The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada • 34

Leader-Post Business Agriculture Thursday, August 2, 2007 Ul TILMA Sask. wont sign on to accord provinces wishing to join TILMA must accept ils basic terms and conditions. There's no guarantee Saskatchewan could negotiate satisfactory changes either before or after signing on to TILMA, he said. But the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce expressed disappointment at the government's decision Wednesday and said entering discussions around TILMA would have at least provided the government leverage in difficult Agreement on Internal Trade negotiations. Van Mulligen said the government wants to see improvements to the AIT's resolution process, full labour mobility of regulated professions and trades, the addition of a new energy chapter, the addressing of nuisance differences in regulations and standards in priority sectors and the expansion of coverage incrementally.

But Saskatchewan chamber president Dave Dutchak said the province faces major hurdles because all 13 provinces and territories must be in agreement to make changes to the existing agreement. However, Saskatchewan Federation of Labour president Larry Ilubich saluted the government's decision and said no business would enter an agreement that imposed the kind of restrictions governments face under TILMA. "We've engaged in a serious evaluation of this agreement from a legal perspective, from an economic perspective and from a democratic perspective and it's flawed. So I think it's irresponsible for any government or any opposition to suggest this is a good agreement," he told reporters at the legislature. CanWes! News System By JAMES WOOD Saskatchewan News Network The risks to Saskatchewan from joining the controversial Trade.

Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between Alberta and British Columbia outweigh the potential economic benefits, the NDR government said Wednesday as it rejected signing on to the deal. At a press conference at the legislature, Government Relations Minister Harry Van Mulligen said there are too many unanswered questions about how the deal aimed at breaking down economic barriers could potentially hamper the ability of government to act in the public interest, Instead, Saskatchewan will concentrate on pushing for reforms to the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) that applies to all provinces. "I think the best way to make progress is to do that in a methodical, well-though-out fashion that reflects the interests of all the parties It's a little bit slower, it's not shock therapy but I think at the end of the day will serve the interests of not just the people of Saskatchewan but the people of Canada better." said Van Mulligen. The governments decision comes as little surprise, TILMA attracted strong opposition from the NDP's traditional allies in the labour movement and elsewhere and Premier Lome Calvert expressed skepticism about the deal months ago. The Opposition Saskatchewan Party, which initially touted the deal, also said in June that it could not sign TILMA in its present form alter a series of hearings on the agreement held by an all party legislative committee.

TILMA, which came into effect this April, is intended to eliminate trade and investment barriers between Alberta and B.C, while also bringing about the harmonization of rules, regulations and professional standards. A study commissioned by the government from the Conference Board of Canada estimated that signing on would increase Saskatchewans gross domestic product by $291 million and increase annual employment by 4.400 person years, But Van Mulligen said the government is concerned about the very broad scope" of government measures that can be challenged by private interests and the strong enforcement measures in place in the deal. The two major worries are how TILMA could affect Saskatchewan's large Crown corporations sector and government investment in the economy, especially in specific industries and businesses. As well, although the deal exempts sectors such as public health, education, social services and environmental protection, Van Mulli-gen believes the agreement could at the least indirectly impact on those areas. We think its a plausible scenario under TILMA that governments at all levels could be told by trade dispute panels how they must legislate and regulate so as to minimize their measures impact on internal trade.

And if they refuse to do so, the provincial government could face serial fines of up to $5 million per challenge, said Van Mulligen. He said the B.C. and Alberta governments have indicated that Brin named groups interim executive director By MARIA COOTAUCO Leader-Post The sean li is on at Tourism Ititina. The organization is looking lor a now oxooutivo dirootor to replace Stove MoLollan who stops down on Sept. 1 to take the reins at the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

In the interim. Tourism Nogina announced Monday that Leon Brin now retired from his previous position as genital manager of the Canadian Western Agnbitinn will assume the role of executive director in an "actum" capacity. "What we're looking at doing from a hoard of director's perspective is putting a strong individual in place so that the board has the appropriate amount of time to find someone on a more permanent basis," said Scott Langen. chair of the Tourism Itegina board of directors, "Leon, given his background in tourism in the city of Regina and Canadian Western Agribition. he's a fairly strong individual.

He's got confidence in our office and the credibility of Regina and members and industries." Brin stepped down from his position on Tourism Regina's board of directors to assume his now role as acting executive director. He will not be a candidate for the permanent executive director position. Tourism Regina will begin its search process at the end of August, with the goal of conferring the position on the chosen candidate by mid-to-late fall. And though his time at the helm of the organization will be short, Brin says he is ready to take on the challenges of the position. "I accept the fact that I'm stepping into a position that I'm by no means completely familiar with, but it's an organization that has a mandate that I understand," he said.

"I certainly understand the importance of tourism to the economy of this region and of this city and I appreciate that there's a narrow window of opportunity for me to have some kind of impact and I fully hope to be able to do that. Brin says one of the goals he hopes to tackle is to develop Tourism Regina's relationship with the Regina Hotels Association and the province's destination marketing fund and all the opportunities that both represent. "The board has expressed an interest in at least beginning the process of having a look at the whole governance of Tourism Regina and whatever we can do to advance that, Id like to have a hand in," he said. Another way Brin hopes to do that is to take advantage of the tourism strategy announced in early spring. "(It's) right now sitting on the shelf but is something that we need to start to get moving on, he explained.

"We need to get buy-in from a lot of the tourism stakeholders in this community in order to make that document actually live." Brins ideas align with Langen's in that both arc looking to capitalize and further develop the economic opportunities to be derived from tourism in the city. "Were always looking at the infrastructure within Regina to make sure that the tourism capital assets are top notch," Langen said. "Basically, for 2008, our target is to continue to grow from the last five years and have a well-developed market-ready industry. SASKATCHEWAN STOCKS Provided bv Union Securities Ltd. Wednesday, August 2007 Quotes ore yesterday's closing prices, unch No change NA Not ovoilable.

For expanded quotes go to www.saskstocklist com Saskatchewan Headquartered Market Report WES7JET AIHLIHES Operating earnings jump CALGARY (Reuters) WesUet Airlines Ltd.s second-quarter profit fell 48 per cent after it wrote off an ill-fated reservation system program, but operating earnings jumped to a record as capacity and passenger numbers surged, it said Wednesday. WesUet, Canada's No. 2 air carrier, also said it will expand its plane fleet by 66 per cent over the next six years as it extends its network to more Western Hemisphere destinations, especially vacation hotspots. The company will boost its fleet of Boeing 737s to 111 from 67 today, an expansion that includes the just-announced commitment to acquire 20 aircraft in 2012 and 2013, President Scan Durfy said. WesUet added 16 per cent more capacity in the second quarter on an available seat mile basis and still boosted its load factor, or number of scats filled, by 3.4 percentage points to 80.9 per cent.

It expects to increase its capacity by 14 per cent in the third quarter, Durfy said. aiijiiimiE Top 10 Gainers Most Active By Volume Top 10 Losers For more detail on stock market news and listings go to: http:www.canada.comnationalpostfinancialpost INVESTING ONLINE.