1923 Alberta prohibition plebiscite

rdf:langString 1923 Alberta prohibition plebiscite

rdf:langString Alberta liquor plebiscite

rdf:langString Alberta

rdf:langString Prohibition

rdf:langString Government Sale of All Liquors

rdf:langString Government Sale of Beer

rdf:langString Licensed Sale of Beer

rdf:langString The 1923 Alberta prohibition plebiscite, held on November 5, 1923, was a province-wide plebiscite held in Alberta, Canada, to allow alcoholic beverages. It was triggered by an affirmative vote in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and based on the presentation of a 56,000-name petition in accordance with the requirements of the Direct Legislation Act (1913), a citizens referendum law or initiative law, which was in force at the time. Prohibition was defeated by nearly 58 percent (58%) of the vote and was replaced by the government sale of liquor and strictly-regulated taverns. Liquor would be sold in government stores, and the government took out the profit motive for "pushing" alcohol and engaged in little advertising to encourage sales. Consumers of liquor had to buy permits, which, if misused, could be "interdicted." As well, after the end of prohibition, the government brought in the local option vote and so communities could hold votes to prohibit sales of liquor in their communities. Cardston, for example, is a town that voted to uphold prohibition by plebiscite as recently as 2014. Prohibition was abolished in the last few prohibition areas in the province on June 17, 2020, but under the new provincial legislation, those areas will remain a dry until their respective councils pass motions to allow liquor sales.