Beer. And Circus.

Beer

Recently Jason Kenney took a leaf out of Doug Ford's populist "buck a beer" playbook by promising to modernize Alberta's liquor laws. Mr. Kenney would love it if people could watch the World Cup at six am at a local bar, or sit on an open patio enjoying a refreshing alcoholic beverage, like people do in Europe. He would really love it if we paid the people who serve it less money. His pal Ford promised his potential voters beer for a buck, complaining that there is way too much tax on booze.  "Our plan puts people first," claimed Ford.

Like Ford, Kenney wants cheaper beer, among other changes. In June 2018 he told us to "stay tuned for his platform." I am still tuned.  But I am not sure saying "Let's grow up" is much of a platform.

A while back he claimed that he was good buds with former premier Ralph Klein and that, as former director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (a federation this taxpayer does not belong to) he had discussed policy with him over a few "brewskies".

The aforementioned Klein privatized Alberta's liquor stores and made it legal to carry open liquor in your car.  He drank a bottle of wine a day (by his own admission), imbibed at work and famously once said "My drinking is not a problem." After drunkenly crashing a homeless shelter, he somehow managed to endear himself to Albertans by admitting his drinking WAS a problem. 

As far as Alberta's relationship with beer goes, I will say this: it's complicated.

The province has held 4 plebiscites on liquor consumption over the past 104 years -voting first for prohibition, then voting against it, and then voting to allow women and men to drink in the same bar - so long as they lived in the civilized parts of the province- ie. Edmonton, Calgary and Banff. 

Since the days of prohibition, I venture to guess no politician has ever lost support by suggesting we need easier access to beer. When Klein privatized liquor stores in 1993, there were 23 ALCB outlets in Edmonton. Twenty years later there were nearly 2000 liquor stores. Where once there were 230 kinds of beer for sale, now there are 20,000.

Under the current political regime, support for local brewers has grown exponentially. Barely a week goes by that another craft brewery doesn't open in our fair province. Their supporters are legion. 

Albertans love to bitch about booze. Access to it, taxes on it, women drinking it. Preferential treatment of craft beer in an attempt to diversify the economy has been met with enthusiasm by many and scorn by those who supposedly support the "free market", which is anything but free when it comes to interprovincial trade. And there are those who would prefer to pay a multinational for a watery mass produced product rather than support local, like those who suggested they would boycott a small-town brewer for the audacity of allowing the NDP to congregate on their premises.

Now, back to Kenney.  It's tough to find a photo of him slugging back a brew. (I dare you to find one.) Unlike his idol Klein, or the guy who "finishes his sentence" Ford, or even his enemy Notley, if Jason is a drinker of the bubbly pop, he hides it well. With his private school education and gold plated MP pension and his lack of a personal life, he's not exactly a man of the people. But he's playing a calculated game, where he panders to the rage and sensibilities of his audience. And that audience likes its beer.

Jason poses awkwardly with an unopened beer at Minhas "Craft" Brewing,
makers of the ever so delicious Boxer beer.. Brewed in Saskatchewan.

Circus

As Alberta moves towards an election, the atmosphere surrounding it is reminiscent of a three ring circus, or perhaps more accurately, with the sidelining of the Alberta Party, a two ring circus. In one ring we have Rachel Notley as ringmaster drawing our attention to one wonder after another. Here I present to you-the Calgary's Green Line, brought to you with your own carbon tax money, providing low emission public transit!  Over here we have the Heartland upgrader that will convert bitumen into synthetic crude and low sulphur diesel, bringing more than 2000 jobs to Alberta.  Look at how we increased minimum wage, making life more affordable for those in low income jobs! How we brought in protections to farm workers to keep them safe! See how we are diversifying into high tech, bringing 6000 high skill jobs to the province! A much needed cancer hospital in Calgary! Look at our $25 dollar a day childcare that makes life better for families!

In the other ring, we have Jason Kenney and pals playing contortionists, lion tamers and scary clowns. As a contortionist, Kenney will "restore confidence" in the economy and build a pipeline, despite the lack of a plan, despite his party's inability to get such a thing built after decades in power. Again as contortionist, he will save the province from the dreaded carbon tax, even though the feds will bring one in anyway. As lion tamer, he will save the poor restaurateurs  who claim to be headed to bankruptcy (despite record sales in their industry) by allowing them to pay certain workers less money. He will crack his whip and save the province from the dreaded deficit in one term by making cuts that are going to hurt . As clown, he mocks everything from the premier, to craft beer, to young people seeking office.

As the performers distract and entertain, partisans for both parties compete for our attention. Did you see this guy married another man?  Look at the yellow vests carrying our racist placards! Did you hear about the lady who racked up a huge mileage bill? Look at  this secret committee that will ruin our kids lives by teaching them gay people have rights when the Bible says no?  What about this guy who is supposedly having an affair? What about the extreme vetting and the candidate who abused his temporary foreign workers and the illegal online voting? Did you see the meme? Did you see the cartoon? It is shocking! It's a scandal! How can you support any of these people?

The Roman satirist Juvenal coined the phrase "Beer and Circus" to refer to the actions of politicians who used alcohol and public entertainment to distract the masses from the issues around them- social injustice, corruption and the like.

While I do enjoy my beer, I've never been big on the circus. So much irrelevant stuff vying for my attention. The bear on a motorcycle and boxing kangaroos and little dogs on tightropes- such abuse of animals. The mean clowns who frighten and mock the audience. The magicians and acrobats and contortionists who try to convince you of the impossible.

This circus tries to distract us from real and disturbing realities. The rising suicide rates of our young people. The disengagement of millenial voters. The injustices inflicted on our indigenous people. Horrific threats made to my gay acquaintances. A provincial economy based on a resource that may never again be as profitable or hire as many people as it once did.The reality of climate change that threatens our children's future. Rising global inequality. 

How will we, as Albertans, solve these problems when politics has become such a partisan circus? Or will we be content to just sit on the sidelines with our beer watching the show?