Alberta digs in to fight for beer rebate program

The provincial government is appealing a decision handed down by a trade panel in July that found Alberta’s beer taxation system, including a rebate program for local brewers, violates trade agreements. 
“We stand firmly with Alberta small brewers, we will not abandon them now,” Finance Minister Joe Ceci told reporters Tuesday. “There have been 18 small breweries opened up in the year since the program started, it’s doing what it’s intended to do.”