Sabine El-Chidiac - What's Wrong With The LCBO?

Alex speaks with Sabine El-Chidiac about the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), exploring its historical context, operational inefficiencies, and the potential for reforming its structure. Sabine draws on her co-authored report to outline economic benefits and practical reforms, while also critiquing the LCBO's moral and historical failings. The conversation highlights broader themes of government overreach, consumer choice, and economic modernization. References Sabine's article in the Spec entitled "The LCBO is an archaic system with an ugly history": https://www.thespec.com/opinion/contributors/the-lcbo-is-an-archaic-system-with-an-ugly-history/article_4d18e1c1-2080-5c7d-be29-7ff72e3bba60.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=copy-link&utm_campaign=user-share  "Modernizing Ontario’s Alcohol Retail System" by Sabine El-Chidiac and David Clementhttps://consumerchoicecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Modernize_Ontario_Report.pdf "Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity" by Thomas Babor et al.https://global.oup.com/academic/product/alcohol-no-ordinary-commodity-9780199551149 LCBO Historical Documentshttps://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/index.aspx "Alcohol: Science, Policy and Public Health" by Peter Boyle et al.https://a.co/d/eoBTcI9 Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) Wholesale Modelhttps://ocs.ca/ "Free to Choose: A Personal Statement" by Milton Friedman and Rose Friedmanhttps://www.amazon.ca/Free-Choose-Personal-Statement-Milton/dp/0156334607  Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) Modelhttps://aglc.ca/ Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support the podcast, visit patreon.com/curioustask.