Fill 'em up: Controversial vodka jugs return after short hiatus
A local distillery says it's restarted production of its four-litre vodka jugs after it says it was unfairly targeted by the Alberta government.
The jugs were recently the subject of disparaging comments by Alberta Service Minister Dale Nally, who called the pricing of the value-size vodka "not very responsible."
"When we heard about the comments from the minister, it was some sort of shock," said T-Rex Distillery CEO Yvonne Irnich. "We were, I felt, unfairly targeted."
The offending jugs were a private-label product made for Super Value Liquor at the price the store requested.
The jugs normally sell for $60 but were being offered for $49.95 by the liquor store as a promotion.
They were reviewed by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) and followed federal packaging and labelling laws.
"What it’s not in compliance with is the spirit of Albertans," Nally told reporters Monday.
"We believe in responsible pricing, and that's where I think it goes afoul."
Irnich said she felt "backstabbed" by the comments, and her shock quickly turned to anger.
"I do everything by the book, I have a good relationship with AGLC," she said. "We check everything over and over before we launch any products … so being accused like this, I felt [was] so unfair."
The jugs have been for sale for around a year, and Irnich said she had never received a single complaint until Nally's comments.
"The minister made it look like we were doing something illegal, which we (aren't). We have checked everything with the regulations, everything is absolutely fine."
The publicity around the jugs led to a rush of negative emails and calls, Irnich said, and on Tuesday the distillery announced it would stop producing the product.
By Thursday, Irnich said an overwhelming outpouring of support for the distillery led them to rethink that decision.
"It almost brought tears to my eyes," she added. "People I don't know, people from all over the country almost, stood up, wrote to the minister's office for us."
"After that much support we received, and the great feedback from Albertans, I think we will bring it back."
Nally's remarks were made during the introduction of a bill that would give him the power to set liquor prices.
Despite his issue with the jugs' pricing, Nally said the next day he will not be imposing floor pricing for alcohol on the shelves.
"Alberta’s government supports a free and open market while prioritizing social responsibility and the health and safety of Albertans who engage in gaming, alcohol, and cannabis consumption. Alberta’s distilleries are known to produce world class products and we want to maintain that reputation," Nally's press secretary Nicky Gocuan said in a statement Friday.
With files from Lisa Johnson of The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
VIA Rail service delayed for hours due to suspicious package investigation in Kingston, Ont.
VIA Rail service resumed in the Kingston, Ont. area late Saturday afternoon, after a suspicious package investigation halted train service for more than four hours over the Victoria Day long weekend.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
Conservatives, NDP should be 'celebrating' EV deals: industry minister
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says federal opposition parties should be 'celebrating' the recently announced electric vehicle deals, despite their criticisms the Liberals refuse to make public the terms and conditions laid out in the contracts.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.