Thursday 14 June 2007

Corporate apologist calls many respected provincial and national organizations "Alarmist"

Once again corporate apologist Randy Burton (StarPhoenix columnist) scores himself some "brownie points" with his boss. Contrary to what Mr. Burton alleges in his most recent column which supports and urges Saskatchewan to sign on to the B.C./Alberta Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA), no one in the labour movement is being "alarmist" about TILMA.

Nor are organizations like the Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations, the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation, the Council of Canadians, the Saskatchewan Health Coalition, the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists, the City of Regina, the City of Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association, University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association, the Saskatchewan Environmental Society, the Saskatchewan Food Coalition, the Beyond Factory Farming Coalition, and the law firm of Sack Goldblatt Mitchell. (To name just a few)

We're stating facts, quoting directly from the agreement and asking and raising legitimate questions.

But what would Burton know about that - (as far as I'm aware) he hasn't spent 10 minutes of his precious time attending the "public hearings" nor has he spent 10 seconds of his precious time talking to us to see if he can get clarification about some of things he accuses us of.

Our economic analysis is sound, and our legal analysis is uncontradicted by the other side. All Burton can muster up is resorting to name calling and mud slinging.

Good work Randy, maybe you'll get a promotion!

CLC Economist, Erin Weir provides this preliminary analysis of Burton's most recent opinion and corrects some of the serious problems contained in Burton's column.

1 comment:

John Murney said...

Good posting, Larry. I think Burton's comments reveal much more; keep in mind that when the Saskatchewan Party wins the next provincial election, they will be hiring a lot of people in Media Services and to do Communications for the Cabinet Ministers.The primary source of these poltical employees is always from the ranks of the mainstream media. As the provincial election draws clearer, it will become more obvious which reporters are in lines for cushy political jobs with the Wall Government.