Bill C-311 passed its third reading vote in the House of Commons last night with a resounding unanimous vote of 287 – 0. The Bill now heads to the Senate. Hopefully, it will be dealt with quickly in the Senate and become law before the summer. Fingers crossed on that one. However, as I have previously stated, it is important to remember that the amendment permits each province to impose limits on the personal use exemption that is created. The most obvious limit would be to define the amount of wine that is a reasonable amount for personal consumption. As a result, if real progress is to be achieved, it is essential that the provinces set realistic limits. As one of two leading wine producing provinces (and as the only one that is actively supporting this Bill), British Columbia is in a unique position to take leadership on this issue and to establish a precedent for the other provinces in advance. It is hoped that British Columbia will act soon on this matter.
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