An Ontario prohibition referendum was held on October 20, 1919 (in conjunction with the 15th provincial election), on the repeal of the prohibition of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition had been passed by the provincial government in 1916 under the Ontario Temperance Act, though a clause required a referendum to be held on the issue after three years.
Contents
Referendum question
- Are you in favour of the repeal of the Ontario Temperance Act?
- Are you in favour of the sale of light beer containing not more than two and fifty-one hundredths per cent alcohol weight measure through Government agencies and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale?
- Are you in favour of the sale of light beer containing not more than two and fifty-one hundredths per cent alcohol weight measure in standard hotels in local municipalities that by a majority vote favour such sale and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale?
- Are you in favour of the sale of spirituous and malt liquors through Government agencies and amendments to the Ontario Temperance Act to permit such sale?
Unlike past prohibition referendums, the four questions were binding upon receiving a majority vote.
Question 4 (sale of spirits and malts through government agencies)
As none of the questions received a majority vote, prohibition was not repealed.
References
Ontario prohibition referendum, 1919 Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA