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Sun News (Canada) really is Fox News North
(Background for non-Ontarians - the LCBO is the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, the government-run chain of liquor stores. It's a holdover from prohibition that is not particularly controversial here, because it brings in a profit for the provincial government, and because the stores are really great, generally. Fox News North disagrees with me on that, though.)
This is idiotic stunt "journalism" at its finest:
Three liquor stores recently sold booze to a 14-year-old boy whose identity was hidden because he was wearing a full-length burka and face veil at the time, a Sun News Network exclusive has found.
(snip)
The stunt was co-ordinated and video recorded by Sun News Network host David Menzies, who has made a career out of lambasting Canada's politically correct institutions.
(snip)
Menzies, long a critic of the LCBO's "monopoly" over liquor sales in the province, attempted to meet with liquor board officials early Monday morning to ask why they were not enforcing their own policy but was sent an e-mail from Layton stating that stores "comply with the requirements of the Liquor License Act," and that they were not interested in discussing the matter on camera.
(snip)
The stunt was co-ordinated and video recorded by Sun News Network host David Menzies, who has made a career out of lambasting Canada's politically correct institutions.
(snip)
Menzies, long a critic of the LCBO's "monopoly" over liquor sales in the province, attempted to meet with liquor board officials early Monday morning to ask why they were not enforcing their own policy but was sent an e-mail from Layton stating that stores "comply with the requirements of the Liquor License Act," and that they were not interested in discussing the matter on camera.
The article goes on the say that Oregon and Alabama have legal penalties for selling alcohol to minors, therefore privatize the LCBO.
The problem with this "investigative report" is that it faked a scenario so rare that it would be fair to call it inconsequential. Actual Muslim women who are religious enough (or oppressed enough, that's a whole other story) to wear full burqas are really highly unlikely to buy alcohol, because Muslims aren't supposed to drink.
The other thing is that the LCBO is not really controversial, as I said, even for conservative Ontarians. It is actually the single biggest purchaser of alcohol in the world, and we get excellent variety because of that. Also, it brought in a 1.6 billion dollar profit to the province in 2011, and it employs thousands of people.
Still, Sun gets bonus points with their right-wingnut base for taking a swipe at Muslims while bashing their other favourite target, "Canada's politically correct institutions."
Also, I wonder if what he did was illegal - Menzies sent a 14-year-old to buy booze, after all, "journalism" notwithstanding. It would be awesome if he (the adult, not the child) could be charged with something.
I'm just angry at Sun Media for coarsening the political dialogue all around in Canada, and this story really shows a lot of the reasons for my anger. Okay, rant over now.
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2012/07/20120724-071541.html
1 replies
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I don't know why I read it almost everyday. I think I just need my daily dose of 'the crazy', or perhaps a reminder of what were up against every election.
What a completely irresponsible excuse for journalism. That said I'm still not a fan of the LCBO, but thats mainly because of their prices (provincial taxation) and poor hours and locations. Still I wouldn't want to see it privatized. The Beer Store on the other hand.... that one has to go. Theres no reason for a mega-corporate distribution monopoly: sell it in grocery and corner stores like other grown-up provinces and countries do.
