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Lottery continues releasing winners' names

SASKATCHEWAN -- As reported by the Regina Leader-Post: "Vernon Krauchek was happy to win the lottery. It's the publicity he could do without.

"...Since winning $1 million in the Western 6/49 lottery on June 30, he and his wife, Evelyn, say no one has come asking for handouts.

"Yet, despite their lack of problems, Krauchek thinks future winners' names should be kept private.

"...However, others disagree. Western Canada Lottery Corp., the agency responsible for administering lotteries on the Prairies, says it has no plans to stop releasing winners' information anytime soon. This despite Loto-Quebec's decision to reconsider the practice after police recently foiled an alleged extortion plot targeting a Montreal couple who won $27 million in May.

"...Like other Canadian lottery agencies, Western Canada Lottery makes a winner's name, place of residence and photo available on their Web site and to the media. Big-money winners also receive a press conference, though that is optional.

"[John Matheson, spokesman with Western Canada Lottery,] said lotteries' legitimacy would decrease if winner identities were not made public. The system requires people to know about ordinary, everyday people consistently hitting the jackpot, he said..."

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