Parliamentary Secretary John Yap -- yes, the same Freedom of Information-subverting John Yap who quit cabinet amid the Quick Wins scandal -- pushed the button on a glitzy website and social media campaign on Sept. 14 to elicit public opinion on changes to B.C. liquor laws.
The cash-strapped BC Liberal government is desperately seeking to cut costs and increase revenue, and the Liberals think booze can help it tick both boxes. While the Legislature stays dark for the fall because Premier Christy Clark would rather not face Question Period, the ruling party is exploiting the eternally divisive debate over liquor policy to help divert attention from political minefields, like troubled BC Hydro and its imminent rate hikes.
Yap will be reporting recommendations by the end of November to Attorney General/liquor minister Suzanne Anton, who is quietly plotting the transformation of the Liquor Distribution Branch into a Crown agency or corporation. Every other province has such a body, either as a standalone organization or merged with its lotteries and gambling monopoly.
More changes are coming to LDB. On Sept. 13, LDB quietly confirmed that it contracted Sedlak Management Consultants of Cleveland, Ohio to create the business case for moving out of the Vancouver Main Distribution Centre and into a new warehouse somewhere in the Lower Mainland. Sedlak’s website says it has worked closely with BC Liberal-connected Exel -- the same company that lobbied for privatization for seven years.
Eighteen companies responded to the supply chain management expert request for proposals and the list is below. But LDB won’t disclose the names of the two companies on the shortlist with Sedlak and its explanation why is vague.
What is the endgame for this whole exercise, especially the contracting of Sedlak, a company that makes no secret of its connection to Exel? Perhaps a second sip of privatization? Read my analysis in The Tyee here.
LDB hires supply chain management expert to help find a new main warehouse location
Successful Proponent:
· Sedlak Management Consultants, Inc.
Unsuccessful Proponents:
· BizTechMasters Inc.
· CGI Information Systems and Management Consultants Inc.
· CGR Management Consultants, LLC
· Deloitte Inc.
· Devencore Company Ltd. dba Newmark Knight Frank Devencore -
· IBM Canada Ltd.
· KOM International Inc.
· KPMG LLP
· Kurt Salmon Canada Ltd.
· LIDD Consultants Inc.
· Metro Supply Chain Group
· Protiviti Inc.
· PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
· Sierra Systems Group Inc.
· Stantec Consulting Ltd.
· Tompkins Associates, Inc.
· Trybec Management Services, Inc
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