> Being the sole seller also means that they can negotiate ruthlessly and drive prices down to maximize profit for the people of Ontario.
Being the sole seller also means they have a monopoly. It's much easier to run a monopoly profitably by charging high prices than by negotiating low prices. Even if they do negotiate low prices, what incentive is there to pass the savings on to the customer?
> what incentive is there to pass the savings on to the customer?
I mentioned this in another comment, but for alcohol there are a lot of external costs associated with consumption. It makes sense to try include some of those costs.
You can tell yourself that, but the purpose of LCBO at this stage is the money it makes for government. Liquor prohibition is a distant memory. If you don't realize that, you risk buying into their rhetoric about "protecting children" that they're peddling for weed monopolies.
Being the sole seller also means they have a monopoly. It's much easier to run a monopoly profitably by charging high prices than by negotiating low prices. Even if they do negotiate low prices, what incentive is there to pass the savings on to the customer?