Atlantic director Jim Cormier says they’ve been asking for such a campaign since last year and calls it “disturbing” that the government is launching it just weeks before. He says this is problematic because retailers will want to use these in-store government messages in a variety of ways to let customers know what they’ll be paying for. He says it’s taking a while to do and fears the government has waited so long that many members won’t have ads ready in stores for September 1. As for preparations for the sugar tax as a whole, Cormier says some members are ready to go, but many still have a lot of questions. It addresses some of the more technical questions, such as if a beverage product is included in a gift basket, should sugar tax apply? Cormier says there are a lot of questions, but not a lot of clear answers. (File photo.) Meanwhile, opposition critic Tony Wakeham hits back at the government’s health drinks campaign. He calls the campaign an attempt by the government to justify the “latest tax grab”. Wakeham says he finds irony in Minister Siobhan Coady saying they hope not to collect much from the tax because people will choose better options, yet announce the money has gone to many different initiatives and organizations – such as Kids Eat Smart. He says such programs have been funded by the government in the past and should be funded by the government. He says they should not be “held hostage” because their funding depends on another tax on provincial residents.
