LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- March 20, 2007
To The Editor;
I write to lend support for the B.C-Alberta Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement which comes into effect at the beginning of April this year.
If you ask small business owners (and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has done just that) they have the most to gain by eliminating interprovincial trade barriers. Complying with multiple sets of regulations, licensing requirements, labour mobility barriers and local procurement requirements not only adds costs for larger firms, but prevents smaller ones from expanding beyond our provincial borders.
TILMA is a step in the right direction. The two governments have pledged to discuss their overlapping and duplicate regulations, keep the ones that make sense and eliminate the ones that are unnecessary. At the same time, TILMA preserves governments responsibilities to their citizens in areas like taxation, social policy and environment.
The result will be less red tape, fewer duplicate costs for workers and businesses, and a stronger economic foundation.
TILMAs labour mobility provisions will make it much easier for employers to attract skilled labour, as the provinces have agreed to reconcile or mutually recognize accreditation standards for all workers.
B.C. and Alberta should be congratulated for showing leadership by negotiating TILMA.
Sincerely,
John R Winter
President & CEO, British Columbia Chamber of Commerce
