THE LIQUOR ISSUE IN CANADA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 2

THE LIQUOR ISSUE IN CANADA

DOMINION NEARLY BONE-DRY HOW THE LAW OPERATES . Canada is now almost a bone <h'y country, according to the' iloii. N. W. Rowoll, president of the Privy Council of Canada, who recently discussed the.Dominion's prohibition legislation with a representative of "The Christian Science Monitor." The Hon. Mr. Howell, who has long been active in the fight for prohibition in Canada, came to New ■'"■'York to address the Republican Club on Saturday. ■ '•'■■,'. "The question of prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors is a matter over which the provinces have;jurisdiction; the importation and transportation of them is a matter of Dominion or federal jurisdiction," continued Mr.'-How-cll. Y'All the provinces have now passed laws prohibiting the sale, of intoxicating liquor within their boundaries. This has closed the bars.. These'laws have gone into effect and' aro in operation' in every province except'; Quebec. There the law becomes operative oil May 1. The Dominion could have prohibited the sale as well, but as the provinces have power to prohibit that, the/ Dominion legislation waa complementary to, but did not supersede, the legislation' of the provinces: "Under the War Measures Act. a year ago, the Dominion passed legislation prohibiting tho importation, manufacture and inter-provincial transportation of intoxicating liquor. This went into effect' in all provinces except Quebec on April 1, 1918;-in Quebec this law became operative on December 31, 1918. The time limit fixed- for this'legislation-was for the duration of thfl war and one year' thereafter. So, to-day'the situationvih Canada is- that .-the:-' importation._ and, manufacture of intoxicating liquor is en- 1 ' tirely prohibited, and the sale of it in-, every province- except Quebec. "There is one clause,. however, in all of these laws that provides that liquor may be imported, manufactured, and sold for medicinal, mechanical, scientific,, and sacramental purposes. , under supervision. I am not aware that any hardship has arisen in respect to these conditions." In reply to a question concerning the effect of Quebec's ability to .sell, .liquor, Mr. K'oweil said: "There has been no great migration into Quebec \ because hjquor may be had there. The fact is, that the Province of Quebec is largely dry due to the passage of local option laws. The city of Quebec itself is dry (ipcnvding to » vote, of the people; in fact, more than 75 per cent, of, the municipalities of the Province are dry either because of the action of their communities or beranseof the non-issue of li>pp«s by their own authorities. Many of the municipalities bordering upon the Province of Ontnria are included in the dry list, anion? them the city of Hull directly across from Ottawa, Ontario. • "Of cmirsp there are some complications. The law prohibits the transportation of liquor into any area that is dry; thus tliere'nre many areas in Que'--h°e into which it may not bo shipped. The trouble, however, is not with- the nbippinp of liquor>s liquor, but when diwuiswl as some other article." Mr., BoyHl said that there had been a bitter fieht mjainst nrohibition iii Canada. Just us in th» United States.-many if the hotel- men fnncht it sbo«<rlv but fniled. Sine" prohibition legislation had Ime'i however, the majority of llirai had accepted it gracefully.