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CBC: Free trade between provinces? That would be anarchy: Neil Macdonald

I had no idea that Canada had restrictions on internal trade, as an American with free and total interstate commerce, that's nuts.

It's mostly related to alcohol. Let's not pretend the US doesn't have dry counties or that the drinking age is the same in every state, etc...
 

trembli0s

Member
It's mostly related to alcohol. Let's not pretend the US doesn't have dry counties or that the drinking age is the same in every state, etc...

The drinking age isn't 21 across the entire US? That's news to me. My understanding is that the age limit has less to do with state politics than the fact that the federal government hangs a Damocles Sword of around 10% of federal highway funds hostage if you DON'T set it to 21.
 
It's mostly related to alcohol. Let's not pretend the US doesn't have dry counties or that the drinking age is the same in every state, etc...
Yeah, there are dry counties. But you aren't going to get arrested for smuggling if you buy beer in a neighboring state and bring it back to your own. Blue laws and interstate commerce aren't related.
 

Pakkidis

Member
I have been living in Canada my whole life and didn't know this existed. I assumed everything was transferable between provinces.
 
The drinking age isn't 21 across the entire US? That's news to me. My understanding is that the age limit has less to do with state politics than the fact that the federal government hangs a Damocles Sword of around 10% of federal highway funds hostage if you DON'T set it to 21.
My recollection is that every state has been 21 since the mid-nineties, and Louisiana was the last holdout at 18.
 

jstripes

Banned
I have been living in Canada my whole life and didn't know this existed. I assumed everything was transferable between provinces.

New Brunswick probably started cracking down on cross-border alcohol purchases for those sweet, sweet tax dollars.

Alcohol in Canada has high taxes built into the pricing.
 

Slayven

Member
Wow I had no idea. I thought Utah and Florida package stores were weird.
The South Carolina/Georgia border is a river. Important because fireworks use to be illegal to sell in Georgia, so South carolina firework stores use to set up damn near on the bank of the river to sell to Georgians. It was kind of a thrill as a kid to make a fireworks smuggling runs
 
When Canadians diss on Canada, this is one things we refer to. The children(Provinces) hold too much power over just about everything and as a result they make it incredibly hard to do anything in this country cross-province
 
I really wanted to weigh in on this topic hard;

anarchy is an incorrect word to use, freedom would be the best word

Inter-Provincial restrictions withing a country when it involves trades, goods and energy is such an antiquated protectionist relic that needs to be a abolished.

It is really fucked up that it is easier for Hydro-Quebec to sell its electricity to New York, Vermont and New Hampshire than selling it to Ontario or New Brunswick.

It is no secret that I want to see Provinces abolished, mostly to my disdain of seeing every Province having a different Health Care ministry where one Province handles it way better while the neighboring Province manages it like total shit.

When it comes to healthcare, I wish it would be Federalized and taken away from Province and that the examples of the best Provinces would be adopted.

Plus, inter-provincial barriers hampers business and it hurts jobs growth.

I hope that the beer enthusiast from NB wins his case and changes the face of Canada, I will drink to that
 
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