Artisan Distilling Sources

This half-hour Land and Sea documentary reveals how thousands of law abiding citizens of Atlantic Canada were lured into the alcohol smuggling trade during Prohibition in the 1920s and 30s. Prohibition was extremely unpopular with many Americans and Canadians, but for dozens of coastal communities in Atlantic Canada hard hit by a downturn in the fisheries and still recovering from World War I, it was seen as a golden business opportunity. Rum Running depicts the larger than life characters and the high stakes role that Nova Scotia and the French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon played during the era. The film explores the social, economic and cultural impact that this illegal activity had on dozens of coastal communities and reveals how the impact of rum running still affects us today.

Watch as entrepreneurs thirsty for success pour their energy into one of the best-performing industries in the country. Alcoholic beverages and the booze industry seem better poised than most sectors of the economy to weather the storm. Booze is an affordable luxury we’re not willing to give up in tough economic times. Follow John Vellinga, and his dream of taking his Slava vodka beyond the niche market of Ukrainian Canadians. He needs to take his product mainstream to top up sales and attract a buyer.