Manitoba is pulling out a million dollars worth of U.S.-made alcohol it shelved months ago amid the tumultuous trade war with the U.S., with plans of now selling the liquor ahead of Christmas and sending the proceeds to holiday charities.
The revenue will go to charities including the Winnipeg Cheer Board, Brandon Cheer Board and organizations in Thompson, according to a statement from Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew on Thursday.
Private retailers, liquor service businesses, rural vendors, wine stores, restaurants and lounges will begin selling the alcohol on Monday, according to the premier. American products will be available for purchase in Liquor Marts across Manitoba two days later, on Dec. 10.
The stores that will sell the American booze include seven in Winnipeg, and five more in total in Brandon, Dauphin, Thompson, Steinbach and Portage la Prairie, the province said.
Glen Simard, minister of municipal and northern relations says it’s a temporary measure inspired by other provinces, and part of a “strategy of hurting Americans” while also keeping a “friendly heart.”
“We’re looking at a million dollars worth of product,” Simard said Thursday.
“We hope that Manitobans respond and come out, and not only choose an American product, but also choose a local product.”
The news comes one week after Nova Scotia announced it would take a similar approach, selling some of its $14 million worth of stockpiled American liquor and diverting the revenue to food banks in that province.
The multi-province ban on U.S. liquor sales came after President Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff in February on Canadian goods that aren’t compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.
Several provinces, including Manitoba, retaliated by yanking millions of dollars of American liquor off shelves, but last week, Kinew hinted that Manitoba might consider following Nova Scotia’s lead.
Glen Simard, minister of municipal and northern relations, says the hope is that Manitobans who buy the shelved American booze will also pick up locally made products. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)
Liquor & Lotteries is still finalizing which products will be sold, but says customers will be able to access “many of our top-selling brands in the American wine and spirits categories.”
“American beer and ready-to-drink brands will only be available to restaurants, bars and private retailers to purchase for their respective businesses,” a spokesperson said in a Thursday statement.
But not all products will be available at every location, and some items are expected to sell out and won’t be restocked. Everything sold will also be final sale and won’t be eligible for return, the spokesperson said.
‘Early Christmas gift’
The province estimates the move will send $500,000 to charities while sales last until Dec. 24.
Shawna Bell, executive director of the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg, says she was “absolutely stunned and speechless” after hearing the news, calling it “an early Christmas gift” that will help them buy more food and toys for people in need.
“This is just a little bit of extra magic that’s going to happen, and really create a wonderful holiday season for so very, very many people,” she said Thursday.
“It’s going to make a huge difference for us, and I’m extremely grateful.”
Shawna Bell, executive director of the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg, says the move will help her organization buy more food and toys for people in need. (Maggie Wilcox/Radio-Canada)
The phone has been ringing non-stop since the cheer board’s applications opened in early November, with 14,000 applicants received so far, Bell said.
“We know that there’s a desperate situation out there for a lot of folks, so we’re trying our best to accommodate everybody and get as many applications in as we can.”
Earlier this year Kinew suggested that removing American liquor from Manitoba alone could cut $80 million from the U.S. economy.
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries has said the stockpiled products amount to $3.4 million.
Derek Johnson, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Interlake-Gimli, says his party would like to see Manitoba’s entire stock of American liquor to be liquidated and donated it so “everyone can have a nice warm meal for Christmas.”
“I think it’s very important that we, as Canada, continue to stick together and continue supporting the products that are made in Canada, and selling those on our liquor shelves, including Crown Royal — made right in Interlake-Gimli,” he told reporters outside of the legislature on Thursday.
As it stands, Johnson says it’s “ideal” to have the proceeds go to charity.
“It’s great that the premier of Manitoba is getting his ideas from [Progressive Conservative] premiers around the country.”
Send Trump a message
Some people that CBC talked to in Winnipeg’s Tuxedo area were generally supportive of the idea.
Claudette Caron says she hasn’t missed American booze since it was pulled from the shelves, but she is in favour of the measure.
“If it goes to charity, especially at this time of year, I think that would be great,” she said.
“As long as it’s not new stuff coming into the country .… It’s just sitting there, anyhow.”
Claudette Caron supports selling off American booze to help Manitoba charities, but doesn’t want to see any more imported yet. (CBC)
Dan Wachniak says he’s missed American wine, but it’s been a “nice change” to try some Canadian offerings over the last several months.
“I’m not going to go out of my way to buy American, just for the sake of [it], but the aspect of it going to charity — I really like that,” he said Thursday.
“If [Trump] doesn’t want to play nice with us, then we [have to] send him a message back that we’re not going to play along.”
Chelsea Kork also likes the idea, but says she won’t be buying any American liquor when it’s returned to the shelves.
“I like that it’s going to charity, that’s great, but have you seen the U.S.? It’s a dumpster fire,” she said. “I don’t want to support it at all.”
WATCH | American booze pulled off shelves in Manitoba to be sold until Christmas Eve:
American booze pulled off shelves in Manitoba to be sold until Christmas Eve
Alcohol from the United States is about to hit some store shelves in Manitoba once again, with profits going to local charities. The province is following Nova Scotia’s lead and pulling out U.S.-made booze it shelved months ago in protest of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Premier Wab Kinew says this province won’t be ordering new stock, and some Manitobans say they won’t buy U.S. booze either.
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