New Brunswickers thirsty for cheap Quebec booze after court ruling

Some New Brunswickers are already taking advantage of a judge's decision that loosened the restrictive rules on transporting alcohol across provincial borders by slipping into other provinces to stock up on cheap booze. 

On Friday, Provincial court Judge Ronald LeBlanc stated restrictions on transporting alcohol into New Brunswick from Quebec violate the Constitution's free-trade provisions if the product is for personal use.

Several New Brunswickers travelled to Quebec on Sunday and loaded up on the cheaper alcohol. Some had purchased enough booze that would have been several times more than what New Brunswick's law allowed.

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"I'd probably bought a two-four [of beer] if I was buying liquor back home," said Troy Burns of Saint John.

"But we bought, I don't know, 200-and-some-odd beer here today, so it makes a difference for sure."

Burns, who was in Edmundston for a hockey tournament, said the recent ruling just makes sense.

"I think this is good. We're all in Canada, and I don't see why they think there should be borders like this in Canada," Burns said.

"I'd like to see it a fair price at home, it much more cheaper here, about a buck a can."

Business as usual

But for many who live in New Brunswick, near Quebec, it's business as usual.

They say they have always bought their beer in Quebec and they always will — as long as it's a better deal.

"For many years I come to Quebec for my beer," said Leo Michaud of Edmundston.

"About 15 [years] now, but I only grab a few cases at a time and then I come back again next week."

Alain Dubé, also of Edmundston, said the beer on Quebec side of the border is cheaper  and is the "exact same thing."

"It was just plain stupid what they did to that guy," said Dubé referring to Gerard Comeau.

Comeau was charged with illegally bringing three bottles of liquor and 14 cases of beer from Quebec into New Brunswick three years ago.

Old law 'makes no sense'

"We're a free country and we don't have closed [provincial] borders here. Food is OK to bring over, but beer is not. That makes no sense," Dubé said.

The owner of the Epicerie de la Riviere store, which supplies many New Brunswickers with their beer, would not comment on what the ruling would mean for his business.

But employees there said they can only imagine it will be good for business as they expect more New Brunswickers will cross the provincial border looking for a better deal.

NB Liquor, the Crown-owned liquor corporation, defended the inter-provincial trade barriers during Comeau's trial.

Rick Smith, a senior vice-president at NB Liquor, told the court that relaxing the restrictions would be "devastating."

When pressed further, he told the court that such a move could potentially put the Crown corporation out of business.

The federal government reacted to the New Brunswick court case and backed the spirit of the decision and committed to a "comprehensive renewal" of the agreement that governs trade across provincial borders.