Ontario's convenience stores are fighting back after an ad campaign suggested their employees would be more willing to sell alcohol to minors.
The Ontario Convenience Stores Association says the thousands of people who work in its stores have proven they can handle selling other age-restricted products such as cigarettes.
The organization is also presenting a petition it says was signed by more than 400,000 Ontario residents who want beer and wine to be sold in corner stores.
This comes just days after The Beer Store issued an ad that shows teen boys easily buying alcohol from a convenience store.
The idea of selling wine and beer in corner stores has been around for decades, but Ontario has so far refused to allow it, though other provinces have.
The province had vowed to expand the availability of beer and wine, and earlier this month, said it would move ahead with plans to set up liquor store outlets in select grocery stores by the end of the year.
