[CoffeeBreak]

For those who think this might be "good" for Saskatoon, one of the things I think people are overlooking is that this merger will probably result in the permanent closure of one or two mines, most likely in the Saskatoon area. The resulting permanent loss of mine-worker jobs will be a definite hit on the Saskatoon economy. Add to this the loss of potash related maintenance and industrial service type jobs, and I expect this will trigger lacklustre housing starts and lower house prices for Saskatoon in the not to distant future.

As for "head office" jobs, typically these are fewer in number than jobs for people who work at the mine. Therefore, any increase in head office administration will not make up for lost mine-worker's jobs. However, I sincerely doubt that there will be an increase in head office jobs, as duplication will result in further cuts. Furthermore, I would imagine the combined company will keep both a Calgary and a Saskatoon office open in the short-term, with most jobs eventually ending up in Calgary, as those who are employed in Saskatoon ultimately retire or leave the company.

Lastly, if I'm not mistaken, Agrium was once based in Saskatoon, in the old CN Tower above the Midtown Shopping Centre, but it made the choice to relocate its offices to Calgary. I'm not sure that the current leadership in Saskatoon has the "economic savvy" to be able to ensure that Potash Corp/ Agrium jobs remain in Saskatoon - especially if one looks at the dismal record this administration has had when it comes to attracting ANY head office jobs to the city.

Economically for Saskatoon, I hope this works out for the best, but in this case I would think Saskatoon's loss will be Calgary's gain (or maybe even Regina's gain, as one poster hinted).