The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) announced on Tuesday morning that it would begin purchasing alcoholic beverages from the United States once again. (Céline Grimard/650 CKOM)

By Shane Clausing, CKOM News Staff

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The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) announced Tuesday that it will begin buying U.S. alcoholic beverages once again.

“The action will allow SLGA to sell existing inventories of US-produced products that have been paid for as well as resuming order to bring in new stock,” read a statement sent by the SLGA.

Initially, the province banned all American brands like Budweiser and Coors, but later reversed the decision as most of those beers were brewed in Canada. However, the ban remained in place for any alcohol coming directly from the United States.

NDP MLA Kim Breckner is the shadow minister for trade and export and feels this isn’t a good message being sent by the provincial government.

“I think the more important picture here is showing a sense of unity across the country. We’ve only seen Alberta do this. Every other province has maintained this,” Breckner explained.

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“I look at the message it’s showing to the steel workers, people reliant on the industry, that they’re not a priority. We can’t even keep up this one countermeasure that we have against U.S. tariffs.”

Alberta announced earlier this week that it would become the first province in the country to reverse its pause on U.S. alcohol sales.

Breckner feels Saskatchewan is copying Alberta’s decision.

“You can’t help but notice the similarities and it’s quite disappointing. We need leadership, not somebody following a government that is, let’s just be honest, enabling separatism,” Breckner stated. “We need our Premier to stand up for our Saskatchewan citizens, like steel workers down at Evraz and not just follow suit with whatever the Alberta government is doing.”

Breckner isn’t happy with the government trying to be quiet about the announcement.

“It just shows that the government knows that Saskatchewan people don’t support this move. They’re doing it without a public announcement, I think that’s very telling,” Breckner said.

While Saskatchewan is lifting its pause on U.S. liquor sales, the federal government’s 25 per cent tariff on U.S. alcohol still remains in place.

Breckner feels distillers in Saskatchewan were happy not to have to battle with American products.

“That will increase the sales of Canadian liquor brewed here in Saskatchewan. We have a number of great breweries, a number of great distillers. We have amazing product made in Saskatchewan and Canada,” Breckner explained.

“What we’ve been hearing is it’s a great opportunity to really solidify that support for them.”

The announcement from the SLGA comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he’d raise tariffs on Canadian steel from 25 to 50 per cent.

NDP MLA Don McBean is still encouraging Saskatchewan people to keep supporting local.

“They’re very welcome to continue to not buy U.S. product,” he said.