StatsCan has ratted on us all again:

Canadians bought more beer, wine and spirits last year, but the growth in alcohol sales slowed slightly, Statistics Canada reported Thursday. In total, Canada's beer and liquor stores and agencies sold more than $16.1 billion worth of alcoholic beverages during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2004, up 4.9 per cent from the year before.

There are only two reasons Canadians drink more - things are getting better or things are getting worse. Beer remains king with 50.7 per cent of the total alcohol trade by price. The report says that Canadians bought 86.3 litres of beer, 13.3 litres of wine and 7.6 litres of spirits during the year. Their total per capita purchases of alcoholic beverages amounted to $623.60. Keeping in mind there are two adults in this family...that's a lot. 86.3 litres of beer is 20 12-pack cases per person per year. That seems a heck of a lot especially as that is in addition to 10 quarts of spirits and 18 bottles of wine for every adult person.

Apparently beer is still big...and I just realized that booze collectively is bigger than the military.