Secondly, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Whitford on December 13, with respect to the control of sales of low alcohol beer to children.
The Department of Safety and Public Services has received a number of concerns from parents and educators that beer and wine products containing .5 per cent alcohol by volume are presently being sold in confectionaries, grocery stores and convenience stores across the territories. We have received a small number of reports of instances where these products have been purchased by children or teens. Although the risk that youngsters may become intoxicated after consuming these drinks is almost negligible, there is always a possibility that their ready availability will convey the incorrect message that there are no hazards associated with the use of alcohol.
Safety and Public Works is developing policy that will restrict youth access to these products. At the same time, it is recognized that, since the proliferation of these products in the Canadian marketplace, many adult consumers have begun using them as substitutes for more potent varieties of beer and wine. Since quantities of these products can be consumed without causing intoxication, they can be a factor in reducing the incidence of impaired driving and are a favoured alternative for moderate drinkers who want the taste of beer or wine but not the alcohol content or the calories of more traditional brands.
The department is looking to work together with the storekeepers across the territories to implement a series of guidelines that will prevent the sale of these products to young people, while still allowing their availability for adult consumers.
Guidelines will include requirements that stores will not sell low alcohol beverages to customers under the age of nineteen years and that they not offer sales promotions or display in-store advertising. There will also be a requirement that stores make product advisory information available. Wording and translation of the guidelines are now being finalized and will be distributed to sellers of non-alcoholic beverages before the end of January 1994.
Plans for our policy development in this area have been communicated to the parents' organization and school officials who raised these concerns in the first place and there seems to be general support for this approach. The department is now in the process of advising Chambers of Commerce of the directions we will be taking.
The effectiveness of these guidelines will be evaluated following six and 12 month intervals. If it is found that this approach has not been sufficient to stop the sale of low alcohol beer and wine to youngsters, then legislative action will be taken to fully regulate the products so they can only be sold in liquor stores and licensed premises. Unfortunately, this would mean that all adult consumers in many small communities would not be able to access them as easily, when they want an alternative to drinking full-strength beer and wine. Thank you.