually, as you know,
00:08:44.480 it's kind of a fun part of this too,
00:08:46.060 as Canada's 150th anniversary,
00:08:48.100 we have on our website,
00:08:49.380 you can vote for your favourite craft beer,
00:08:51.480 and we're going to name Canada's 50 favourite craft beer
00:08:53.660 as part of Canada's 150.
00:08:54.940 Well, that's a great thing to do.
00:08:56.780 Why not?
00:08:57.040 And I would encourage anyone
00:08:58.300 to take a look at the Muskoka
00:09:00.020 or Perry Soundcraft beers
00:09:01.200 as part of their voting.
00:09:03.040 But certainly, it's great that we're doing this
00:09:05.440 and really think that this is being
00:09:07.300 on the side of the consumer,
00:09:08.460 being on the side of our constitution,
00:09:10.340 helping our small businesses.
00:09:12.020 This is a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned.
00:09:14.600 I'm glad you, John,
00:09:15.560 and others are a part of this movement as well.
00:09:17.940 It's a real pleasure,
00:09:18.700 and the feedback we've had from Canadians
00:09:20.340 is overwhelming.
00:09:21.360 They want to see this resolved,
00:09:22.700 and it's very frustrating
00:09:23.600 for consumers and business owners.
00:09:25.220 Absolutely.
00:09:25.780 Well, you've heard it here.
00:09:27.100 Free the Beer is live.
00:09:28.540 Freethebeer.net or conservative.ca.
00:09:31.680 You can visit either of those sites
00:09:33.080 and get part of this important movement
00:09:35.040 for beer,
00:09:36.400 for our communities,
00:09:37.860 the rural communities in particular,
00:09:39.020 but really all communities
00:09:40.540 as well as small businesses
00:09:42.740 and the consumer.
00:09:43.520 So, John Bartle,
00:09:44.180 thank you for being part of our program.
00:09:45.940 Free the Beer, everybody.
00:09:47.900 Thanks, Tony.
00:09:48.520 Thank you for listening to The Blueprint,
00:09:59.660 Canada's Conservative Podcast.
00:10:01.760 To find more episodes, interviews,
00:10:03.640 and in-depth discussions of politics in Canada,
00:10:06.060 search for The Blueprint on iTunes
00:10:07.600 or visit podcast.conservative.ca.
00:10:10.420 Thank you.