Believe me, I've read more than a few excellent books on real estate investing and real estate law, But I am a better Gregory Yates lawyer and dirt guy as I was ten years ago, in practice, practice and more practice. Don't just replace experience. In The Period. If there was a quick and simple solution to how to do it, we all do it. You live, you learn, you move on to the next deal and (hopefully) better for you every time.Gregory Yates lawyer
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
How to win an election
I have to confess, as a blogger I have always loved city elections the most. Yea, they aren't as fun in terms of policy as state and federal elections where I can feed my inner wonk, but everyone loves a good train wreck.
And candidates for city elections have a tendency to be walking train wrecks. Its the place where the ankle-biters, weirdos, nutcases, and the eccentric try their hand a politics.
But since this is the holiday season, I feel like being generous so I'll tell you exactly How to win an election in this town. This is a total freebie people. And don't worry, I'm not giving away the nuclear launch codes here. I'm just telling you what has worked for WINNING campaigns.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Specialty Print Media Isn't As Safe As You Might Expect in the Digital Age
By
Lance Winslow
We all know that print media has taken a severe beating and
continues to do so as news media readers are choosing to become users of
Internet media instead. Today, more and more people have apps for their
smart phones which help with instant news uptake, while others use
tablets, or home computers and laptops. It wasn't more than five years
ago when one of the Google Founders noted that print media wouldn't
survive the future and although he didn't predict the actual date of
demise - he did say he was certain the trend would continue. It has, so
let's talk.
There was an interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal on September 17, 2013 titled; "Europe's Papers Pressured," by Manuela Mesco and Sam Schechner which noted the erosion of profits and revenue of Europe's print media. Circulation is down, advertising sales are down, revenue is down and thus, profits are also down. Could it get any worse, statistically speaking; yes, the trend is a continued downturn each consecutive year.
The trend across the pond is similar to what is happening in the US and what we consider to be an unstoppable trend unless you are Jeff Bezos and know something about re-inventing media in the information age of social networking that we don't - and yes, he does, obviously, in fact, he is voting for himself with his own money when he bought the Washington Post from an old timer family with political connections spanning 8 decades. It's not just mainstream media in the US, specialty media is taking a huge hit as well. Consider this next case study below.
MSNBC published an interesting reprint from Reuters (just that simple statement tells you part of the problem with print media) titled; "Penthouse Files for bankruptcy," by Tom Hals and Sakthi Prasad, Reuters, posted online on September 17, 2013 which stated; "Maybe sex doesn't sell that well after all. FriendFinder Networks, publisher of Penthouse magazine and numerous adult-entertainment websites, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy."
We should expect all print media - even specialty media to be hit in the digital age. Specialty media was quite competitive prior to the information age or the concept of industry portals or specialty websites with forums concentrating on a niche of the human endeavor. Perhaps, Penthouse is a poor example of specialty media, but if something which is so desired by a society cannot make it, then what can? I have noted with Industry trade journals which once came so frequently from lists without even asking - no longer show up each month.
Well, if you are an environmentalist you might think this is great - save the trees, but all of this causing a lot of disruption in distribution channels - the USPS for instance - advertising agencies - writers, just to name a few. Just because it is a specialty media publication doesn't mean it's safe, just because it has survived the competition up until means nothing - the game has changed - yes forever. Please consider all this and think on it.
There was an interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal on September 17, 2013 titled; "Europe's Papers Pressured," by Manuela Mesco and Sam Schechner which noted the erosion of profits and revenue of Europe's print media. Circulation is down, advertising sales are down, revenue is down and thus, profits are also down. Could it get any worse, statistically speaking; yes, the trend is a continued downturn each consecutive year.
The trend across the pond is similar to what is happening in the US and what we consider to be an unstoppable trend unless you are Jeff Bezos and know something about re-inventing media in the information age of social networking that we don't - and yes, he does, obviously, in fact, he is voting for himself with his own money when he bought the Washington Post from an old timer family with political connections spanning 8 decades. It's not just mainstream media in the US, specialty media is taking a huge hit as well. Consider this next case study below.
MSNBC published an interesting reprint from Reuters (just that simple statement tells you part of the problem with print media) titled; "Penthouse Files for bankruptcy," by Tom Hals and Sakthi Prasad, Reuters, posted online on September 17, 2013 which stated; "Maybe sex doesn't sell that well after all. FriendFinder Networks, publisher of Penthouse magazine and numerous adult-entertainment websites, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy."
We should expect all print media - even specialty media to be hit in the digital age. Specialty media was quite competitive prior to the information age or the concept of industry portals or specialty websites with forums concentrating on a niche of the human endeavor. Perhaps, Penthouse is a poor example of specialty media, but if something which is so desired by a society cannot make it, then what can? I have noted with Industry trade journals which once came so frequently from lists without even asking - no longer show up each month.
Well, if you are an environmentalist you might think this is great - save the trees, but all of this causing a lot of disruption in distribution channels - the USPS for instance - advertising agencies - writers, just to name a few. Just because it is a specialty media publication doesn't mean it's safe, just because it has survived the competition up until means nothing - the game has changed - yes forever. Please consider all this and think on it.
Strong Mountains, Strong People
By
Kari August
The Weather Channel had a special report this week on the
flooding in Colorado. One tragic story after another was unfolded in the
hour-long show. It was a well done report. What really struck me the
next day when I thought again about the show was how resilient the
people affected appeared to be.
A number of the Coloradans expressed an interest in returning to their homes, roads would be rebuilt and if they had to spend a couple months as an evacuee they would. Not only that, but a number of the Coloradans had experienced the 1976 flood of the Thompson River Canyon. They had lost friends and loved ones and still stayed and rebuilt. This was their second major disaster. Maybe even their third or fourth if they suffered from last years' forest fires.
I wondered if the Coloradans were a hardier group of people than your average American. After all, some of the present day Coloradans came from pioneer stock. Their ancestors endured hardships on wagon trains including torrential rains, hail, and flooding on the Platte River. Once in Colorado they survived freezing temperatures and blinding snowstorms. None of these challenges had obviously stopped their relatives.
But what about the group of Coloradans who didn't have this pioneer blood flowing in their veins? What made them so tough?
A Fourteener is a mountain that is over fourteen thousand feet in height.There are fifty-five massive Fourteeners in Colorado. There are about a gazillion smaller mountains in the state. What happens to people when they are surrounded by mountains that have stood for eighty million years? Do the strong, sturdy mountains somehow pass on their characteristics to the Coloradans?
My son Charlie called yesterday from the University of Colorado in Boulder. His once three roommate house has turned into an eight roommate house until his friends can find alternative housing after the flood wiped out their rental homes and apartments. How was anyone managing to get any studying done? Was everybody getting irritated and cranky?
They were going to the library to study but were sharing meals and enjoying themselves for the most part. These students come from around the country, as far away as Hawaii. Is it just their youth that is making them so resilient? Or is it maybe, just maybe, that they've been in Colorado long enough for the magic of the state's surrounding glorious mountains to infuse in them?
My name is Kari August. I am an author currently working on an
historical fiction novel based on the life of a trapper who lived in
Colorado in 1873. My blog is titled What to Do in Estes Park where I
give tips about shops, restaurants and local attractions in Estes Park
which is the town
A number of the Coloradans expressed an interest in returning to their homes, roads would be rebuilt and if they had to spend a couple months as an evacuee they would. Not only that, but a number of the Coloradans had experienced the 1976 flood of the Thompson River Canyon. They had lost friends and loved ones and still stayed and rebuilt. This was their second major disaster. Maybe even their third or fourth if they suffered from last years' forest fires.
I wondered if the Coloradans were a hardier group of people than your average American. After all, some of the present day Coloradans came from pioneer stock. Their ancestors endured hardships on wagon trains including torrential rains, hail, and flooding on the Platte River. Once in Colorado they survived freezing temperatures and blinding snowstorms. None of these challenges had obviously stopped their relatives.
But what about the group of Coloradans who didn't have this pioneer blood flowing in their veins? What made them so tough?
A Fourteener is a mountain that is over fourteen thousand feet in height.There are fifty-five massive Fourteeners in Colorado. There are about a gazillion smaller mountains in the state. What happens to people when they are surrounded by mountains that have stood for eighty million years? Do the strong, sturdy mountains somehow pass on their characteristics to the Coloradans?
My son Charlie called yesterday from the University of Colorado in Boulder. His once three roommate house has turned into an eight roommate house until his friends can find alternative housing after the flood wiped out their rental homes and apartments. How was anyone managing to get any studying done? Was everybody getting irritated and cranky?
They were going to the library to study but were sharing meals and enjoying themselves for the most part. These students come from around the country, as far away as Hawaii. Is it just their youth that is making them so resilient? Or is it maybe, just maybe, that they've been in Colorado long enough for the magic of the state's surrounding glorious mountains to infuse in them?
I'm Siberian: The Brand That Breaks The Ice
By
Misha Schneider
"I'm Siberian" is an introduction enough to make an uninformed
imagination go wild, creating enough icy and grizzly images to fill a
Discovery Channel segment. I'm Siberian, a project created by proud
locals across Siberia, has created a self-identifying brand and
interactive campaign to shape perceptions of Siberia and transform them
into something defined: a fresh and exciting outlook into a largely
undiscovered spot on the globe.
Director Eugene Starstenko and the passionate team behind him hope to shape and recontextualise misconceptions and general misunderstandings surrounding the cultural capital of Siberia, one white and blue t-shirt at a time.
The I'm Siberian campaign specifically aims to promote the region's profile abroad through an array of trendy products donning trademark frosty colours and the logo I'm Siberian
The ambitious initiative hopes to counter a lack of cultural knowledge of one of the world's most vast but relatively blank spots on the globe, and a place the majority of those involved in I'm Siberian call home.
The project connects voices taking part in an upsurge in Siberian self-identity and pride that can be seen across the region. The I'm Siberian movement is a bleak contrast to the misconceptions surrounding Siberia, often considered a pit for raw resources void of any culture and expression.
I'm Siberian has created a social phenomenon far, far away from the frosty and miserable images of Russian lifestyle so often associated with Siberia.
'Change is up to us' is featured on the I'm Siberian Facebook page, shifting the focus from Siberia's checkered past to its current dynamic culture, which I'm Siberian is at the forefront of.
Director Starstenko notes that the campaign is unattached to any political or separationist movements within Siberia, and is completely void of any religious or political undercurrents. I'm Siberian is a campaign embodying pride and self-identification to the frosty region of Siberia, with no affiliation to radical parties operating within Russia.
I'm Siberian is about fostering new ideas and a developing youth culture, translating them to the rest of the world through humor, diversity and a sense of community. The brand celebrates everything Siberian from bears, vast space, ice hockey, forests, snow... and more snow.
The internet project has a range of I'm Siberian merchandise promoting affiliation to the region and transforming Siberia into a place to celebrate, identify with and show to the rest of the world with pride.
The signature white and blue I'm Siberian t-shirts gained attention on Facebook through posted photos and formed an instantaneous online following. 5000 people have bought the shirts worldwide and contribute to the campaign's message, which encourages uploading photo content and attend events dressed in I'm Siberian signature tees.
The brand's merchandise range has expanded from t-shirts, to suitcase stickers, passport covers, iPhone cases and even frozen t-shirts, each available on the I'm Siberian website. New creatives have begun to join the revolution - young artists, designers, photographers, musicians, journalists, sports personalities and businessmen have jumped on board and are working to spread the project's message across the globe.
I'm Siberian is focused on keeping the project open and interactive - it was handcrafted for passionate Siberians and continues to involve them.
Featured in hip, cult publication The Village, I'm Siberian was attributed to leading a new emerging dynamic in Russia, disregarding the 'cultural cringe' surrounding Russia's capitals which is stifling growth within provinces.
The campaign hopes to become the voice of an emerging voice within the global community, as Siberia expands its global footing. The Altai region has seen a 12% rise in employment, representing 10,000 new employees in the workforce.
The campaign also hopes to see an increase in the number of visitors through areas such as the volcanoes of Kamchatka peninsula in the east, to the freshwater Lake Baikal in the south of Siberia.
I'm Siberian is not just a campaign: it's a Siberian-wide movement of passionate young people hoping to shape the world's view on Siberia. The idea of how to act and feel like a Siberian is revolutionizing. With an alive and evolving project brimming with new ideas, authors and works, there's no better time to let people know "I'm Siberian."
Director Eugene Starstenko and the passionate team behind him hope to shape and recontextualise misconceptions and general misunderstandings surrounding the cultural capital of Siberia, one white and blue t-shirt at a time.
The I'm Siberian campaign specifically aims to promote the region's profile abroad through an array of trendy products donning trademark frosty colours and the logo I'm Siberian
The ambitious initiative hopes to counter a lack of cultural knowledge of one of the world's most vast but relatively blank spots on the globe, and a place the majority of those involved in I'm Siberian call home.
The project connects voices taking part in an upsurge in Siberian self-identity and pride that can be seen across the region. The I'm Siberian movement is a bleak contrast to the misconceptions surrounding Siberia, often considered a pit for raw resources void of any culture and expression.
I'm Siberian has created a social phenomenon far, far away from the frosty and miserable images of Russian lifestyle so often associated with Siberia.
'Change is up to us' is featured on the I'm Siberian Facebook page, shifting the focus from Siberia's checkered past to its current dynamic culture, which I'm Siberian is at the forefront of.
Director Starstenko notes that the campaign is unattached to any political or separationist movements within Siberia, and is completely void of any religious or political undercurrents. I'm Siberian is a campaign embodying pride and self-identification to the frosty region of Siberia, with no affiliation to radical parties operating within Russia.
I'm Siberian is about fostering new ideas and a developing youth culture, translating them to the rest of the world through humor, diversity and a sense of community. The brand celebrates everything Siberian from bears, vast space, ice hockey, forests, snow... and more snow.
The internet project has a range of I'm Siberian merchandise promoting affiliation to the region and transforming Siberia into a place to celebrate, identify with and show to the rest of the world with pride.
The signature white and blue I'm Siberian t-shirts gained attention on Facebook through posted photos and formed an instantaneous online following. 5000 people have bought the shirts worldwide and contribute to the campaign's message, which encourages uploading photo content and attend events dressed in I'm Siberian signature tees.
The brand's merchandise range has expanded from t-shirts, to suitcase stickers, passport covers, iPhone cases and even frozen t-shirts, each available on the I'm Siberian website. New creatives have begun to join the revolution - young artists, designers, photographers, musicians, journalists, sports personalities and businessmen have jumped on board and are working to spread the project's message across the globe.
I'm Siberian is focused on keeping the project open and interactive - it was handcrafted for passionate Siberians and continues to involve them.
Featured in hip, cult publication The Village, I'm Siberian was attributed to leading a new emerging dynamic in Russia, disregarding the 'cultural cringe' surrounding Russia's capitals which is stifling growth within provinces.
The campaign hopes to become the voice of an emerging voice within the global community, as Siberia expands its global footing. The Altai region has seen a 12% rise in employment, representing 10,000 new employees in the workforce.
The campaign also hopes to see an increase in the number of visitors through areas such as the volcanoes of Kamchatka peninsula in the east, to the freshwater Lake Baikal in the south of Siberia.
I'm Siberian is not just a campaign: it's a Siberian-wide movement of passionate young people hoping to shape the world's view on Siberia. The idea of how to act and feel like a Siberian is revolutionizing. With an alive and evolving project brimming with new ideas, authors and works, there's no better time to let people know "I'm Siberian."
The Stock Market's Revolving Door
By
Larry M. Elkin
Chrysler may go public again, while Blackberry and Dell want to
escape the stock market and go back to being privately held. Maybe, as
the old saying goes, the grass always looks greener on the other side of
the fence.
Or maybe these moves are more systematic than we assume.
Going public was once seen as a gateway to business success. Now it looks more like a revolving door. New, or at least newish, businesses emerge onto the public markets once they have achieved a measure of success, preferably bolstered by a big dose of name recognition. Public companies that have lost their footing may seek to escape the glare of market scrutiny by ending their public listings, often (but not always) accompanied by a change in management.
And as Chrysler (like General Motors and others previously) may demonstrate, even a company that has had a near-death experience can put itself back into good enough shape to go public for a second, or even a third, time.
Going public allows promising young companies to raise money by selling more shares, and it permits early shareholders to more readily turn their investment into cash. Chrysler, of course, is no startup; it is a century-old brand that operates in a mature industry. In Chrysler's case, going public - or almost going public and then changing its mind at the last minute - can establish a market value for its shares. This may help settle a dispute between Chrysler's majority owner, Italian automaker Fiat, and the United Auto Workers union retiree fund, which holds a large minority stake. Fiat wants to gain sole control of Chrysler and essentially merge the two carmakers, but has not been able to agree with the union on a price.
Such "price discovery" is another important function of public stock markets. On any given day, something is worth whatever two parties are willing to exchange it for. That figure is much easier to determine when shares are bought and sold every business day.
On the other hand, public companies incur a lot of direct and indirect costs. The direct costs mostly result from compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Indirect costs include many restrictions on what the company can say, and when and to whom it can say it. Top executives may face fines and jail time if they are found to have breached these obligations, even inadvertently. A lot of criticism of public corporate reporting involves Monday-morning quarterbacking focused on overly optimistic treatments of problems and risks that are much more visible, and measurable, in hindsight.
The bottom line is that there are good reasons for private companies to go public, good reasons (on occasion) for public companies to go private, and good reasons for private companies to stay private, especially when ownership and management reside within a relatively small and self-contained group.
I believe good management makes a much bigger difference than the venue in which a company's shares trade. IBM and Apple were struggling public companies when Louis Gerstner and Steve Jobs, respectively, turned them around. Neither went private. Each had a leader who brought vision, focus and discipline to an organization that had lost those qualities.
Google has continued to thrive as a public company, dominating a fast-changing industry. Its sometime-competitor, Facebook, was severely criticized for a "failed" initial public offering last year, when the stock price plunged by about 50 percent from the IPO price. But little more than a year later, Facebook's IPO looks like a brilliant success. Shareholders who sold at the IPO price did not leave a lot of money on the table, while those who bought close to the $38 initial price today hold a stock that traded this week at around $49. Facebook reports that its profits and customer base are growing. The stock is still very expensive relative to its current earnings, but CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his team appear to have a good grip on their market and their mission. Going public did not change that.
In the same vein, problems at Dell and Blackberry are hard to blame on the companies' public status. Their industry changed around them, and they failed to adapt. So did Nokia, which just agreed to sell its handset business to Microsoft for $7 billion. Microsoft itself is an also-ran in the smartphone software business, and it is seeing its overall strategic position steadily deteriorate. But it is sitting on a large pile of cash, much of which is trapped offshore thanks to shortsighted U.S. tax policy. So, in a parting move as CEO, Steve Ballmer is choreographing the acquisition of one corporate brontosaurus by another. I am not optimistic about the company's prospects, though perhaps the right CEO at Microsoft can turn things around.
Because of restrictions that are meant to protect small investors, most of us cannot buy into most companies until they go public. That does not mean you should rush to buy the next IPO that comes along. Or any IPO, for that matter. While some IPOs are still priced to "pop" in the first days of trading, good investing is not a short-term activity. If you plan to buy a company for the long haul, there is no reason to believe you'll get a better price from an IPO than from a more seasoned stock in a similar business.
Companies on the way up often go public. Companies on the way down sometimes go private. Yes, it's a pattern, but the business world is full of ups and downs. You have to be prepared for the ride either way.
Or maybe these moves are more systematic than we assume.
Going public was once seen as a gateway to business success. Now it looks more like a revolving door. New, or at least newish, businesses emerge onto the public markets once they have achieved a measure of success, preferably bolstered by a big dose of name recognition. Public companies that have lost their footing may seek to escape the glare of market scrutiny by ending their public listings, often (but not always) accompanied by a change in management.
And as Chrysler (like General Motors and others previously) may demonstrate, even a company that has had a near-death experience can put itself back into good enough shape to go public for a second, or even a third, time.
Going public allows promising young companies to raise money by selling more shares, and it permits early shareholders to more readily turn their investment into cash. Chrysler, of course, is no startup; it is a century-old brand that operates in a mature industry. In Chrysler's case, going public - or almost going public and then changing its mind at the last minute - can establish a market value for its shares. This may help settle a dispute between Chrysler's majority owner, Italian automaker Fiat, and the United Auto Workers union retiree fund, which holds a large minority stake. Fiat wants to gain sole control of Chrysler and essentially merge the two carmakers, but has not been able to agree with the union on a price.
Such "price discovery" is another important function of public stock markets. On any given day, something is worth whatever two parties are willing to exchange it for. That figure is much easier to determine when shares are bought and sold every business day.
On the other hand, public companies incur a lot of direct and indirect costs. The direct costs mostly result from compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Indirect costs include many restrictions on what the company can say, and when and to whom it can say it. Top executives may face fines and jail time if they are found to have breached these obligations, even inadvertently. A lot of criticism of public corporate reporting involves Monday-morning quarterbacking focused on overly optimistic treatments of problems and risks that are much more visible, and measurable, in hindsight.
The bottom line is that there are good reasons for private companies to go public, good reasons (on occasion) for public companies to go private, and good reasons for private companies to stay private, especially when ownership and management reside within a relatively small and self-contained group.
I believe good management makes a much bigger difference than the venue in which a company's shares trade. IBM and Apple were struggling public companies when Louis Gerstner and Steve Jobs, respectively, turned them around. Neither went private. Each had a leader who brought vision, focus and discipline to an organization that had lost those qualities.
Google has continued to thrive as a public company, dominating a fast-changing industry. Its sometime-competitor, Facebook, was severely criticized for a "failed" initial public offering last year, when the stock price plunged by about 50 percent from the IPO price. But little more than a year later, Facebook's IPO looks like a brilliant success. Shareholders who sold at the IPO price did not leave a lot of money on the table, while those who bought close to the $38 initial price today hold a stock that traded this week at around $49. Facebook reports that its profits and customer base are growing. The stock is still very expensive relative to its current earnings, but CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his team appear to have a good grip on their market and their mission. Going public did not change that.
In the same vein, problems at Dell and Blackberry are hard to blame on the companies' public status. Their industry changed around them, and they failed to adapt. So did Nokia, which just agreed to sell its handset business to Microsoft for $7 billion. Microsoft itself is an also-ran in the smartphone software business, and it is seeing its overall strategic position steadily deteriorate. But it is sitting on a large pile of cash, much of which is trapped offshore thanks to shortsighted U.S. tax policy. So, in a parting move as CEO, Steve Ballmer is choreographing the acquisition of one corporate brontosaurus by another. I am not optimistic about the company's prospects, though perhaps the right CEO at Microsoft can turn things around.
Because of restrictions that are meant to protect small investors, most of us cannot buy into most companies until they go public. That does not mean you should rush to buy the next IPO that comes along. Or any IPO, for that matter. While some IPOs are still priced to "pop" in the first days of trading, good investing is not a short-term activity. If you plan to buy a company for the long haul, there is no reason to believe you'll get a better price from an IPO than from a more seasoned stock in a similar business.
Companies on the way up often go public. Companies on the way down sometimes go private. Yes, it's a pattern, but the business world is full of ups and downs. You have to be prepared for the ride either way.
Having A Ball In No Fun City
By
Mike Catherall
Vancouver has long since been burdened with the undeserved
moniker 'No Fun City.' Look at your friends' Facebook walls and you will
see the complete opposite conclusion. Vancouverites know how to have
fun. We love our four months of absolutely beautiful summer weather and
our eight months of rain. The 'check-ins,' photos and status updates
don't lie (unless your friend group consists of compulsive fabricators).
People in Vancouver know how to get down, party with the best of them
and enjoy everything our beautiful west coast has to offer.But back to that 'No Fun' stigma - Where does that come from? Many who throw around the 'No Fun City' phrase believe that the reason Vancouver, when compared to other metropolitan cities in the world, doesn't stack-up is our out-of-date liquor laws. These laws prevent citizens from consuming alcohol in public spaces, like parks, beaches and other outdoor events. Why that would instantly erase all the other awesomeness that the city puts on is unfathomable, but such is the case.
People want to be able to drink where they please. Some argue that Vancouverites lost their rights when we showed our dark side during TWO Stanley Cup riots. Others would point the finger at underage drinking and still others would like to believe the suburbs are to blame for our bad reputation.
Even with our negative rep, groups of individuals have been campaigning for years for the Provincial Government to lighten the laws that govern drinking in our province. Grassroots groups like Campaign for Culture, actively advocate for a change in regulations. Among other laws, they would like to see the ban on happy hours lifted, citizens given the right to drink openly at parks and beaches, a greater variety of licensed venues and the ability for Farmers Markets to sell craft beer and wine.
Till now, these shouts have fallen on deaf ears. The Liquor Control and Licensing Board have had a firm grip on regulations and licensing and it seemed that no matter how many petitions were signed, the board was not relenting to public pressure.
Well it seems things have changed.
The Ministry of Justice has decided to weigh-in and conduct a comprehensive review of many of the laws regarding the consumption of alcohol in our province. This will be the first time in decades that the province has asked the public for their opinion around drinking laws.
Suzanne Anton, the Minister of Justice believes now is the appropriate time to rethink some of these older laws. "In concert with industry and citizens, we are looking to make practical and responsible change which promote consumer convenience and economic growth in the province, with a strong eye to maintaining public safety and protecting the health of our citizens," said Anton.
Instead of a costly referendum, the Government is taking a modern approach, creating a website for the public to visit and comment on (they should really just create a Facebook page). Public opinion will be gathered for three months, along with the opinions of the current licensed establishments in the province. This information will help the Ministry decide which laws need reworking.
Changes won't come until at least next year, but opponents of the LCLB's strict regulations believe the request for public involvement is a huge step in the right direction for fair governing of the liquor laws in our province.
In fact, there have been a few small laws changed in the last few years. Restaurants now allow patrons to bring their own wine. This law was altered due to heavy pressure by the restaurant industry. It's bizarre to think that restaurants were for customers bringing their own wine, but it does allow unlicensed establishments to accommodate patrons who wish to drink.
On the flip-side of that coin, the LCLB quietly passed a bill this year that restricts bars from hosting all-ages shows if they primarily a liquor establishment. Again, bizarre.
Listening to the public's thoughts and not just the establishments and control board is a productive way of examining the topic clearly and responsibly. Let's hope the process is transparent enough that the Ministry's decisions are defended by actual public discourse.
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