To the Editor:
New Democrats were pleased to hear renewed calls for Saskatchewan’s liquor stores to sell refrigerated beer.
Cam Broten’s official Opposition has been calling for SLGA to be modernized. To continue to be profitable and to serve customers better, the NDP proposes better hours, greater product selection overall, more flexible pricing and a better selection of cold beer sales for SLGA stores. The NDP also proposes SLGA Express kiosks in grocery stores, and making changes to better support the work of Saskatchewan’s craft beer, wine and spirits makers.
“Liquor stores already serve the public in terms of the hundreds of millions of dollars in profits they consistently return to the province, paying for things like health care and education,” said NDP SLGA critic Cathy Sproule. “But, the status quo isn’t good enough in terms of the quality of the stores.
“It seems like this government is bent on holding SLGA back instead of encouraging the Crown to operate as a business – responsive to customers and competitive.”
No formal law prevents SLGA from selling a variety of cold beer.
“It’s just a lack of common sense on the part of this government,” said Sproule. “It’s time to modernize SLGA, and better serve Saskatchewan’s adults.”
The NDP and Sask. Party have differences of opinion when it comes to operating SLGA and liquor sales in general in Saskatchewan. The government opposes an NDP proposal to make the liquor pricing system more competitive. Brad Wall also said the NDP proposal to make liquor available at grocery stores made him uncomfortable.
NDP caucus
Saskatchewan
