Below is an exerpt from the 2010 Throne Speech of the Gordon Campbell, B.C. government, It was tabled in the B.C. legislature on February 9, 2010. (see full speech here...) (download PDF here...)“We must identify new ways to achieve our goals at lower costs with faster decisions and integrated approval mechanisms if our economy is to thrive and job creation is to revive. New economic growth and smarter government is at the heart of our new west partnership with Alberta and Saskatchewan. It will build on the success of the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement to foster free trade, investment and labour mobility across our three provinces.
We will pursue unified and mutually beneficial purchasing, procurement and licensing opportunities. We will encourage Canada and other provinces and territories to join with us in our continuing efforts to remove all internal trade barriers.
All three western provinces contribute equalization payments to Canada. We are glad to do so, but the burdens of unnecessary protection for other regions at the expense of our provincial economies and jobs must be removed. Airports should be opened to trade, commerce and tourism through Open Skies agreements. That step alone would add $800 million and thousands of jobs to our provincial economy. Open Skies enables international air carriers to bring new business and visitors to communities like Abbotsford, Comox, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George and Vancouver.”
Looks to me like this little TILMA deal (you know, the one Brad Wall said he wouldn't sign) is a lot further down the road that anyone is admitting.
What's in it? Who negotiated it? Why has there been no public disclosure to Saskatchewan citizens? Why is there no public consultation? Who gave the Sask. Party a mandate to negotiate away our provincial sovereignty and local autonomy?
There is something hiding behind the Wall.
