Prior to Brad Wall's shadow cabinet shuffle, the Saskatchewan Party's former labour critic, Ken Krawetz, accused Saskatchewan Federation of Labour President Larry Hubich of condemning the Alberta-B.C. "Trade Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement" (TILMA) without any consideration of its benefits ("TILMA contains no threat to labour", Leader-Post Letters, March 10).

If Krawetz had contacted Hubich, something he apparently did not see as being part of his job, he might have learned the SFL has been continuously studying the agreement for months.

Judging from Krawetz's letter, the Saskatchewan Party should, too.

It appears the Saskatchewan Party is blindly following the Harper Conservatives, Alberta and B.C. down the path of allowing nonlegislative, nonelected and unaccountable tribunals to force deregulation on local governments, whether they like it or not.

The TILMA was signed on April 28, 2006, by Alberta and B.C., without public consultation. It takes effect, amid a growing outcry, on April Fools Day, 2007. Now they want Saskatchewan to jump on board.

If Krawetz read the TILMA documents, then he would know Crown corporations, environmental standards and the wellbeing of workers are at risk. SFL research suggests local government such as municipal councils and school boards could be held liable for lost profits by a corporation or individual. All they need to do is have local regulations deemed a "barrier to trade, investment or labour mobility".

Of course, the body doing the "deeming" would not be a court, but an unaccountable, privately appointed tribunal with hearings held in secret, away from the prying eyes of the electorate.

It is interesting that the Saskatchewan Party so unreservedly supports TILMA. So does the Harper Conservative regime in Ottawa.

As some "expert" in Alberta noted, "The only difference between the provinces will be the colour of the licence plates!" If TILMA contains no threat to workers, then whose taxes will pay for the lawsuits that are sure to follow? TILMA allows our governments to be sued for up to $5 million for unspecified trade barriers.

Nevertheless, the SFL welcomes the public consultation the Saskatchewan Party has called for. Any public debate would be welcome.

As well, it would be interesting to hear what big corporations, right-wing thinktanks and promoters of cheap labour identify as "barriers" to trade, investment and labour mobility.

Perhaps it has something to do with the elimination of workers' rights, citizens' rights, legislation and regulations that big business hates.

Maybe it has something to do with getting more Saskatchewan kids to move to Alberta. No threat to workers, indeed! Incidentally, Hubich told me he has never heard from Krawetz, even after the SFL extended written congratulations on his appointment as Saskatchewan Party labour critic. Strange that Krawetz would presume to know the workings of an organization representing over 90,000 Saskatchewan taxpayers -- an organization with which he never attempted to communicate.

Gary Schoenfeldt

Schoenfeldt is chair, Trade Committee, Saskatchewan Federation of Labour.

Regina