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I have been always of the opinion that a private business is very different from a public business or a crown corporation. The main purpose of a private business is to make money for its shareholders, while the main purpose for a public business is to provide a service for the benefits of the public at large. A private business is owned by a given number of people, while a public business is owned by all the people. Therefore, there must be a difference on how to run a public business from a private business, that is, it is natural that we expect a higher degree of accountability and integrity for a public business than for a private business. But this is not what is happening with this government and the related agencies.

Last year, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) wrongly fired Joe Dosenberger for doing his job to the best of his abilities(1). On the other hand, today, we have retired judge Tom Wakeling telling us that even though Paul Weber, vice president of SLGA, broke the law in soliciting gifts from Corby Distilleries he should not be criminally charged or internally disciplined. And Paul Weber is not the only one to break the law at SLGA, in fact we have Weber and his executive companions going to the Bahamas for a taste of rum at the expense of Bacardi. And this is not the end of it as former liquor and gaming minister Maynard Sonntag has been taking Bacardi executives on a fishing trip to northern Saskatchewan.

In defending Paul Weber and his companions, Judge Wakeling has stated "I cannot help but feel that if the government is going to take an active role in the business community, as it does by enjoying a monopolistic position in the sale of liquor in the province, it must develop a reasonable approach to industry practices(2)" Doreen Hamilton, the minister responsible for SLGA, has stated that the government will amend the SLGA's act. And again and again we have new legislation to support the double standard of governments, one standard for the few and privileged, and the other for the rest of us.

References/endnotes

1. Beginning to assert Common Law over 'Regulatory Diligence', http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/2001_300/desantis377/dosenberger.html

2. No penalty for SLGA VP, by James Parker of The StarPhoenix, June 26, 2001, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan