Last week I attended a funding announcement along with my colleagues Minister Stockwell Day and Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Gerry Ritz which will help Canada's wine producers increase exports and strengthen their production processes.

At a roundtable that followed, BC Agriculture Minister Ben Stewart joined us and together with Minister Ritz presented a cheque of $533,000 to B.C. Fruit Growers Association President Joe Sardinha to help with removal and disposal costs of tree fruits and grapes.

Through the Orchards and Vineyards Transition Program, a federal program being complemented by a provincial replant program, the federal government has contributed $4.98 million towards strategic plans and removal costs and the province has provided $3 million through a grant to the Investment Agriculture Foundation for an orchard replant program.

While the local vintners expressed their appreciation for our federal support, what they really wanted to hear is that our Conservative Government is getting rid of an antiquated law that prevents direct to consumer wine sales outside the Province.

I don’t have to tell you that Canada’s achievement as one of the best wine-producing countries in the world is a great success story.  Many of the best are right here in the Okanagan Valley. 

Much of that success has to do with free trade yet, within our own country, internal provincial trade barriers are preventing that same success from taking hold.

It’s time Canadians from coast to coast had the opportunity to purchase and enjoy Canadian wines for their personal consumption directly from the wineries regardless of where they reside in the country.

In order to make that happen however, we need to change the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act, 1928(IILA) which currently prevents Canadian vintners from shipping directly to Canadian consumers who live outside the vintner’s province unless it is consigned to the province’s liquor control board.

Originally, the IILA was established after attempts at prohibition failed and at a time when provincial governments were facing a depression, needed tax revenue, and wanted to satisfy the public by providing some control over liquor sales.

But it’s time to bring the Act into the 21st century. 

I along with Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Minister Stockwell Day have been working on moving this issue forward for the past year and Minister Ritz has been talking to his provincial counterparts to gauge their interest in finding a solution that reflects the realities of modern day business. 

To that end, this week, I tabled Motion 601 in the House of Commons which supports allowing for a personal exemption under the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act, recognizing that Canadian consumers would enjoy greater access and choice in Canadian wine products while benefitting our tourism sector.

As well, the grassroots support is really ramping up with a writing campaign underway from the BC Wine Institute, BC wineries, local Chambers of Commerce and just last Friday, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce launched a website www.freemygrapes.ca to keep the ball moving forward.

This is win-win for our local wineries: it would enhance the accessibility of Canadian wines, provide improved marketing options and the possibility of creating brand loyalty, familiarity and sales to a much larger consumer base. 

As the wineries have said in their letter of support, “This would support Canadian demand for home-grown products as well as the growth of wine and culinary tourism in wine producing areas which provides a wide range of benefits, including foreign exchange, the creation of full- and part-time jobs, and the generation of secondary economic activity.”

The bottom line is it will be great for the wine industry and Canadians will be able to get to know and enjoy some of the great award winning vintages that are produced in this country.   I’m hoping that common sense will prevail and this archaic law will soon be brought into the 21st Century.

Ron Cannan is the MP for Kelowna-Lake Country.  If any of you have any questions or comments on federally-related matters, please contact Ron at ron@cannan.ca or by phone at 470-5075.