Officials in Manitoba have reached out to ask Ontario Premier Doug Ford to reconsider his decision to remove Crown Royal whisky from LCBO shelves as soon as next month.
Ford first attracted attention last fall by slowly pouring out a bottle of Crown Royal during a press conference to protest parent company Diageo’s decision to close its bottling plant in Amherstburg, Ont., vowing to remove the spirit from provincial liquor store shelves. Earlier this week, he reiterated that threat, saying he will “100 per cent” go ahead with that promise.
Manitoba Conservative opposition leader Obby Khan sent a letter to Ford, saying a Crown Royal boycott would jeopardize jobs in Gimli, Manitoba, where the alcohol is distilled.
“Manitoba workers in the town of Gimli proudly produce Canada’s best whisky, enjoyed by millions of people around the world,” wrote Khan. “I appeal to you as a fellow Progressive Conservative Leader to leave Crown Royal on LCBO shelves next month and into the future and work together to attract new investment to Ontario and Manitoba.”
Diageo has said that its Crown Royal products will continue to be mashed, distilled and aged at Canadian facilities in Manitoba and Quebec.
Ford, however, is skeptical and during an unrelated public event in Toronto on Thursday, he bristled at the suggestion he was “weaponizing” the LBCO with plans to remove the whiskey from store shelves, saying he was “protecting jobs in Ontario.”
Ford added that he had spoken with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, saying he understands that it’s his job to protect jobs in Ontario.
“When you want to go after Ontarians and ship it down to the U.S., make no mistake about it. You think it’s going to Winnipeg, you think it’s going to Quebec, it’s going down to Alabama to be produced. And I will fight all day long to protect the jobs for Ontarians.”
Workers at the Amherstburg plant ratified a closure deal that union officials say will give 89 per cent of workers an increase in severance pay and other benefits. However, the union is still holding out hope other liquor manufacturers might step in to save those jobs.
Last October, Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue indicated at least one company was in serious talks to take over the bottling plant, but there’s been no further update on the nature of those talks. As of December, Diageo had listed the property for sale but would not say if it was in talks with any potential buyers.
Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report
