NDP Caucus

Brad's Liquor Memo

When the previous Progressive Conservative government was in power in Saskatchewan, Brad Wall worked for them as a senior ministerial aide. There were any number of problems with that government but one of note was revealed in a Provincial Auditor's report from 1992:

"The Liquor Board did not have adequate systems and procedures to safeguard its assets. The Liquor Board reported approximately $19,285 of liquor was supplied to ministers’ offices. ... The Liquor Board does not have policies that authorize ministers and officials to take liquor for their own use. Accordingly, there was a loss to the Crown ... of $19,285."

-Provincial Auditor's Report, 1992. Page 20

Brad Wall was one of the officials who ordered this liquor. This is his memo:

Please have delivered to our minister, Honourable John Gerich at room 348, Legislative Building, the following (attention Mr. Brad Wall):

1 Lemon Hart Dark Rum

2 Alberta Vodka

2 Scotch (Ballentines, J. Walker Red)

1 Beefeater Gin

2 Rye (Walker's, Canadian Club)

3 - 24 beer (cans) - 1 light, 1 regular, 13.2% alcohol

-Government of Saskatchewan Memo

At his request, booze at the taxpayer’s expense was delivered to the attention of Brad Wall. What did the newspapers have to say about this practice?

"Cause for Jailing"

- The StarPhoenix, January 17, 1992

In 2006, Wall was questioned by the media about this. This is what he said:

"When I was involved in the Government of Saskatchewan ... as a ministerial assistant there was, in every Minister of the Liquor Board’s office, regardless of who the minister was and who the staff were, there was this practice of the Minister having access to alcohol provided by the Liquor Board."

- Brad Wall: Transcription of Media Interview, March 22, 2006

“That practice ... was wrong, it was wrong then, ... and I would certainly want to believe that my judgment has improved since then, 15 years ago. Because of the convention I didn’t think much of it … clearly it was wrong then. It’s wrong today.”

- Brad Wall: Transcription of Media Interview, March 22, 2006

The StarPhoenix said this about the practice of free booze for Ministers and their staff:

"These cases are despicable, not just for their scale but for their intent. They were concocted, at great effort, to deceive the people of Saskatchewan. That makes them fraud and that’s why the perpetrators, as well as those who watched and did nothing, deserve to be behind bars."

- The Star Phoenix, January 17, 1992

Brad Wall was one of those who “watched and did nothing” as another newspaper pointed out:

"Perhaps [Wall] knew nothing, noticed nothing. Perhaps he was blithely unaware that he worked daily in a cesspool of corruption. Fair enough. But do we want such an abysmally unaware person as the Premier of Saskatchewan?"

- Saskatoon Planet S Magazine, April 15-28, 2003

Finally, Brad Wall said this about his time working for the Progressive Conservative government:

"You look back on that time and I think that it is an asset that I was involved in a government that lost its way on these issues. I think it’s an asset ... "

- Brad Wall: Transcription of Media Interview, March 22 2006