As Jakarta Booze-Ban Looms, Winnipeg Inches Forward

Looking back Westwards, or, more accurately in geographical terms, northeastwards, I see Canada is inching forwards, at least in Manitoba, where there are reports of reforms to liquor laws.

Beer taprooms in Manitoba open as provincial liquor laws relaxed

 I’m sure my Canadian readers will have something to say about this, but my recollection from previous visits to the land I once called home is that the laws vary from province to province…

Storm Brewing in Ontario 

…in many places extremely backward – as one regular commenter told me, Ontario even bans ‘Happy Hours!’

However, in Manitoba, brewpubs – restaurants serving a combination of food and beer – have been in Winnipeg for over a decade. But for the first time, breweries will now be able to serve samples of their product on the same site in which it was brewed, called taprooms.  

http://globalnews.ca/news/2826853/beer-taprooms-in-manitoba-open-as-provincial-liquor-laws-relaxed/.

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A good, common-sense move, yes, but incredibly, the taprooms will be forced to close their doors to customers at NINE PM!

Heck, that’s when lots of people leave home to go out for a drink, here in Jakarta.

Or at least they do now.

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Alas, I have heard nothing about the Indonesian Government’s unbelievably retrograde legislation aimed at imposing ‘Creeping Shariah’ prohibition, which would, if un-amended,  leave us drinkers open to prosecution for consuming a beer on a sunny arvo.

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There are progressive forces at work here, notably Jakarta Governor Ahok, who recently took advantage of a new legal loop-hole to re-authorise sales of beer in mini-marts.

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 Ahok

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Unfortunately, despite diligent searches, I have yet to see any bottles of Bintang or Anker on the shelves of my local Indomaret or Alfamart.

I wonder if the staff – they are usually just sweet little gals – are afraid of IslamoNazi raiding parties…

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…who barge around town in cowardly manner seeking to intimidate defenceless employees in exactly such positions.

Mind you, there’s just been a new National Police Chief appointed, ad he’s said to be a good guy, so maybe law enforcement will be applied to the sectarian thug gangs.

Nevertheless, if parliament does their job for them…

I hear the expat population is dwindling, rapidly.

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