Ontario Premier Doug Ford Has Issued a Warning to Whisky Enthusiasts: Stock Up on Crown Royal Before It's Gone
In a move that has left Canadian whisky fans reeling, Ontario's premier, Doug Ford, has vowed to banish Crown Royal from the province's liquor stores. The announcement comes as part of a simmering feud between Canada and multinational spirits maker Diageo over tariffs and economic nationalism.
Ford's threat was reiterated this week, with the premier warning rye drinkers that they needed to "stock up" on Crown Royal if they wanted to keep consuming it in Ontario. This decision is seen as a blow to the brand, which has been a staple of Canadian whisky for decades.
Crown Royal, first introduced in 1939 and named after King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's visit to Canada, has long stressed its Canadian roots. The iconic purple cloth bag with gold stitching has become synonymous with the brand, and it's still made with Canadian grains and water from Manitoba's Lake Winnipeg.
However, Ford claims that Diageo is planning to move all Crown Royal production to a new plant in Alabama, sparking outrage among Canadians who are used to seeing the brand on their local liquor store shelves. The premier has been critical of Diageo's plans, calling the company "a few fries short of a Happy Meal" and suggesting they were "dumb as a bag of hammers".
The feud between Ford and Diageo is also seen as an attempt by the Canadian government to exert its influence over foreign corporations operating in Canada. As one of the largest buyers of alcohol in the world, Ontario's liquor control board is a major player in the industry.
While Ford's threat has sparked concerns about the future of Crown Royal in Canada, it remains to be seen how effective his actions will be. The brand has already shifted its global strategy in response to US government incentives, and consumer boycotts have cratered sales of US brands in Canada.
As for what this means for other Diageo brands sold in Ontario, including Guinness and Smirnoff, Ford has made it clear that he's not afraid to take on the multinational corporation. The premier has issued a warning to other companies operating in Canada, suggesting they will be held accountable if they try to hurt the province.
The fate of Crown Royal in Canada remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: this is a developing story that will continue to unfold in the days and weeks ahead.
In a move that has left Canadian whisky fans reeling, Ontario's premier, Doug Ford, has vowed to banish Crown Royal from the province's liquor stores. The announcement comes as part of a simmering feud between Canada and multinational spirits maker Diageo over tariffs and economic nationalism.
Ford's threat was reiterated this week, with the premier warning rye drinkers that they needed to "stock up" on Crown Royal if they wanted to keep consuming it in Ontario. This decision is seen as a blow to the brand, which has been a staple of Canadian whisky for decades.
Crown Royal, first introduced in 1939 and named after King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's visit to Canada, has long stressed its Canadian roots. The iconic purple cloth bag with gold stitching has become synonymous with the brand, and it's still made with Canadian grains and water from Manitoba's Lake Winnipeg.
However, Ford claims that Diageo is planning to move all Crown Royal production to a new plant in Alabama, sparking outrage among Canadians who are used to seeing the brand on their local liquor store shelves. The premier has been critical of Diageo's plans, calling the company "a few fries short of a Happy Meal" and suggesting they were "dumb as a bag of hammers".
The feud between Ford and Diageo is also seen as an attempt by the Canadian government to exert its influence over foreign corporations operating in Canada. As one of the largest buyers of alcohol in the world, Ontario's liquor control board is a major player in the industry.
While Ford's threat has sparked concerns about the future of Crown Royal in Canada, it remains to be seen how effective his actions will be. The brand has already shifted its global strategy in response to US government incentives, and consumer boycotts have cratered sales of US brands in Canada.
As for what this means for other Diageo brands sold in Ontario, including Guinness and Smirnoff, Ford has made it clear that he's not afraid to take on the multinational corporation. The premier has issued a warning to other companies operating in Canada, suggesting they will be held accountable if they try to hurt the province.
The fate of Crown Royal in Canada remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: this is a developing story that will continue to unfold in the days and weeks ahead.
. Like, can't we just enjoy our Crown Royal without all the drama? On a more serious note, have you seen the graph showing how much Canada imports from the US? It's crazy high, over 10 billion dollars in 2022 alone 
. This whole tariff thing is having a major impact on our economy. And let's not forget, Diageo has been operating in Canada for ages, so this isn't exactly an unexpected move... 
But seriously, how many jobs will Crown Royal lose if production is moved to Alabama? I'd love to see some stats on that.
. That's a lot of people who'll be affected by this decision. And what about the economic impact on rural Manitoba? The water from Lake Winnipeg is used in the production process... it's all pretty connected, you know?
anyway so Premier Doug Ford is like "if ur gonna drink Crown Royal u should stock up now" because allegedly Diageo wants to move all production to Alabama 
meanwhile Canadians are all like "wait what?" 
it's kinda wild how he's going after Diageo but at the same time its like why would Ontario be in a trade war with itself? 
Doug Ford just dropped the tea on Diageo, and now I'm frantically stockpiling my bottles in case they're gone for good 
. Like, what even is the deal with this Canadian whisky feud? Can't we all just get along? 
And btw, who knew Premier Ford was a Crown Royal stan? 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good Canadian whisky? But at the same time, I get where Ford's coming from – it's like, if you're gonna play with the big boys, you gotta be prepared for some drama 
.
. Either way, I hope Crown Royal fans can get their hands on some of that good stuff before it disappears from our liquor stores 
. Either way, I'm gonna stock up on my Crown Royal while I can – you never know what's gonna happen next! 
. I've had my fair share of those lovely bottles at family gatherings and I would hate to see them disappear from Ontario's shelves 
. It would suck if another Canadian brand had to take the hit for this tariff drama 
.
i mean, premier doug ford is low-key threatening to ban it from ontario liquor stores and diageo is like "oh noes" over tariffs and whatnot 
this is all super drama-filled but also kinda cool? like, crown royal has been a canadian staple for decades and now we might have to say goodbye 
. And can you blame him? He's right to be mad at Diageo for trying to move their production out of Canada. It's not just about Crown Royal, it's about the jobs and the economy that are at stake here.
The fact that Ford's making a big deal out of this just shows how much he cares about his constituents (i.e., not as much as he thinks).