Edmonton – The Alberta Federation of Labour is highly critical of the Molson Coors shut-down of its Edmonton plant announced yesterday afternoon.

“The American-based Coors Molson Company is closing a profitable, efficient, award-winning plant with no consideration of long-term employees here in Alberta,” says AFL President Gil McGowan. “Their loyalty and hard work apparently means nothing to the American operators but numbers on a ledger sheet.”

“So next time Albertans hear the ‘I am Canadian’ rant on a Molson ad – don’t believe it,” says McGowan. “With the lay-off of the last Alberta Molson workers, there is little reason for Albertans to drink Molson products.”

McGowan was also critical of the removal of inter-provincial trade barriers that has allowed the Canadian brewing industry to collapse.

“This plant closure is part of an ongoing series of shut-downs of breweries in the province,” says McGowan. “The collapse of the Alberta brewing industry and the loss of hundreds of good jobs is the other side of the drive to free trade between provinces that the Alberta government so strongly endorses.”

McGowan points out that Alberta and other Canadian provinces each had thriving brewing industries when regulations prohibited the transport of beer across provincial boundaries.

“Molson alone used to have three breweries in Alberta,” says McGowan, “But as of today there is only one major plant left – the Edmonton Labatt Brewery.”

“Albertans have lost great jobs with no real gain in consumer prices,” says McGowan. “Where is the benefit to the province in that product of free trade?”

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For more information call:

Gil McGowan AFL President @ 780.218.9888