If you want to bankrupt the Ontario Government’s budget, all you have to do is quit drinking. If you’re anything like me, you hate the punitive sin taxes imposed by the Government of Ontario. It started a few decades ago when they decided to punish those of us who enjoyed a glass of wine (or more), or made the personal choice to endanger our health by smoking—whatever! Imagine if that revenue stream were suddenly choked off; what would they do?

My husband and I were recently in the United States and took advantage of the border and customs allowances on bringing alcohol back into Canada. With an allowance of one bottle of spirits each, we returned with two bottles of Canadian Club. What’s crazy about this is that we paid a mere $17.99 U.S. for each bottle in the U.S. Even with the ridiculous current exchange rate, we were still so far ahead financially when compared with $75.00 for exactly the same thing in Ontario liquor stores.

Over the years we have been able to buy Canadian Club on sale in the United States for as low as $12.99, when the exchange rate was far more favourable to the Canadian dollar than it is now. Calculating all the duties, tariffs, and retail markups, the unbelievably cheap price of made-in-Canada liquor in the United States is a reminder of how thoroughly the Ontario government is ripping us off. Now, I know our taxes go to worthy causes (!!) but, seriously?

No doubt, the prices in Canada have forced many Canadians to restrict or curtail their consumption, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but imagine the impact on the Ontario government’s coffers if we quit drinking altogether. Would they lower the sin tax to raise consumption, hence taxes? Raise the existing retail sales tax? Be forced to buy back Highway 407 to guarantee fat revenue returns? We’re already taxed to the max. We’d all be declaring bankruptcy if they found another way of killing us with further onerous tax hits.

Canada is, without a doubt, one of the best (if not THE best) countries in the world to live in. We have universal health care, strong diversity and equity programs, and a high standard of living. But our provincial governments sure make it hard to enjoy a glass of wine—or in my husband’s case, a Manhattan.

Fortunately, I’m pretty much a non-drinker (about two small glasses of Pinot Grigio a month). And, it’s a good thing because at $75.00 a bottle for Canadian Club, which costs so much less in the United States, we can’t afford to have two tipplers in the family. Even as an almost-abstainer, it makes me angry that there is so much disparity in the cost of Canadian liquor in Ontario and the very same Canadian liquor in the United States. Theoretically, I shouldn’t care, but we have to ration our little glass of Bailey’s-on-ice after dinner unless we take out a bank loan. Even our tastes in wine may now be determined by the price not the quality. Sad.

What’s a person to do? We’ve lived with this situation for so many years, we’ve become complacent. One recourse is to ask friends to load up with their allowable booze quota when they return from the States to restock our larder, but two bottles per family per year wouldn’t begin to cover most people’s requirements. Or, we could brew our own—is that even legal?

In our family, I’m trying to get hubby to switch to Virgin Caesars, but I’m not having much luck. I don’t know how long our RIF payments will cover his Manhattan habit, but the bags of money we’ve paid in sin taxes do not seem to be relieving the shortcomings in health care or affordable accommodation for senior living. We’ve paid vast amounts of money in taxes in our lifetime and just when we need to utilize some of the benefits, they are not there.

The downside of everyone quitting drinking would be the prospect of the government imposing taxes on other pleasures we enjoy, like ice cream, red licorice, or chocolate. That would never do. They’ll get their pound of flesh one way or another. When we’re finally old enough to buy our own liquor legally, and thanks to retirement when we have the time to enjoy a glass or two, we can no longer afford it. Just like we may not be able to afford a nice room in a retirement home or long-term care facility. It’s enough to drive ya’ to drink, eh?