July 16, 1996: Alberta liquor law allows previously opened bottles in vehicles

The transportation of previously opened liquor containers anywhere in a vehicle was no longer a crime with the implementation of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Act of 1996.

Before the legislative change made by then-premier Ralph Klein's government,liquor could only be transported in a vehicle if it was sealed and stored in the glove box or trunk.

Anti-drunk driving activists were opposed to the change and said the new law could be easily abused.

"I think when you make something accessible to someone, and you make an excuse for them to take advantage of something, that that will happen by the part of the population who isn't responsible," Donna Christensen said.

A government spokesperson defended the new law.

"Having it transported in your vehicle from one destination where you legally, lawfully could drink it to another, why should that be a crime?" said Jim Kiss, assistant to Steve West, the cabinet minister responsible for the gaming annd liquor commission.

Policehadconcerns about the changes to the law but didn't comment at the time.

Currently the act says "no person may: transport liquor in a vehicle if the liquor is within easy access of an occupant of the vehicle."

That means liquor bottles can no longer be near anyone in the car.

In the video,CBC's Sudha Krishna demonstrated, with a box of partially consumed alcohol bottles on the passenger seat of a car, what the then-new law meant for Albertans.