Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the prime minister’s father, once said the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation. His son, Justin, has now disregarded such wisdom as head of the country, uninvitingly inserting the government under the bedsheets of the nation by insisting that taxpayers pay for contraceptives.Worse though, is the Government of Alberta which wants to climb inside the liquor cabinets of Albertans, with the threat of limiting consumer choice and stifling entrepreneurs.Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally balked Monday at the recent sale of vodka for $49.99 in four-litre containers — the sort of containers that are traditionally used to market products such as milk and water.“We can all agree that when we see a four-litre plastic jug of vodka, that’s not very responsible,” said Nally, who seems to have forgotten his purpose is to serve Albertans, not to make moral judgments or throw roadblocks in the path of Alberta’s distillers.“I don’t think a four-litre plastic jug of vodka adds to the quality of the distillery industry that we have in this province,” Nally said. “I don’t think that it is responsible pricing to price it like that.”A day later, Nally appeared to soften his stand, saying the government won’t impose minimum prices for liquor sold in stores, but declining to indicate what other changes might be considered.“This is about social responsibility and Albertans spoke very loudly,” the minister said Tuesday.“I can’t forecast what will happen down the road.”Where Nally’s dreary haze runs into reality is, there’s nothing preventing distillers from producing four-litre containers of alcohol, according to the government-regulated Alberta Gaming, Liquor Cannabis Commission.There’s nothing wrong with selling liquor in bulk and at a reasonable price, which is something the Edmonton outlet that placed the vodka on its shelves sees as a goal.“We make sure we are serving our customers in a responsible way,” said the manager of the Edmonton liquor store.What more is Nally demanding? That liquor be sold in tiny bottles — the sort doled out on airplanes and that might appeal to young people or be hidden at work by someone who unfortunately abuses alcohol?Frequent tobacco users presumably buy cigarettes by the cartoon, because it’s less expensive that way. Those who are hosting a party might buy a few cartons of wine — maybe a red and a white — in anticipation of their guests’ enjoyment. They might find it less pricey than buying liquor in smaller amounts and believe opening a seemingly endless number of glass bottles is a nuisance.The same is true of a family gathering or school reunion, where large numbers of people are invited. It just makes sense to buy the provisions for a festive event — perhaps hotdogs, sandwiches and desserts — and yes, if chosen, alcohol, in larger amounts and quantities.The United Conservative Party is threatening to tell those planning a wedding this summer that a plastic jug of hard spirits is off the table — literally and figuratively.Instead of taking advantage of a reasonably priced bottle of sprits, Albertans might be forced to buy it in smaller volumes, even though the consumption at the end of the night might be the same.Our governments have plenty of bad habits — overspending, incompetency and overpromising among them. The last thing Premier Danielle Smith’s government needs to take on is the size of the containers in which alcohol is dispensed.The irony is that Nally is flexing the muscle of a new bill now before the legislature. The legislation is supposed to reduce red tape. Nally said Monday if Bill 16 passes, he will take steps to deal with what he perceives as a problem: large vodka containers.“I’ll be able to respond to that very quickly,” he said.Albertans are all for cutting red tape. What they don’t want is needless meddling in the size of containers used to sell alcohol. Nally should engage in sober second thought and stay at home when it comes to law-abiding Albertans and their liquor.
