Sask. government trying to make its liquor stores look bad, NDP says

With privatization of Saskatchewan liquor one of the options under consideration, NDP leader Cam Broten is accusing the government of intentionally running its stores into the ground. 

While Broten doesn't mind that the Saskatchewan Party government has decided that all new liquor stores must be built and run by the private sector, he told CBC News he worries what will happen to existing Liquor and Gaming Authority stores.

Privatizing all 75 government-owned liquor stores is one of the options being studied by a committee.

Other options include adding more private stores, the status quo or even going back to the previous system and expanding the number of  government owned stores.

Premier Brad Wall says he wants to see what the public has to say, but Broten says the government appears to be trying to make SLGA stores look bad.

"They have been trying to make the SLGA stores poor, crappy ... by not having beer fridges so the beer is cold when you go in, not having good selection, not having some price changes," he said. "You know, these are things that could be done."

However, in a recent interview with CBC, Wall said he's hoping to make improvements to Saskatchewan liquor stores. 

He says Saskatchewan-made craft beer and liquor are growing industries and the provincial government needs to do a better job of promoting them.

Both the private and public liquor stores should have dedicated sections for local products, Wall said.

"Let's find a way to display it properly," he said. "If I walk into a Saskatchewan liquor store, wouldn't it be neat if I could see a display [where] I know I'm buying Saskatchewan dill pickle vodka, spirits or beer."

Wall says the liquor and gaming minister will be making an announcement about more shelf space for Saskatchewan liquor products soon.