Star-Phoenix from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada • 23

Tavern owners take hit CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF Air Canada jazz's new jets will start flying in and out of the Saskatoon airport Monday, a news release Thursday from the Saskatoon Airport Authority and Air Canada said. "With the addition of more jet aircraft to the Air Canada jazz fleet, we will be able to significantly enhance our customers' travel experience in communities across Canada," said Air Canada's vice-president for network planning, Ben Smith. The CRJ-705 jets, manufactured by Bombardier, can carry up to 75 passengers. 1 GET IN THE GAME These days, there are companies that pay big bucks to computer science geniuses who can develop the 0 i next big thing a Grand Theft Auto sort of game that will generate a big ing and big salesThe Entertainment Software Association, an So SP Photo by Gord Waldner Tom Hutchinson, president of Magic Lantern which renovated the Ftoxy, has worked in theatres since he was a teen Movie exoeneece industry trade group, puts the number of colleges and schools offering some sort of gaming-related coursework at more than 50. "Even the biggest of big guns are starting to get interested," said Ernest Adams, a former game designer at Electronic Arts Inc.

who won ed on the early Madden football games and now does video game course-work. Adams has lectured at MIT and at schools based everywhere from New Zealand to Sweden. FINLAND NO. 1 Finland remains the most competitive economy in the world and tops the Roxy Theatre, a 75-year-old jewel, shines again By Veronica Rhodes Saskatchewan News Network REGINA Restaurant business in Saskatchewan is booming while tavern sales are tumbling, according to new data from Statistics Canada. A report on the total sales for restaurants, caterers and taverns, released Thursday, showed a 1 .5 per cent decrease in Saskatchewan industry sales in July 2005 compared to July 2004.

Total sales fell to $80.5 million from $81.7 million the year before. Full-service restaurants had a big increase during the same period, with $40.4 million in sales this year, up from $36.9 million in sales in July 2004. Conversely, sales for drinking places took a dive to $4.5 million from $7.5 million in July 2004. "They're verifying that the situation in bars or taverns in Saskatchewan is worse than we figured it is," said Tom Mullin, president and CEO of the Hotels Association of Saskatchewan. The association has been vocal in opposing the province's ban on smoking in all enclosed public places, which came into effect Jan.

1. Mullin has often stated the ban has had a crippling effect on bars in Saskatchewan, mostly in rural areas. Donna Pasiechnik, tobacco control coordinator for the provincial division of the Canadian Cancer Society, said it is too early to determine if the smoking ban directly affected taverns' sales. At the time data collection for the report ended in July 2005, the ban had been place seven months. Based on the effect similar smoking bans have had on other jurisdictions, Pasiechnik said a decrease in sales was expected initially, but it should come back over time.

However, she wasn't surprised to see restaurant sales go up. "Businesses mat embraced the smoking ban and got ready for it and marketed to 80 pr cent of us who don't smoke are probably doing better than those who fought it tooth and nail months into it," said Pasiechnik. Mullin said restaurants were never expected to be financially hurt by the ban. "We never spoke on behalf of full-service restaurants. It was basically the smoking issue was going to effect the drinking establishments and the licensed lounges," said Mullin.

Data for the report was taken from a sample size and the presented sales numbers are estimates. The report notes that the amount of sales for drinking places in Saskatchewan for July 2004 should be used with caution because the quality of data used for the estimate was not ideal. The hotels association filed a lawsuit against the provincial government earlier this year, alleging the provincial smoking ban violated its members' equality rights under Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, because First Nations-run casinos do not comply with the legislation. The lawsuit was dismissed in August Mullin said the organization is still pushing the provincial government to meet with them to discuss changes to the ban. fREGINA LEADER-POST) By Nikhat Ahmed ofTheStarPhoenix As workers put finishing touches on the Roxy for its grand reopening today, the man behind the million-dollar restoration still doesn't want credit for saving the 75-year-old building from the Rejuvenation is not a new concept for Hutchinson, who recalled working on a theatre restoration in Woodland, as a teenager.

"I had been active in audiovisuals afschool and thought I knew everything about projectors, just like a 15-year-old would," he laughed. The owner promised Hutchinson 65 cents an hour for third consecutive year in The Global Competitiveness Report 2005- Curtain rises 2006, released by his work, but went out or business before he got around to paying it." Hutchinson saw other owners come and go, and eventually bought the theatre himself. He operated it on The Roxy, located on 20th Street West in built in 1930. It is one of the last atmospheric tikAMtawm fnnm tit the World economic Forum. The study is based on hard economic data and business opinion surveys in 1 17 countries.

Most competitive economies his own during his last year oi high aiS'w' sch00l but isn'1 iuite sure why he JlJ? TJSIL stuck with the movie business all wrecking ball. "No one in Saskatoon knows me or needs to know me," said Tom A Hutchinson with a smile. Hutchinson, president of Magic Lantern Theatres, bought his first theatre when he was 17. Magic Lantern owns 1 8 cinerna 1 locations across Canada. Eleven of those, including the Roxy, are oper-ate'd under the Rainbow Cinemas banner.

The Roxy has been undergoing restoration for a year and has its premiere show tonight. 7. Iceland 8. Switzerland 9. Norway I O.Australia 14.

Canada 1 Finland 2. U.S. 3. Sweden 4. Denmark 5.

Taiwan 6. Singapore these years. "Some sort of mental weakness. You just sort of get in and can't get out again, even if it makes sense to." The weakness definitely doesn't come from being a movie-lover. ciu picviuus iciiuvauuna anu umuaiiy closed in 1995.

The cinema hall used to seat 610 people and now seats 480. Hells Angels, directed by Howard Hughes, was the first film ever shown in the Roxy. Quotes Provided by Union Securities Ltd www.8askstocklist.com Last Trade 'Daily Change Hutchinson said he barely watches one or two movies a year and doesn't have a television. All his work is about preserving our "built heritage," he said. But he won't be discussing the importance of old buildings or bragging about the time and money he put into the Roxy on opening night.

He'll most likely be seen with a broom, he said with a straight face. Hutchinson said he doesn't like using his title of president and would be happy to be referred to as the janitor or projectionist. He said he'll do whatever jobs, big or small, to "make it the sort of active, sparkling operation that it needs to be. When we have that, then I'll be able to sit back and smile." And as for the future of the Roxy, Hutchinson said he'd like for it to be profitable, but what he really wants is for people to "just come and enjoy it." Hutchinson has been familiar with the Roxy building since 1974, when he worked as part of a renovation crew. Initially, he didn't see any importance in the building; however, once he noticed similar buildings across the country being torn down, he decided it had to be saved.

"It's probably the best remaining example of this sort of architecture in Canada. So really, Saskatoon has a jewel here. It's something that should be here, it's a wonderful focal point. In 20 or 30 years, people are going to be very glad that it's still here." Hutchinson noted the Roxy was built at the start of the Depression and provided an escape or "fantasy world" for movie-goers. "I'd like the original intent of the theatre to still work if it can.

And that is to forget life for a little while, forget your troubles for a little while." Sask Stxk Index 331.78 Ag Growth 15.78 0.13 CamecoCorp 62.97 1.15 Churchill Energy 2.76 nc Claude Res 1.05 nc Cons Pine Ch. 0.13 0.04 Explor Resources 0.12 Fytokem Prod 0.09 nc GrWstMinGrp 0.52 0.01 Golden Band 0.30 Hodgins Auction 0.35 nc HTC Hydro Tech 3.50 nc Intl Road Dyn. 1.48 nc IPSCO Inc 80.40 JNR Resources 1.21 Long View Res 0.61 Potash Corp 109.84 0.69 Sk. Wheat Pool 5.94 Shane Res 0.18 nc Shore Gold 6.53 0.37 United Carina 0.25 nc Wescan Gold 0.60 0.09 Big Sky Fin 10.50 nc Philom Bios inc 3.90 nc NorthWest Term 3.50 nc Weyburn 24.00 nc Sig. SK.

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"The public must see beyond the numbers the 17,000 Quebec chartered accountants are dynamic people who hold strategic decision-making positions in companies and accounting firms," said Michel Theroux, chair of the group. Tightened corporate reporting standards and more regulation means demand for chartered accountants has exploded in recent years and is not expected to slow, said a spokesperson for the Ordre. There are about 68,000 chartered accountants in Canada. In March 2002, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants took out national newspaper ads to reassure a questioning public that they would act to strengthen trust in their profession in the wake of the Enron scandal. Internal oversight measures implemented since then have boosted the Canadian public's confidence in accountants, said David Smith, chief executive of the institute.

"It has opened the windows and doors to public scrutiny, and we've withstood that scrutiny very well," Smith said. "The profession's stronger because of that." (MONTREAL GAZETTE) If 1 II it 11,018.50 10,552.78 23.76 79.69 1 rkMjkvt3in i 619.95 ri 1,227.68 s. 10.79 X-J 2,140.73 ys. 2,141.22 32.43 25.82 1 85.38 472.30 0.12 TT 2.50 XJt 14.196 66.80 j. 0.96 t-J 0-86 T-X CAau fsqivir.iET c--M- CanWest News Photo An ad campaign in Quebec is part of a national initiative at dressing up the conservative image of accountants.