The relationship between Prince George city council and liquor has changed quickly.
Previous mayors and council turned into temperance movement revivals at the first mention of the "goof juice."
But with barely a peep of protest at its Monday meeting, mayor and council approved turning the Treasure Cove Casino into one giant bar.
Previously, liquor service was only allowed in the show lounge and cafe, which could only hold a combined maximum of 257 people. The change will now bring the total number of alcohol service seats available to 1,216.
While the application still has to go before the BC Liquor Control and Licensing Board, it would be unusual for the board to reject the approval of the affected municipality.
Treasure Cove owner John Major justified allowing liquor consumption on the gambling floor by pointing out that 13 of the province's 17 casinos already offer it.
Although there was some opposition to the casino's expanded liquor service from area residents, the neighbourhood community association endorsed Treasure Cove's application.
So did city staff.
This decision comes on the heels of finally allowing liquor service in the stands at CN Centre for concerts and hockey games.
That one-year pilot project will run until the end of the upcoming Prince George Cougars season. The Cougars (the last team in the Canadian Hockey League to allow its fans to sip a beer while watching games from the stands) requested the liquor service but it's also expected to generate an extra $40,000 in revenue for city coffers.
Before that, alcohol was only allowed in beer gardens and private suites.
The loosening up of liquor practices at public facilities has not come easy for city officials.
Just the pilot project brought out the hand-wringing of the councillors with young families.
Normally, Coun. Cameron Stolz and Coun. Garth Frizzell don't agree on much but liquor consumption in front of the kids gets them in a froth.
"We shouldn't enable impairment right before people get into their vehicles," Frizzell said at the time the one-year trial at CN Centre was approved. "We shouldn't be normalizing drinking."
He even dismissed the additional city revenue of $40,000 as minimal, without suggesting where else he could find $40,000 lying around.
"I find this proposal challenging. I've voted considerably against expanding alcohol service at CN Centre," Stolz said.
Drinking is a normal activity for many adults, regardless of what the councillors think.
CN Centre, like other sporting venues, has family areas in the stands where drinking will be prohibited. For the rest, drinking remains a legitimate choice for adults out for an evening's entertainment, which was the language used to justify expanded liquor service at the casino.
Stolz and Frizzell both supported the casino's application.
The casino and CN Centre will operate under the supervision of the BC Liquor Control and Licensing Board. If an inspector pays a surprise visit and finds intoxicated patrons still receiving service or any other infraction, there will be repercussions, including suspensions and losing their licence, same as for any other facility that serves alcohol to patrons.
It never made sense for mayor and council to be in the liquor control business, just like it doesn't make sense for the province. Private liquor sales are already available and it's time to finish the job and phase out government liquor stores. If grocery stores want to make a bid for beer and wine sales, that should be their right to make a case. Government can still set prices and police sales but it doesn't belong in the retail liquor business.
Adult Albertans can even enjoy a beer or a cooler at the movie theatre if they so choose.
The sky hasn't fallen there.
And it won't fall here, either, as Prince George finally liberalizes its liquor sales.
-- Managing editor, Neil Godbout
