‘Stock up’: Ontario premier promises to banish Crown Royal whisky from province

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has threatened to ban Crown Royal whisky from the province's liquor stores due to a dispute with Diageo, the multinational spirits maker that owns the brand. The conflict began in September when Diageo announced plans to close its Ontario plant and move operations to the US, resulting in job losses. Ford criticized the company's decision and vowed to remove Crown Royal from shelves, urging consumers to "stock up." While Diageo states the whisky will continue to be distilled and aged in Canada, Ford views the plant closure as an erosion of a Canadian product, as Crown Royal has historically emphasized its Canadian roots. The liquor control board in Ontario is one of the largest buyers of alcohol in the world.

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