Foothills MP John Barlow is hoping to build some support for his Free the Beer campaign this weekend at Alberta Beerfest in Calgary.

He has started a Free the Beer petition and is taking it across the country to various beer festivals to inform people and get some support for the initiative.

When the Federal Government announced a free trade agreement between the provinces a few weeks ago Barlow knew there were going to be exemptions and alcohol was one of the many items on the list.

Barlow says the trade barriers between the provinces are a serious problem for craft breweries and other alcohol producers.

"In Alberta we have growing craft beer industries and craft distillers," said Barlow. "I think I have five or six craft breweries being built in my riding alone. What the issue is, is the ability for these businesses to grow is limited because of provincial boundaries."

Craft breweries have much more success selling their product in Washington, over Winnipeg or Japan over Toronto.

"It just doesn't make sense, these archaic rules that have been put in place are blocking their ability to grow."

If  free trade was opened up between the provinces the opportunity for growth is huge.

"These are Canadian entrepreneurs who are making Canadian products, using Canadian products like barley, grain, grapes and rye and they are hiring Canadians, so why would we not support Canadian businesses. "

Barlow says the Free the Beer campaign is one way to highlight how dysfunctional the internal trade rules are across Canada.

 

For more information :

https://www.highriveronline.com/local/mp-john-barlow-says-free-trade-agreenment-not-really-free

https://www.highriveronline.com/local/barlow-takes-liquor-battle-up-a-notch