The LCBO has pulled Stalinskaya Silver Vodka from its shelves. Here's why
Ontario's provincially owned liquor retailer says it’s removing a vodka brand off its shelves following complaints that the product’s name resembled that of the Soviet Union dictator Joseph Stalin.
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) sold Stalinskaya Silver Vodka, made in Romania, in store and online, but removed it after complaints surfaced from the Ukrainian community.
“Following feedback from a number of our customers, the LCBO further reviewed Stalinskaya Silver Vodka,” a spokesperson told CTV News Toronto on Thursday. “[We] found it does not meet the LCBO’s name and labelling standards and is no longer available for sale through the LCBO.”
The vodka company, which started selling in Ontario stores in May, writes on its Facebook page that, “Stalinskaya means strength and is inspired by the Russian word stal, meaning steel.”
In response to CTV News Toronto, the company said it’s working on a statement about the issue, which will be available Friday morning.
As the brand hit the shelves, the Ukrainian community began sending letters to the LCBO to stop the sales, saying the name stirs up dreaded memories associated with the Soviet Union and Stalin.
Stalin ruled the Soviet Union from 1927 until 1952, and he has been infamously known for the Gulag forced labour system established during his long reign. His regime is widely criticized for wide-scale executions, deadly famines and ethnic cleansing.
Ukrainian Canada and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, groups representing the diaspora, wrote a number of posts on social media over the month of June to bring awareness about the issue.
“Stalin deported and annihilated whole ethnic communities of Chechens, Ingushes, Tatars; organized a man-made genocide Holodomor killing millions of Ukrainians; built a regime that has been mass-murdering people with contrarian opinions and beliefs,” Ukrainian Canada said in a post.
Ukrainian community member Nick Krawetz said, like others, he contacted the LCBO immediately after learning the product was sold in its stores.
“Like millions of Ukrainian families, relatives from my family and my wife's tragically lost their lives due to Stalin's tyrannical and murderous policies,” Krawetz told CTV news Toronto on Thursday. “I chose to speak out to honour their eternal memory.”
The diaspora groups welcomed the LCBO’s decision, saying that the crown corporation responded swiftly to the request.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Mexican authorities say thieves killed 2 Australians and an American to steal their truck
Thieves killed two Australians and an American on a surfing trip to Mexico in order to steal their truck, particularly because they wanted the tires, authorities said Sunday.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.