B.C. premier vows to fight to keep B.C. wine in local grocery stores

KELOWNA, B.C. – B.C. Premier Christy Clark says her government will defend all challenges of B.C. wine sales in local grocery stores.

“We’re going to fight that. We’re going to make sure that we win it,” said Clark Thursday in B.C.’s Okanagan region, which produces most of the province’s wine.

Clark’s comment follow the U.s. government’s trade enforcement action in January claiming B.C.’s liquor regulations discriminate against the sale of U.S. wine.

“The discriminatory regulations implemented by British Columbia intentionally undermine free and fair competition and appear to breach Canada’s commitments as a WTO (World Trade Organization) member. Canada and all Canadian provinces, including BC, must play by the rules,” U.S. Trade representative Michael Froman said last month in a press release.

In early February, New Zealand and the European Union notified the WTO of their intention to join the U.S. in protest of B.C.’s grocery store initiative.

But Clark maintains changes to allow B.C. VQA wine sales in grocery stores breaks no rules.

“It is fully NAFTA compliant.”

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The U.S. government believes the decision discriminates and benefits only local industry.

Clark disagrees, saying B.C. wineries, “needed to find a new venue to get their wine out there for people to buy it.”

“You know, here’s the thing for me: you can accuse me of being a bit of a homer but I’m okay with that because I fight for B.C. wine. I’m going to fight for the Okanagan,” said Clark.

B.C. liquor laws were changed in recent years to allow grocery store sales.

VQA stores licences were purchased by companies like Save-On-Foods and Safeway. B.C. communities also had to vote on zoning amendments to allow the sale of liquor in community grocery stores.

B.C. VQA, or Vintners Quality Alliance, is a designation given to wines that are produced entirely from B.C. grapes and meet a quality of standard for each varietal.