US Wine Shipments to B.C. in Jeopardy

The Vancouver Sun is reporting that B.C. Forests Minister Mike de Jong has threatened to cut off B.C. purchases of U.S. wines to try and force a settlement in the ongoing softwood lumber dispute.

It's mind-boggling to think that a provincial government that applies some of the highest tariffs in the world to import wines would now turn to the demon drink to try and bring some pressure to bear on the Americans.

While the dispute is deadly serious it's almost comical to think that wine has been chosen to be the lightning rod to bring the dispute to an end. I'm sure the tiny (by international standards) BC wine community is thrilled to hear its fledgling export business will find its way in the centre of a lumber and beef dispute.

If we have to play these goofy games why not say no to US beef, why not close down the cruise ship business, why not ban American imports playing in the CFL. There is simply no logic in picking on California wine unless of course the government thinks in some twisted way a ban of on US wine will be a boon to B.C producers. Once again the province has shown why it should be out of the business of buying and selling wine.

British Columbians who are rightly fed up with the softwood lumber dispute do not need the government to organize a ban or boycott on American products, they can do it much more quietly and effectively themselves.