The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, July 16, edition that Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is hurrying to make ready-to-drink cocktails available on grocery-store shelves, in response to a strike at the province's main liquor retailer that has focused on this issue. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy announced Monday that grocery stores already licensed to sell beer and wine can start ordering the premixed cocktails, as well as large packs of beer, to sell starting on Thursday -- sooner than the planned Aug. 1 launch of that step. Mr. Bethlenfalvy wrote in a statement, "Our government is keeping our promise to give people in Ontario choice and convenience while supporting Ontario-made beverage producers across the province, including the Ontario businesses that produce more than 80 per cent of the ready-to-drink beverages sold here in our province." The accelerated move is part of an already fast-tracked plan to expand alcohol sales in the province. Mr. Ford's original plan was to have beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails available in convenience stores and all grocery stores by 2026, but in May, he announced that it would instead happen this year.