Chamber wants government to come clean over sanitizer contracts

The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce is pouring on the heat over craft distillers being shut-out of federal government hand sanitizer contracts.

In letters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier John Horgan, as well as their respective finance ministers, the Chamber calls for distilleries to be acknowledged for the enormous contribution they have made producing sanitizer amidst the pandemic.

“Sanitizer was in significant demand, and, in most cases, distillers provided it for free to those on the frontlines of the pandemic – health care professionals, medical outreach workers, educators, care home workers and postal and retail staff. In the case of Okanagan Spirits, it has donated about $500,000 in sanitizer, a significant contribution for a local business,” Krystin Kempton, Greater Vernon Chamber president said. “Distillers answered the call from government to do what they could to support Canadians during this unprecedented crisis.”

The federal government has awarded multimillion dollar contracts to large Canadian companies like Irving Oil and foreign companies, including a Chinese electric car manufacturer.