Brad, at SaskDesk is one nosy sonnaofabitch …
Sitting on the apron at the Shell Aerocentre of the Regina International Airport today were the following planes:
Dassault Falcon 2000 – Registration N898CT (Click for FAA ownership search)
Gulfstream G-IV – Registration N1620
The FAA registration shows that the Gulfstream belongs to Cox Enterprises Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia. According to their website, they are big – Cox Enterprises is one of the nation’s leading media companies and providers of automotive services. We are a Top 10 national player, based on revenues, in every major business category where we compete. The company’s core businesses are Cox Communications, Manheim, Cox Newspapers, Cox Television, Cox Radio and AutoTrader.com…..
The other plane is owned by Nortom Inc.
What could they be doing in Regina? Surely they didn’t fly all the way here to check on their Regina Val-Pak operation. Something to think about.
Well, it isn’t duck season.
Me thinks they would like to move some of there manufacturing north due to Health Care and benifit costs in the US. they would be more competitive if they can get there overall labour costs down, and don’t want to go overseas. With GM being close to chapter 11, a lot of companies are looking at this now. The tough part is deciding to stay on the continent, or go overseas, which has proven to not be as good as it sounds.
If its mfg operations they want, we are real cheap. At CNH here in Saskatoon, we have the LOWEST mfg cost of all North American plants, Fargo, Grand Island, Belleville, Racine, New Holland, East moline (closed), Benson, etc. etc. Why,??
Labour costs are rock bottom. Even though we are nowhere near as productive (output per manhour) as the other plants, we are still cheaper. That is a legacy of 30 years of lib-socialism and stupid tax laws. Something to be proud of, we work for cheap, and still get taxed to the hilt.
Comments from American workers who have been to our plant usually go along the line of “boy, you guys work your ass off”, and we do. Manual lifting pushing and pulling, tons of manual welding, poor ventilation, poor lighting. And their plants are always so clean, bright, better air quality, and they buy all those neat tools to do the grunt work.
We are cheaper though, kind of like Mexican labour South of their border, but with a little better infrastrucure. Makes you feel real proud to be Canadian, doesn’t it.
I guess that is our comparative advantage.
Planes like those are owned by U.S. companies with CIA connections. (One flew Maher Arar to Syria). My guess, is that they are on station to fly Sreaming Annie and her glib entourage to Florida when the government crashes? Adscum is the tip of the iceburg- watch!
I’m hoping Dave is right (I’ll do ANYTHING and go along with just about ANYTHING, including a cushy appointment, to lose the Screecher).
However, if I’m wrong, it’s probably good for the Sask economy.
Sounds like Canada may win either way (although seeing the Screecher in stripes…priceless)
I seriously dated myself with the stripes, didn’t I? Hey, she’d look good in orange (which may be too much US TV?) or denim (I’m thinkin’ that’s the Cdn jailhouse attire these days as I don’t think stripes are considered PC anymore).
If stripes ARE the attire of choice in our penal institutions, please disregard the above, I’m only 28.