Last week’s deliberate delay of Okanagan Coquihalla MP Dan Albas’ private members bill in Parliament was a textbook example of government ineptitude.
Albas’ Bill C311would amend the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act, and would make the private shipment of wine between provinces legal, amending legilation dating back to the Prohibition era.
There really hasn’t been - nor should there be - any opposition to this bill, which is basically nothing more than parliamentary housekeeping to amend a law that few people obey, or even know about.
Based on modern markets and economics, passing the bill should have simply been common sense.
Apparently that is something that is lacking amongst certain opposition members who delayed a decision on the bill into the second hour of discussion, which isn’t scheduled until October.
Liberal MP Scott Brison has since offered time during his private members date on June 6 to obtain parliamentary support for the bill and move it forward before another tourist season is lost to those hoping to increase market share once legal avenues exist.
Taxpayers are fed up with the infantile, partisan behaviour exhibited by some of our federally elected, overpriced politicians.
Our legislators need not waste any more time on this piece of legislation - in the general context of what is really important, they’ve wasted more than enough time on it already.
On June 6, our MP’s need to pass the bill, get back to more serious business at hand - and quit wasting time.