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'We made a commitment before the last election that we would not be privatizing the liquor stores.' - Dan D'Autremont.
Regina (5 March 2009) - The Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE) has welcomed an assurance by the province's Saskatchewan Party government that liquor sales will not be privatized.
Dan D'Autremont, the minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA), said recently in a statement on CTV television that liquor stores will remain in public hands.
“We made a commitment before the last election that we would not be privatizing the liquor stores," the minister said. "I made it. The premier made it. And we're carrying forward with that. We're not privatizing the liquor stores.”
The clarification comes after widespread speculation about the future of liquor marketing in Saskatchewan.
The SGEU has led the campaign against privatization with a series of ads promoting the benefits of keeping liquor sales in public hands. Alcohol revenues contributed more than $173 million to provincial coffers last year.
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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE