New bar rules are a nuisance

Commentary by Emily Plihal

The provincial government implemented new bar rules early last month to curb nightclub danger, but with all their valiant efforts, there is still an ebb of problems occurring outside the bars. New rules regulate how much alcohol each customer can consume and at what price they can purchase it. After 1 a.m., each customer can only have two drinks in front of them. This is thought to be a way to eliminate power drinking at the end of the night, thus stopping the chances of fights breaking out from uncontrolled drinking. Many of my friends work within the confines of the bar. They’ve explained the two drink rule has not put an ease to quick drinking. The only change they’ve noticed is people power drink until last call. One friend explained some individuals will demand more service between 1-2 a.m., simply because they know they cannot have more than two drinks in front of them. She said the patron will power drink, just so he/she can be served another beverage. In addition, many of the larger city bars are not following the rules. She says she went into a bar in Peace River where her friends were being served jugs of alcohol after 1 a.m. This is the equivalent (usually) to four drinks per small jug and eight drinks for a large jug. The only bar it has greatly affected is the small town bar, where they have to follow the rules very closely because the liquor inspectors can gaze around more openly. Decrease in liquor sales have not decreased the violence either. In Edmonton two weekends ago, a man pulled a hand gun on an acquaintance outside a south end nightclub. Did it have something to do with booze? Maybe, but most likely it was a gang-related fight, prompted by issues beyond alcohol. The government tried to make carrying weapons illegal, the criminals are the only ones who carry non-registered guns. Millions of Canadians’ money was thrown into the attempts to make the country safer. Now the provincial government is using money to essentially make drinking and smoking illegal. Those whose goal it is to get “plastered” will not be stopped for drinking and getting out of hand. The bartender is responsible for watching how much alcohol each customer is consuming. But if the individual is drinking outside of the premises, how will the bartender know? Short of them showing obvious signs of inebriation, ie: vomiting, slurring when talking, staggering; how will the tender know? Bartenders are 100 per cent responsible for anything that happens on the premises. Most of them are unable to afford a $14,000 fine that can be handed to them at any time for overserving. Why not target the individual who is drinking? If they get into their vehicles and drive, how is that the bartender’s fault? Many bartenders are women who would not be able to wrestle keys out of a grown man’s hands. Short of offering them a cab ride (which doesn’t exist in most of our small towns) or a hotel room (which is not readily available at some establishments), or offering the drunk a ride home (potentially very dangerous for the driver) the bartender should not be held responsible. They try to prevent over drinking and they try to prevent drunk driving, but the fact of the matter is that they do not necessarily know how much the individual has consumed. All the power to the government to try to curb night club disturbances, but does the onus really have to be put on the bartender?

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