Staff
The Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union went before Battleford council to slam the province’s plans to privatize the liquor store in Battleford.
The Battleford store, a leased space on 22nd Street, is one of 40 existing stores slated to be privatized through an RFP process.
Another 12 new private liquor stores are being created for a total of 52. The store in Battleford has one full-time and four part-time staff.
However, the delegation that was before Battleford town council Tuesday evening, which included Bob Stadnichuk of the SGEU as well as store manager Sharon Rentz and staff, made clear they were opposed to the province’s plans.
Stadnichuk characterized the changes as a closure, not a privatization.
“The provincial government has decided to close your community’s public liquor store”, he stated in correspondence to Mayor Derek Mahon.
The presentation to council was designed, said Stadnichuk, to dispel the “rumours and misconceptions” about the government’s plans for the store’s future.
He pointed out that typically few responses came from rural Saskatchewan during the consultation process that went on. He noted of the 40 liquor stores slated for “closure," 37 were in smaller centres and rural Saskatchewan. The delegation made the pitch that the liquor store should stay in public hands.
He said the 40 stores had made “$40 million” and that profit goes back to the province. He noted the profits are used for schools, hospitals, roads, care homes and more.
Stadnichuk also said 200 jobs were being affected. “Communities stand to lose income and jobs in their communities,” said Stadnichuk.
He also noted communities were suffering greatly from the oil crash and asked “why would they do this?”
At the end councillor David George, who chaired the meeting, pledged to “as far as I’m concerned, support this venture going forward and hopefully retain our liquor store.”
