Why is ethanol not an oxidizer? I am attempting the 2016 Canadian Chemistry Contest Part A, and one of the questions concerns the WHMIS symbols and whether a compound is an oxidizer or not. 

The correct answer is that ethanol would not require a WHMIS oxidizer symbol. However, I am confused as to why ethanol is not an oxidizer when compounds such as potassium permanganate and nitric acid are when all of them contain oxygen.
For something to be an oxidiser. It must be capable of being reduced. The presence of oxygen is no particular indicator of the oxidising ability of a given species. 

In potassium permanganate, manganese is in its +7 oxidation state (a very high oxidation state), consequently it is a good oxidant agent as it is able to gain electrons, causing oxidation of another species and itself being reduced. 

In ethanol, there isn't the same possibility for reduction as the molecule is already in its lowest oxidation state. Even ethanal  (an oxidation level up) isn't particularly oxidising (despite being able to accept electrons and become formally reduced).