Latest news with #ManitobaLiquorandLotteries
Winnipeg Free Press
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Booze protest costs small price to pay to send Trump a message
Opinion Apparently, this is the cost of sticking to our collective guns. A freedom of information request filed by a former leader of the Manitoba Green party found out Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries is in possession of $3.4 million in unsold wine, spirits and beer from the United States. The booze — which includes product pulled from Liquor Mart shelves and product that was ordered and on the way here — marks the front line in Manitoba's war with U.S. President Donald Trump. Canadian whisky is advertised at a Liquor Mart in March while black plastic covers the U.S. whiskey section. The Manitoba government ordered American products removed from Liquor Marts in response to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun files) Most government-owned liquor stores and some private wine and spirit companies across the country rushed to pull U.S. alcohol off its shelves in February after Trump threatened us with crippling tariffs and mused one too many times about bringing Canada into the union as the 51st state. The cost of this protest was never discussed with the public. The premiers who ordered the alcohol to be removed — including Manitoba's Wab Kinew and Ontario's Doug Ford — hardly stopped to discuss the fiscal implications while they were gleefully ordering government liquor commission workers to strip the shelves of Jack Daniel's bourbon and Napa Valley wines. But we all had to know there was a cost. In Manitoba, the up-front cost is $3.4 million. That is, of course, just a fraction of the retail value. For example, Manitoba marks up wine by 95 per cent. So, $1 million in wine represents nearly $2 million in lost sales, and significant tax revenue. Remember, all net profits from the Manitoba Liquor and Lottery Corporation go directly into the province's general revenue. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, that added up to a whopping $732 million. Based on the total transfer — which also includes profits from lottery and gaming — you could easily dismiss the loss of $3 million as chump change. But it's still lost revenue. The only remaining question is — is $3.4 million a fair price to pay for the political dividends derived from hauling U.S. alcohol off Manitoba shelves? To date, the answer is absoposilutely. The fact is that Canadians started looking for ways to avoid buying American products well before Canadian politicians got in on the action. The militant Shop Canadian campaign was organic and extremely effective. So much so that just about every good and service in this country that can lay tenuous claim to being Canadian has engaged in concerted red washing, draping their offerings with Canadian flags and slogans. How committed are we to continuing the various boycotts? Depends on which boycott you're talking about. Government liquor stores are boycotting U.S. booze, it appears that private stores never started. A quick and totally unscientific survey of Winnipeg wine stores shows that most are still selling a wide variety of U.S. wines online. And if they're selling it, it's likely because many of us are still buying it. That suggests that the longer it goes on, the more we will find a way of sneaking a bottle of American Pinot Noir now and again. Other aspects of the Canadian 'elbows up' protest movement seem to show no signs of weakening. A Manitoba Liquor Mart shelf encouraging Canadian alternatives to U.S. liquor. (Chris Kitching / Free Press files) On the travel front, Canadians have sent Trump a very strong message. More than a quarter of all tourist visits to the U.S. come from Canada, and last year, we spent more than $20 billion south of the border. Trump's new-age manifest destiny and his tariff threats have driven down road-trip visits by nearly 40 per cent, and air travel by about a quarter. The industry estimates that every 10 per cent loss in visits by Canadians translates into $2 billion less revenue for hospitality businesses. What does the future hold for the channels of the boycott? Boycotts of food and alcohol will eventually lose their bite. The bigger concern for U.S. producers is whether Canadians learn to drink wine from other regions of the world and simply do not want or need to go back to American products. The food boycott seems headed in the same direction. Don't be surprised if, come December, we drop our elbows long enough to stuff some California strawberries into our berry holes. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. On travel, there are signs the boycott will continue longer, and have longer-lasting impacts. Discovering new places and new ways of getting there could very easily curb our appetite for U.S. visits. At least, until the U.S. industry starts offering travel deals that Canadians simply cannot refuse. (Are you listening Walt Disney Co.?) Which brings us back to $3.4 million in unsold alcohol in Manitoba. In the midst of a still-simmering trade war with the U.S., should we be fretting the government's decision to pull that much booze from Manitoba shelves? The quick answer is 'no.' Very little of this product will go bad. Which means, like good wine and whiskey, it's a protest that will only get better with age. Dan LettColumnist Dan Lett is a columnist for the Free Press, providing opinion and commentary on politics in Winnipeg and beyond. Born and raised in Toronto, Dan joined the Free Press in 1986. Read more about Dan. Dan's columns are built on facts and reactions, but offer his personal views through arguments and analysis. The Free Press' editing team reviews Dan's columns before they are posted online or published in print — part of the our tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
02-07-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Lotto corporation denies liability in lawsuit over $5-M ticket
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries says it isn't liable in the legal tussle over a $5-million lottery win between a woman and her ex-boyfriend. The Crown corporation issued a statement of defence that argues the claim against it, filed by the ex-boyfriend on May 14, has no merit and must be dismissed. '(MLL) specifically denies that it was responsible for prize investigation, prize authorization or prize payouts,' reads its court filing. SUPPLIED Krystal McKay claiming the $5 million Lotto 6/49 draw on Jan. 20, 2024. It's the latest development in the case launched by Winnipegger Lawrence Campbell against Krystal McKay, which also names Liquor & Lotteries and the Western Canada Lottery Corp. as defendants, over the winning Lotto 6/49 ticket purchased in January 2024. 'This action ought to be dismissed as against (MLL), with costs,' reads the Crown corporation's statement of defence, which was filed Monday. Campbell argues he bought the ticket for himself, but allowed McKay to claim it as her own, believing he could not receive the money unless he had government-issued ID and an active bank account. He claims she 'ghosted' him and absconded with the money. In her statement of defence, McKay claims Campbell purchased the ticket as a present for her one day before her birthday, meaning the money is rightfully hers. She said there was no discussion about him getting the cash. Campbell's lawsuit claims the Western Canada Lottery Corp. provided improper advice to him and it accuses Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries of having deficient or non-existent oversight when the money was disbursed. The suit argues both entities are vicariously liable. Liquor & Lotteries says it does not conduct, manage or operate WCLC's games, including Lotto 6/49. Its responsibilities were limited to distributing and marketing the lotto, it says. The lottery corporations jointly held a news conference on Jan. 30, 2024, to announce McKay as the winner of the $5-million lottery prize and the first Manitoban to become a lotto millionaire that year. Liquor & Lotteries says WCLC invited it to the news conference as its marketing partner. It denies any responsibility for Campbell's claims. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. 'At all material times, (Liquor & Lotteries) acted within the scope of its duties and in accordance with its obligations pursuant to applicable legislation and that no act or omission by it was the cause of any legally compensable harm suffered by the plaintiff,' argue the court filings. WCLC has yet to file its statement of defence. On June 13, a judge ordered McKay's assets temporarily frozen and approved an injunction that temporarily prohibits her from selling or transferring real estate, vehicles or anything that has a value greater than $3,500, while the case proceeds through court. The order only applies to property and items McKay purchased after the $5 million was deposited into her bank account. Erik PinderaReporter Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik. Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
24-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Lengthy sentence expected for city man
A Winnipeg man who sold powerful illicit opioid pills and laundered the illicit cash at Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries casinos is expected to serve a lengthy sentence in federal prison. Mohammad Riyadul Hoque, who's in his early 30s, pleaded guilty to trafficking fentanyl and laundering the proceeds of crime Monday in front of Court of King's Bench Justice Sheldon Lanchbery. Hoque will be sentenced later this year, where federal Crown prosecutor Matt Sinclair and defence lawyer Saul Simmonds intend to jointly recommend a 'substantial' penitentiary term, said Simmonds. Sentences of two years or more are served in federal prison. SUPPLIED Mohammad Riyadul Hoque will be sentenced later this year. Sinclair gave Lanchbery a brief overview of Hoque's drug trafficking and money laundering at casinos owned by the provincial government. In May 2023, RCMP investigators observed Hoque conducting 'brief transactions' throughout Winnipeg that the Mounties believed were drug sales, said Sinclair. 'They also received information that Mr. Hoque was spending a lot of money at the casino,' said Sinclair. RCMP then decided to conduct an undercover operation, sending an agent to purchase illicit drugs from Hoque, beginning in August 2023. The undercover operator first bought two rocks of crack cocaine on Aug. 1 and made several more purchases of crack and opioid pills over several weeks. The pills were sold as the opioid oxycodone, but were actually fentanyl — an opioid that can be up to 100 times more powerful. Simmonds told court that Hoque was not personally aware the pills he was selling were in fact made of fentanyl. RCMP investigators also confirmed cash given to Hoque by the undercover agent was used to buy in at city casinos, said Sinclair. On Sept. 18, 2023, when the undercover operative purchased 210 opioid pills, investigators arrested Hoque. Investigators executed search warrants on his vehicle and home on Denson Place in Winnipeg. Sinclair said Mounties seized more than 400 of the fake fentanyl pills, other opioid pills, more than 400 grams of crack cocaine and more than 200 pre-paid Visa gift cards in the home. RCMP found more crack and pills in Hoque's vehicle. Other charges — Hoque was also accused of possessing the proceeds of crime and another count of drug trafficking upon his arrest in September 2023 — are expected to be stayed at a later date. Hoque may face consequences from federal immigration officials due to the length of the sentence being sought, Simmonds said. Permanent residents and foreign nationals can face deportation proceedings for serious criminal convictions. Hoque's exact immigration status was not immediately made clear on Monday. He was assisted in court by a translator who spoke Bangladeshi. The provincial government is seeking to retain some of Hoque's properties and vehicles — which investigators believe he purchased with drug money — via a civil forfeiture lawsuit filed in 2023. The lawsuit, which remains before the court, details the RCMP's investigation. Hoque is fighting the civil case and has filed a statement of defence in response. Mounties have said in the civil court documents he laundered millions of dollars, mostly at Club Regent and McPhillips Station, and occasionally the downtown Shark Club, over three years beginning in 2021. The civil court papers say the RCMP's investigation began in October 2022. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Hoque gambled $3.5 million and cashed out nearly $4 million in 2021, gambled $5.7 million and cashed out $6.2 million in 2022, and gambled $864,000 and cashed out about $439,000 in 2023, per numbers produced by MLL security investigators. Criminal allegations that Hoque trafficked significant amounts of cocaine and fentanyl from Winnipeg to First Nations in northern Manitoba were not raised in court Monday. At the time of his arrest at his home in Winnipeg in 2023, RCMP said their nearly yearlong investigation into Hoque linked him to drug couriers with ties to Red Sucker Lake, Garden Hill, Wasagamack and St. Theresa Point First Nations on Island Lake. Mounties alleged at the time the couriers would pick up fentanyl pills and crack cocaine from Hoque in Winnipeg and fly the drugs to the isolated areas via commercial air flights. Erik PinderaReporter Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik. Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Sunday World
05-06-2025
- Business
- Sunday World
Man sues ex alleging she took $5 million lottery winnings and ghosted him
In news footage at the time they collected the prize, she told reporters the ticket was a birthday present A man is suing his ex-girlfriend after alleging she stole their joint $5 million (€3.2 million) winning lottery ticket and ghosted him. Lawrence Campbell from Winnipeg, Canada, filed a lawsuit against his ex, Krystal Ann McKay, as well as Western Canada Lottery Corporation and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries. The details of the claim were publicised by Canadian news channel CTV. Both McKay and Campell say he bought the winning lotto ticket on January 19th 2024. The couple were said to be in a 'loyal, committed, and promising relationship' at the time. In his lawsuit, the Canadian claims he gave his ex the ticket for safekeeping and forgot about it until he found it on the floor at a friend's home days later. He checked the ticket on his phone and found they had won the jackpot. The pair called friends and family to inform them of their win before they went to a nearby shop to verify that they did indeed have a winning ticket. In the suit, Campbell said that he was unable to collect the winnings because he didn't have a valid 'government-issued ID'. Instead, McKay collected the winnings on their behalf. She also deposited the money in her bank account as Campbell didn't have his own. A news conference held days after the win showed them claiming the winnings, with a massive check written out to McKay. 'It was really overwhelming, exciting,' she told reporters at the time, adding that the ticket was a birthday gift from her boyfriend. 'She had been asking me for three weeks to get a ticket, but I never went and got one,' he chimed in. 'Then we drove by one, and I was like 'OK, I might as well go get you one right now.'' The lawsuit claimed that in the days following her win, McKay failed to return to the hotel room where the couple were staying. Campbell said that he set out to find her at 'a few of her known spots where she would party' and eventually 'found her in bed, with another guy.' At this point she allegedly said she wanted to end their relationship to 'be with the new guy.' Campbell claims she stopped taking his calls and messages, and even blocked him on social media. She also took out an order of protection against him. In the claim, Campbell said he was given 'bad advice' by the the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, who he says failed to warn him about the risks of having someone else sign the winning ticket. Image: CTV News in 90 June 4th McKay allegedly told Campbell she wanted to end their relationship so she could be with the 'new guy,' according to the lawsuit. She then stopped taking Campbell's calls and answering his messages, blocked him on social media, and took out an order of protection against him, the lawsuit claimed. Campbell says he was given bad advice, which failed to warn him of the risks of having McKay sign the winning ticket. Her attorney told The Independent that she 'disputes the allegations made against her in the Statement of Claim' adding that she will be 'filing a Statement of Defence.'
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lottery Love Gone Wrong: Canadian Man Claims His Girlfriend Pulled A Houdini With His Winnings
Love and money don't always go hand-in-hand, especially lottery wins; ask Lawrence Campbell, a Canadian man who claims he lost $3.6 million to his ex-girlfriend. The Winnipeg resident recently filed a legal complaint against his former lover, Krystal Ann McKay, accusing her of doing a complete 180 after claiming his lottery ticket. He also sued the Western Canada Lottery Corporation and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries for allegedly influencing his losses. Campbell filed his allegations against McKay last month, claiming they were in a "loyal, committed, and promising" relationship when he bought himself a 6/49 lottery ticket. He said he made the purchase at the CanCo convenience store on Isabel Street on January 19, 2024. The Winnipeg man noted he gave the ticket to his then-girlfriend because he had lost his wallet. However, they both forgot about the lottery until he found the ticket on the floor of a friend's home days later. When Campbell scanned the ticket's barcode on his phone, he discovered he had won the Lotto 6/49 jackpot. Naturally, the news left Campbell and McKay elated, and they rushed over to a nearby Shoppers Drug Mart to record a video of them verifying their win. The couple believed they were in for a lifetime of happiness, but someone at the Western Canada Lottery Corporation crashed the party with bad news, per CTV News. Campbell recalled that the person he and McKay spoke to at the Western Canada Lottery Corporation told him he would not claim the money because he lacked a valid government-issued ID. Instead, he was advised to let his then-lover collect the winnings in her name. Unfortunately, Campbell didn't think much about it, given his blossoming relationship with McKay, and allowed her to collect the lottery jackpot publicly. At the time, she told reporters the lottery ticket was a gift from her boyfriend, and he echoed similar sentiments, noting she asked him to buy the ticket. Things began going south for Campbell after McKay deposited the $3.6 million into her bank account because he didn't have one. She allegedly began ghosting him days later until he found her in bed with another man. Once the cat was out of the bag, McKay dumped him and filed a protection order against him. Unlike Campbell, who allegedly forfeited his win to his girlfriend, thinking he could trust her, his namesake did not take any chances. In February 2019, a man identified as A. Campbell won the Super Lotto in Jamaica and claimed the $158,400,000 prize in a "Scream" mask. The man went fully incognito, rocking the slasher horror movie mask with a long coat, pants, and gloves. Although his face was hidden, he seemed pretty happy posing with the cheque, as seen in pictures shared by CBS News. Campbell was initially AWOL and took 54 days to claim the winning ticket. When asked why he cut it so close to the 90-day deadline, Campbell revealed the milestone had significantly affected his health. While others went wild with joy over the lottery, he fell ill after overthinking and trying to wrap his head around the once-in-a-lifetime achievement. In 2023, celebrity financial advisor Eszylfie Taylor shared essential tips for lottery winners with The Blast. He stressed that one shouldn't become overconfident with their achievement and focus on saving for a rainy day while enjoying their success. "I tell people to take the amount of money you want to live on on an annual basis, take that number, and multiply that by 20. That would be like your target savings number. As soon as you have that number, then my advice would be not to compromise that," Taylor explained. The financial advisor noted it was crucial to "integrate some level of safety and predictability" into one's plan and avoid risking it all, as many do when they have a large sum of money. Taylor believed it was better to live off the interest generated, adding that the goal wasn't how much money one makes but how much one keeps. Taylor's advice for lottery winners continued with tips on how to save more money instead of blowing it all. He noted that a good supportive environment was key, imploring lottery winners to align themselves with good people and a good team of professionals. The team should include a good investment advisor, a reasonable attorney, reputable bankers, as well as the ability to utilize the group as a collective effort. Additionally, lottery winners should have a clear set of objectives and educate themselves on investment plans before making decisions, rather than jumping in blindly. "My whole mantra in working with clients is to make sure they're educated. An educated client can then make their best decisions. Most people don't know the rules of the money game. And you can't win a game if you don't know the rules," Taylor stressed.
