tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47581393578235538932024-03-05T06:17:18.284-06:00The Winnipeg RAG ReviewA blog to take on the real RAG (Rightwing, Absolute Garbage) content, especially if local.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.comBlogger380125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-55787876714763606482018-10-20T01:14:00.001-05:002018-10-20T01:19:06.040-05:00Pallister family values shaft the kids of Manitoba<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrbBYT69FlQxGqv1Nb22pDmhLo9gB2B16ZTYEucVCNRMwW2nhj2fSDS43XxAi1oOoUVumQRiVQ1egSYDSNLdsvjBQh45ATA1h1pUh6-fvlbCk5zq6br8aJ1iFJ6kl2hVum98tJojn94mD/s1600/Premier+Brian+Pallister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="685" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrbBYT69FlQxGqv1Nb22pDmhLo9gB2B16ZTYEucVCNRMwW2nhj2fSDS43XxAi1oOoUVumQRiVQ1egSYDSNLdsvjBQh45ATA1h1pUh6-fvlbCk5zq6br8aJ1iFJ6kl2hVum98tJojn94mD/s320/Premier+Brian+Pallister.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Under Premier Pallister, Manitoba's pulled out<br />of a carbon tax plan. If we don't reduce<br />carbon going into the atmosphere, the future<br />will be no laughing matter for the children of<br />Manitoba.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Pallister#/media/File:Brian-Pallister-2017-Portrait-Crop.jpg">Wikipedia/Andrew Scheer</a></b></td></tr>
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The Pallister CONs are <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-carbon-tax-green-plan-1.4849128">backtracking on a carbon tax</a>. With this move they join the Scheer Federal CONs and some other provincial Tories like Doug Ford in <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/doug-ford-jason-kenney-and-the-end-of-the-world/">opposing</a> an utterly necessary measure to reduce our carbon emissions. Given the severe risks of runaway climate change if carbon output remains on course, this is the height of recklessness.<br />
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released <a href="https://www.thetelegram.com/opinion/columnists/gwynne-dyer-the-other-shoe-249336/?fbclid=IwAR1LFkyla9-96PPpW7uc5VSaUU5_xyVfm-u4ZSCYhkqxuikqcm9Wict-1hw">a stunning new report on climate change</a>, outlining the drastic consequences of doing nothing.<a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/meetings/session44/l2_adopted_outline_sr15.pdf"> These include food shortages in the tropical regions leading to more climate refugees</a>, which would surely lead to political upheaval (like the <a href="https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/pallister-to-ottawa-manitoba-at-breaking-point-in-migrant-crisis-415354044.html">border crossings Pallister was crying about a year ago</a>). Ocean acidification from warming of 1.5°C will harm fisheries, which many communities across the globe and Canada depend on.<br />
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To avoid catastrophic, runaway climate change the world needs to halve carbon emissions within the next 12 years. <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-carbon-pricing-works-canadian-economists-say-as-national-debate/">Carbon taxes are a proven way to do that</a>.<br />
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Since the world (mostly) wasted the last 30 years not dealing with climate change, now's the time to act. Brian Pallister, alongside some other bozos like Donald Trump, buck a beer Doug Ford and assorted loons, wants to waste more time. Deny, obstruct, stall, and delay until it's too late has been much of the Right's climate playbook. Given the existential threat climate change poses, this obstruction is inexcusable.<br />
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Brian Pallister is collaborating with a group that will harm the children of Manitoba and most people under 40. Climate change will come home to roost in many of our lifetimes and plowing full steam ahead on the current course will make it that much worse.<br />
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Pallister likely won't be around when fruits of delaying climate action come home to roost, but many of you will be. Thank obstructive, delaying and irresponsible politicians like him for shafting your future.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-61139288601001711962018-07-21T18:43:00.001-05:002018-07-21T20:34:14.967-05:00Reopening Portage and Main is pocket change next to the Waverley UnderpassSo opponents of opening Portage and Main are getting behind a referendum on the issue. As is <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/portage-and-main-referendum-brian-bowman-1.4751420">Mayor Brian Bowman</a>, likely for the cynical purpose of having cover to backtrack on a key urbanist campaign pledge last election now that it looks less popular.<br />
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The city's premiere conservative windbag, Tom Brodbeck, thinks referendums are a great idea to keep Winnipeggers engaged.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Bowman was fighting a losing battle on his increasingly unpopular idea of spending <b><i>millions</i></b> <b><i>of dollars</i></b> <b><i>[emphasis added] </i></b>to open Portage and Main to foot traffic. </blockquote>
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[..]</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If we want an engaged, enlightened citizenry, we have to invite people into the public policy sphere, not just to bitch and complain, but to have a real say over how tax dollars are spent and how decisions are made.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
- Tom Brodbeck. "Plebiscites are good for democracy" (July 18, 2018). <i>Winnipeg Sun</i></blockquote>
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Now, this is all well and good. But if we really want Winnipegger input on how public monies are spent, why just on nickel and dime projects like reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians? Let's open up projects significantly more important to the public purse, like the Waverley Underpass.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYC1GQh4WUQs5DcZRnyCSAqtut0fQVcybISIfAZ14OcaW2i4_-twpzRvdOAJfs_3C4QjdR-aCBgEVAuRpVAFOtGRrck-aBi57F953IImijI8jx4VpEnxO-xz5tn4RtJUxVt8RVAzwmUp2a/s1600/Project+COsts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1404" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYC1GQh4WUQs5DcZRnyCSAqtut0fQVcybISIfAZ14OcaW2i4_-twpzRvdOAJfs_3C4QjdR-aCBgEVAuRpVAFOtGRrck-aBi57F953IImijI8jx4VpEnxO-xz5tn4RtJUxVt8RVAzwmUp2a/s640/Project+COsts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The Waverley Underpass, which is <a href="https://winnipeg.ca/PublicWorks/construction/studies/waverleyUnderpass.stm">estimated</a> to cost $155 million, is 1,233% more expensive than reopening Portage and Main</b>*. Indeed, concerned citizens like Ken Klassen have even brought their own objections up.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Klassen said every level of government is borrowing a lot of money to build the Waverley underpass, which he says costs nearly double what the Plessis Road underpass cost, and triple that of the Kenaston Boulevard underpass. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He told councillors he tried to access the city's Build Canada Fund application for the Waverley project, but he was told to file a freedom of information request for it.<br />
"I was flabbergasted. The city's policy is crystal clear, that they have to do a financial cost-benefit analysis," Klassen said after the meeting. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The administration has taken it upon themselves, with no public debate, no approval from council or the mayor, to not do that, and that's stunning. You're going to spend $155 million [on a] project and not do a proper financial analysis?" </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
- "<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/waverley-underpass-special-meeting-1.3446413">Waverley underpass process 'stinks,' says councillor at special meeting for $155M project</a>" (Feb. 12, 2016), <i>CBC News</i></blockquote>
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So, if we're all in the spirit of public engagement and debate, why not put the underpass to a city-wide vote?<br />
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What do you say, Portage and Main reopening <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/portage-main-analysis-1.4721777">referendum proponent</a> Janice Lukes, want people at the other end of town to vote on infrastructure projects that benefit your constituents disproportionately?<br />
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ENDNOTE<br />
*<a href="https://winnipeg.ca/interhom/PortageMain/pdfs/TrafficStudy.pdf">Portage and Main Transportation Study</a> by Dillon Consulting, page 66, provides the cost estimate.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-80259896210508000222017-06-30T21:13:00.001-05:002017-06-30T21:13:23.841-05:00CONs going for sticker nationalism under ScheerI am greatly amused to find out that the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Andrew Scheer, is saying he wants the country of origin of <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/scheer-oil-origin-stickers-1.4185690">oil labelled at gas pumps</a>. Scheer is basing this off the whole "ethical oil" bullshit gimmick perfected by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Levant#Lobbying">former oil/tobacco lobbyist</a> & all around sleazeball & Ezra Levant.<br />
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What I find particularly amusing about this game is that concern over the "unethical oil" is that it never prompted the Harper CONs to dramatically restrict imports of Saudi oil. One thinks if reducing the oil dollars going to "conflict oil" countries and unethical regimes was the main goal of "ethical oil" one could do that with simple import restrictions. This would have the added effect of increasing the price of oil and thereby incentivizing a transition away from oil, which could be helped along with income transfers if you're really worried about increased costs for rural and low income Canadians.<br />
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Instead, "ethical oil" was a buzzword used to justify increasing extraction, sometimes with intense opposition from indigenous communities, and pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere - putting humanity at more risk in the long term.<br />
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On the other front, the Harper Conservatives (of which Scheer was a member) <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/the-saudi-arms-deal-what-weve-learned-so-far/article28180299/">worked on an arms deal with Saudi Arabia</a>.<br />
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Very "ethical", eh?<br />
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Scheer's sticker gimmicks won't amount to much (and will likely be dropped if his party gets anywhere near power in the next few years) but it's nice to know a shilling for carbon intensive oil extraction will be a recurring theme in the post-Harper Conservative Party. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-44916872611300452872016-10-21T09:10:00.000-05:002016-10-21T09:10:10.906-05:00The Sprawl Lobby's scorched earth campaign against council<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr396inkXnxvbu3I3g0XJr5S0xhvQSafY5s1C_LZf9Wl4f9kcxtqr-waiNOwa90nSfRBGuBIZAtvhF9FFW4wWCH163uBfZGQbrDYmMDKM5vZSI9r2QsNkbHAGzQOP_u-LGk8rizNpN4Z5b/s1600/NorthMainPothole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr396inkXnxvbu3I3g0XJr5S0xhvQSafY5s1C_LZf9Wl4f9kcxtqr-waiNOwa90nSfRBGuBIZAtvhF9FFW4wWCH163uBfZGQbrDYmMDKM5vZSI9r2QsNkbHAGzQOP_u-LGk8rizNpN4Z5b/s320/NorthMainPothole.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Runaway suburban sprawl puts pressure on<br />City services & drains resources from<br />existing neighbourhoods.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1/status/454406556562358273">The Analyst/Twitter</a></b></td></tr>
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The <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/10/the-self-entitled-sprawl-lobby.html">Sprawl Lobby</a> is engaging in a brutal, scorched earth campaign against our City Council. They're still running the anti-fee, fake populist "<a href="http://dontstopgrowth.com/">Don't Stop Growth</a>" smear campaign. A vast array of forces that profit off of a free ride for developers are "partnering" with the campaign along with the rightwing fringe front group that is the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/canadian-taxpayer-federation-opinion-lamont-1.3802441">Canadian Taxpayers Federation</a>.<br />
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Sprawl Lobby heavyweights like Eric Vogan already made a petulant, self-entitled mess while <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/10/the-self-entitled-sprawl-lobby.html">presenting </a>at City Council in late September. You would think they would have learned some dignity and humility in the proceeding weeks, but sadly they did not.<br />
<br />
The histrionics continued at the Executive Policy Committee meeting. Mike Moore of the Manitoba Home Builders Association moaned that the move is "<a href="https://twitter.com/aldosantin/status/788758064258097152">reckless and unacceptable</a>", which seems to mean unacceptable to developers who want a free ride. Vogan was at it again, whining about the move being "<a href="https://twitter.com/aldosantin/status/788753578391277570">an attack on neighbourhoods</a>" and that it "<a href="https://twitter.com/aldosantin/status/788753905450557440">insults new home owners</a>". Meanwhile, stooges on council like Russ Wyatt <a href="https://twitter.com/AdrianCGlobal/status/788747104449462272">bemoaned the plan for supposedly vilifying developers, who create "wealth" for the city </a>(ignoring that developers are supplying consumer goods whose values are immensely boasted by City funded services).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxgmbAWVh7LMMrfQeGYajpDMXFvjjf35IF-5S98bjeTPVhtYFqTuN5CxC7aekTvARFqtPpRa1EI8G5bYBuXN-tIpzOnBuEDP6P40pqCb5wwU1kX1BYFx5xzz4EXH8LBWvY_5wRk5I9_E1/s1600/Sprawl+Lobby+Winnipeg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxgmbAWVh7LMMrfQeGYajpDMXFvjjf35IF-5S98bjeTPVhtYFqTuN5CxC7aekTvARFqtPpRa1EI8G5bYBuXN-tIpzOnBuEDP6P40pqCb5wwU1kX1BYFx5xzz4EXH8LBWvY_5wRk5I9_E1/s400/Sprawl+Lobby+Winnipeg.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Partners</b>" <b>of the Don't Stop Growth campaign.<br /><br /><br />Image Source: <a href="http://dontstopgrowth.com/">NoHomeTax</a></b></td></tr>
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There were also stooges for the development industry who used to be on Council. They cashed in through the revolving door and went on to <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/epc-growth-fees-1.3811653">work for the development industry</a>. These include Justin Swandel, a hardline defender of Sam Katz's unaccountable mayoralty, and rightwing loon Garth Steek.<br />
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Steek, a <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/the_failures_of_waverley_west-40073577.html">past president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association</a>, even insisted that Council was "<a href="https://twitter.com/bkives/status/788771122053611520">lucky</a>" to have developers present. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENglbAOqWef0L9FvKOiLBwwUCydmVskqHiplbKk4P-zU-HCEEHYWS3urI9MwJqYIMSJYWMfj6jT3yqctbMjEaidtqm3LhQRFr-sH81vcbIrYMYNcpQvO2CV7l268cfmuH7fIYQaQUejXp/s1600/Garth+Steek.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENglbAOqWef0L9FvKOiLBwwUCydmVskqHiplbKk4P-zU-HCEEHYWS3urI9MwJqYIMSJYWMfj6jT3yqctbMjEaidtqm3LhQRFr-sH81vcbIrYMYNcpQvO2CV7l268cfmuH7fIYQaQUejXp/s320/Garth+Steek.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Past Manitoba Homebuilders Association president<br /> and hard right former councillor<br />Garth Steek.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/SKKav/status/708331546671886336">Sean Kavanagh/Twitter</a></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
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<i><b>Yeah</b></i>, Garth Steek really claimed that City Council was lucky to have special interests presenting at their meeting and trying to stop them from implementing new fees. It truly was a noble honour for the City to have corporate mouthpiece after corporate mouthpiece bellyaching about how awful new development fees are.<br />
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The Sprawl Lobby really is gunning against this. They hint at a possible <a href="http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/10/19/developers-threaten-lawsuit-against-growth-fees-plan.html">legal challenge</a>. They have <a href="https://twitter.com/__stephaniejane/status/788078670082629632">sent out mass emails</a> urging people to phone Mayor Bowman to oppose the new development fees. Garth Steek even wants to make the fee proposal an <a href="https://twitter.com/__stephaniejane/status/788773467017535488">election issue</a>.<br />
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Proponents of smart and sustainable growth need to fight against the Sprawl Lobby. We need to contact our <a href="http://www.winnipeg.ca/council/">City Councillors</a> and - in the case the City does need provincial permission - <a href="http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/mla_list_alphabetical.html">MLAs</a> (find yours <a href="http://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/voting/MLA">here</a>) and tell them we need developers to pay their fair share.<br />
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<span class="cwcot" id="cwos"> <span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-8228824832747524752016-10-17T06:35:00.003-05:002016-10-17T07:05:08.529-05:00The self-entitled Sprawl Lobby<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lobeezanNMLH_IifkNHx8mUWwx8TP3icAQlw3pr0xjEBHYOTYb3e7AgjHL6qc4cYfIdqovLPWPCLmj-mHlk6KtYi9fCrVuohyI9Se_zNmdWSWy1ZWw0QurLCnEG6aAZmlXdjhhZJvwww/s1600/EricVogan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lobeezanNMLH_IifkNHx8mUWwx8TP3icAQlw3pr0xjEBHYOTYb3e7AgjHL6qc4cYfIdqovLPWPCLmj-mHlk6KtYi9fCrVuohyI9Se_zNmdWSWy1ZWw0QurLCnEG6aAZmlXdjhhZJvwww/s320/EricVogan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Petulant face of the Sprawl Lobby and Qualico Vice<br />President of community development Eric Vogan.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/bkives/status/775363817026891776">Bartley Kives/Twitter</a></b></td></tr>
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For the past decade our city, at the behest of developers, has overstretched. New neighbourhoods and developments were approved despite modest population growth. Real estate developers had very close - <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/mayor-sam-katz-says-partnership-with-shindico-owner-over-1.2159543">a few disconcertingly so</a> - relationships with mayor Katz. For much of the 21st century one could be forgiven for feeling like developers ran the City government.<br />
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Developer associated Sam Katz was succeeded by Brian Bowman in 2014. Bowman had <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2014/10/brian-bowman-old-school-chamber-of.html">many signs</a> of being a continuation of the standard centre-right, outer suburban developer friendly mayors Winnipeg's had in the past. He was backed by Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president Dave Angus, who gave him a rock star introduction at Bowman's 2014 campaign launch in the Winnipeg Art Gallery. He had ties to the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba and campaigned for Pallister CON <a href="https://twitter.com/BilanArte/status/463769696378949633">Shannon Martin</a>. Bowman was even once chair of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.<br />
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But he has broken the mold of past centre-right mayors. Based on the <a href="http://www.winnipeg.ca/finance/2016GrowthStudy.stm">2016 Growth Study</a> mayor Bowman is<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-growth-fees-1.3805843"> proposing growth fees</a>. If he sticks with his growth fee plan, he's actually getting serious about taking on the real estate lobby. Downtown boosterism and revitalization efforts are one thing but curbing growth on the edges of Winnipeg shows true commitment to urbanist principles.<br />
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Growth fees are sorely needed. Compared to municipalities in Ontario and even some others in Manitoba, Winnipeg does not properly charge for new developments on the fringe of the city. Neighbourhoods like <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/manitoba/waverley-west-s-first-neighbourhood-passes-city-committee-1.584382">Waverley West</a> and <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/committee-oks-plan-for-new-winnipeg-neighbourhood-1.1371085">Ridgewood South</a> develop and create strain on our existing municipal service system. The additional cost on infrastructure and other civic systems is nowhere near captured by current developer fees. This means worse services for the rest of us.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eFaH9OBLVxtQLnzKPWNgjDhorTlQA_M2ZZrrUueOyh2JUvbSHJz7sLbdyW9t8dl_Vcr7o7uIvnBaiKhYExXVm2maT-hTIcUPcd7fWnNAeWmSt8NHeGdT8EqmMRZerGRpq_BlR5S4uyFJ/s1600/QualicoCommunities.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eFaH9OBLVxtQLnzKPWNgjDhorTlQA_M2ZZrrUueOyh2JUvbSHJz7sLbdyW9t8dl_Vcr7o7uIvnBaiKhYExXVm2maT-hTIcUPcd7fWnNAeWmSt8NHeGdT8EqmMRZerGRpq_BlR5S4uyFJ/s320/QualicoCommunities.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Qualico Communities.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/QCWinnipeg">Qualico Communities/Twitter</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The consultant report, the cause of so much controversy, can use tweaks. Bowman himself has hinted that he would like changes, such as <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/growth-fees-2017-1.3765863">exempting infill development from fees</a> (which makes perfect sense). But real estate developers, who are effectively acting as a Sprawl Lobby, are livid about this. After virtually running municipal growth policy over the last decade they're furious with the new, better direction.<br />
<br />
There's no greater example of this than the petulant display <a href="http://www.qualico.com/our-company/contact-us">Qualico</a> Vice-President Eric Vogan made presenting at City Council. He called proposed growth fees <a href="https://twitter.com/aldosantin/status/778620455653564417">a scheme to fill someone's coffers</a>". Yeah, Vogan, they're a "scheme" to fill the coffers for public services that are drained by your lot's incessant outer suburban development. Vogan has also whined that this is "<a href="https://twitter.com/pursagawpgsun/status/778619267335892993">scary</a>" and a "<a href="https://twitter.com/pursagawpgsun/status/778620079319584768">tax on larger homes</a>", telling our elected representatives "<a href="https://twitter.com/pursagawpgsun/status/778620079319584768">shame on you</a>". <i><b></b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>No</b></i>, Mr. Vogan, <i><b>shame on you</b></i>. You want a free (or discounted) ride for developers even as our streets crumble and services decline. You come to City Council and boss around our democratically elected representatives. Your vision for Winnipeg is deplorable and your crybaby antics are unbearable. <br />
<br />
Qualico has been unbelievably two-faced about this.<br />
<br />
On the one hand, Qualico representatives like Vogan sometimes claim it's just about <i><b>process</b></i>, lack of consultation with developers, and that it's just <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-developers-winnipeg-brian-bowman-1.3731690">going <i><b>too fast</b></i></a>. That they have <i><b>procedural </b></i>issues with how new growth fees would be implemented, but aren't against the idea itself.<br />
<br />
Then they partner with countless business interests and far-right ideological freaks in the <a href="http://www.dontstopgrowth.com/"><b><i>Don't Stop Growth</i></b></a> campaign. The industry "partnered" organization has all the hallmarks of past business interest driven fake populist anti-tax campaigns. The campaign boldly proclaims <i><b>no new home taxes</b></i> - not "we dislike the current development fee proposal but will work with you for a better one".<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcCmKJXnj7id-EgwKBdSpTPBAqMN5UlJjiD61gzzmE5DEPtYZ6cQSteR796_JUmAZWgxlBsuGphImomXnD1kEU88PvbojWB8mfJ9Bp6fGN_vrsP0UIdtdeQ5_hVYL8f-JbAf_Zqgi9D5p/s1600/SprawlLobbyPartners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcCmKJXnj7id-EgwKBdSpTPBAqMN5UlJjiD61gzzmE5DEPtYZ6cQSteR796_JUmAZWgxlBsuGphImomXnD1kEU88PvbojWB8mfJ9Bp6fGN_vrsP0UIdtdeQ5_hVYL8f-JbAf_Zqgi9D5p/s640/SprawlLobbyPartners.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Partners with the "No Home Tax" campaign.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="http://www.dontstopgrowth.com/">No Home Tax</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The powerful developers and other industries that are a part of the Sprawl Lobby think they run this place. Eric Vogan seems to have such self-entitlement that he ran over his time presenting at City Hall and <a href="https://twitter.com/bkives/status/778619545074401280">blatantly ignored the buzzer</a>. Time allotments are are frequently respected by ordinary citizens like teachers, community residents, and students but apparently Qualico reps are above it. We as Winnipeggers can't let these self-entitled folks push us around and set our policy.<br />
<br />
You can start to show enough is enough by contacting <a href="http://www.homebuilders.mb.ca/member_details/?id=235">Eric Vogan</a> and <a href="http://www.qualico.com/our-company/contact-us">Qualico</a> to tell them to knock it off.<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-66876933744219320072016-05-16T09:06:00.000-05:002016-05-16T09:31:44.199-05:00Brian Pallister's Efficiency Fairies<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjhoQ-c06bK9PI6o5e1wjtokqUJf2ZtHVmJxfRPXVH3VCkUVMqiZUp-p-4v3qfsETR1EG9Ay-i4HuwEG-W3slWyvIEZx8nhZBKPtwycuc_xahyphenhyphen-v-930z2d-7rCi7CpWZ5dEnd6n2y_ii/s1600/EfficiencyFairies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjhoQ-c06bK9PI6o5e1wjtokqUJf2ZtHVmJxfRPXVH3VCkUVMqiZUp-p-4v3qfsETR1EG9Ay-i4HuwEG-W3slWyvIEZx8nhZBKPtwycuc_xahyphenhyphen-v-930z2d-7rCi7CpWZ5dEnd6n2y_ii/s1600/EfficiencyFairies.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spending be gone painlessly,<br />no cuts to services, no<br />job losses, everyone wins<br />with the efficiency<br />fairies!<br /><br /><i>Image Source:<br /><br /><br />Disney <br />(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_Bell#/media/File:TinkerbellDisney.jpg">Obtained from Wikipedia</a>)</i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
People like public services but also like low taxes. Conservative parties and right of centre politicians tend to campaign on the later. Given self-styled "<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/08/fiscal-conservative-should-be-dirty-word.html">fiscal conservatives</a>" tend to make much of deficits and the accumulated stock of debt it stands to reason that something has got to give. Taxes (and other public revenue sources) have to equal spending or else debt financing measures have to be used. Since debt is often (<a href="http://www.macleans.ca/economy/economicanalysis/why-canada-should-embrace-budget-deficits/">and not always with warrant</a>) regarded as bad, that means service cuts, right?<br />
<br />
While people may loath "big government" or "government interference" in the abstract, <i>actual </i>public programs (especially the ones soaking up the largest share of spending) are usually quite popular. This is where one of the cheapest, most effective tricks of rightwing populists comes into play: blaming "<a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/pallister-vows-to-eliminate-the-waste-in-education-365613151.html">waste</a>" for large program spending.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
The idea is that we can preserve or even increase services if we eliminate completely useless, unambiguously awful spending. In the 2016 provincial election campaign Pallister equated bargain hungry Manitobans doing <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/provincial-election/pallister-says-cost-savings-will-pay-for-campaign-promises-375040081.html">comparison shopping</a> to finding savings worth 1% of public spending. Apparently going over to the Dollarama instead of the Hudson's Bay Company is all it takes to painlessly cut the deficit <a href="#1" name="top1"><sup>1</sup></a>.<br />
<br />
Toronto's former rightwing populist Mayor the late Rob Ford took this line of thinking to comical conclusions. In the 2010 Toronto Mayoral Election he assured citizens that "<a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2011/07/22/i_will_assure_you_that_services_will_not_be_cut_guaranteed.html">services will not be cut, guaranteed</a>" and instead promised to "end the gravy train". A big part of the public messaging (read: propaganda) on the cuts were that it would involve ending such "gravy" as <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/10/13/fords_problem_with_free_perks.html">zoo passes</a> for certain city workers. Once in office this no service cut <i><b>guarantee</b></i> became <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2011/11/28/facing_139m_surplus_ford_wants_to_cut_88m_in_services.html">a plan to close down five pools</a>, among other things.<br />
<br />
As <a href="https://twitter.com/DanFmTo?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">Dan</a> at <i>Autonomy for All</i> noted in 2013, with respect to Ontario provincial politics (Hudak was the Ontario Conservative leader at the time):
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
How often will voters fall for this deeply dishonest tactic? Try and take seriously the idea that Hudak knows of billions of dollars of true "inefficiencies" in the current government, as I joked on twitter, perhaps there is a Ministry of Burning Cash that can be shut down. If so, wouldn't he be bragging about this specifically? Embarassing the government day after day over the waste in Question Period?
<br />
<br />
Even as a matter of good public service, if the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition knows of significant areas of taxpayer waste, is he going to sit quietly on them waiting for an election which might be years in coming, letting the government keep wasting money which could be saved?
<br />
<br />
<b>On the other hand, maybe the claim is true that he plans to "find" these efficiencies, but only once in government. If so, how can he promise they are there? He can't know this. It's a hope, maybe an educated one, but still a gamble. Even if you think say, 5% of all government spending is true waste (like leaving unused buildings lit at night or whatever example of clear out and out waste you can think up, not talking here about spending you just don't like, which still has a purpose) - it will tend to be a thousand or more little spots of waste.</b> <b>[Emphasis added]</b> There isn't really going to be a Minister of Burning Cash that accounts for 80% of the waste. Finding those unnecessarily lit buildings or other duplication, overpayment & such is going to be tough. Maybe the process for getting someone a driver's license take 14 steps and can be shaved to 13 steps with months of work by the Ministry of Transporation and this saves like $5M a year. I'm sure such inefficiencies exist in government as they do in every large organization, but wringing them out is tough work. Complex multi-deparment processes have dozens of stakeholders and usually no one person fully undertands the purpose of everything in there, so spotting the "waste" takes weeks of stakeholder interviews to find the steps that no longer serve useful purposes or are duplicated elsewhere.
<br />
<br />
("<a href="http://autonomyforall.blogspot.ca/2013/10/hudak-promises-to-incur-massive-project.html">Hudak Promises To Incur Massive Project Cancellation Costs As Premier</a>". <i>Autonomy For All. </i>Daniel (Oct. 28, 2013))
</blockquote>
While there were some concrete, policy specific criticisms from the Manitoba Conservatives (particularly when it came to Provincial Crown Corporation Manitoba Hydro's - politically or otherwise motivated - <a href="http://www.producer.com/2016/03/man-pcs-mum-about-plans-for-bipole-project-if-elected/">investment decisions</a>) over a third of the spending cuts they outlined at the end of the campaign came from <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/provincial-election/pallister-says-cost-savings-will-pay-for-campaign-promises-375040081.html">"value for money" efficiences</a>. Over 8% of the Pallsiter CONs savings came from undercutting labour unions, which I guess is at least outlining specific policy, leaving aside empirical and moral questions on whether workers can bargain a fair wage as solo individuals against large employers.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://aroundthistown.ca/2016/04/23/mb-election-thoughts-in-point-form/">Some on the centre-right</a> think nothing drastic is in store. The Pallister CON Government will just cut through attrition (which the NDP had started to do in it's last years with <a href="http://gov.mb.ca/finance/budget14/index.html">departmental hiring freezes</a>) and workers will "<a href="https://aroundthistown.ca/2016/04/23/mb-election-thoughts-in-point-form/">prioritize, eliminate redundant reports, and generally find ways to get the work done</a>".<br />
<br />
The idea that there's endless (or at least great) slack in the public service such that staffing could go down without service effects seems like a nice idea, but it's probably too good to be true. The Manitoba Government has already been whittling down staffing levels through selective attrition under NDP rule. There's only so much "fat" you can scalp off. As Curtis Brown and Paul G. Thomas have documented <a href="#2" name="top2"><sup>2</sup></a>, the Manitoba Public Service has went through some serious capacity reduction in the past, modest renewal in the Doer days, and currently has an aging workforce. They further noted that "by 2016, almost 75 percent of senior leaders in the civil service will be eligible to retire. By the same year, almost 50 percent of the entire civil service will be in a position to retire. These statistics have profound significance for government-wide policy memory and the in-house capacity to formulate policy under more complex conditions." (Brown & Thomas, 2010, p. 246)<br />
<br />
Factoring in that there has been some replacement since the six years ago, when the book was published, it is still an aging workforce with many members set to retire. There won't be limitless slack to exploit and many upcoming challenges Manitoba faces, like an aging overall population <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/04/yes-service-cuts-are-possible-with.html">more dependent on the healthcare system</a> and the need to transition to a low carbon economy, will require significant policy development and expertise.<br />
<br />
And from the standpoint of keeping service levels constant with less staff, some of the Pallister CON Government's recent announcements seem weird. For instance, there is <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-pcs-government-spending-memo-1.3579988">a memo directing deputy ministers</a> to "refrain from new spending on office relocations, furniture and <i><b>information technology projects [emphasis added]</b></i>". Now, you would imagine increasing IT investments to make individual workers more productive as well as investments aimed at getting more government services online, faster would be <b><i>exactly </i></b>the way you keep services constant with less staff. Yet here be freezes.<br />
<br />
All of this seems to be pointing to a situation where, yes, <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/05/half-of-this-is-true-already.html">the Cassandras will be proved right</a>. There will not be unlimited slack to exploit. Even if workers aren't fired, they simply retire and aren't replaced, we'll still face declining service levels.Comparison shopping and efficiency fairies, in the end, will not painlessly cut spending without cutting service. <br />
<br />
<span class="cwcot" id="cwos"> <span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<hr width="80%" />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1"><b>1 </b></a>Pallister's <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/provincial-election/pallister-says-cost-savings-will-pay-for-campaign-promises-375040081.html">actual savings plan</a> had specifics like merging agencies like the East Side Road Authority and reducing union contracts in government alongside the unspecified "efficiencies" that accounted for over a third of his savings. Pallister, however, consistently argued in public for all his savings along the lines that they'd be just like comparison shopping done by Manitoba consumers.<br />
<br /><a href="#top1"><sup>↩</sup></a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="2"><b>2 </b></a>Curtis Brown and Paul G. Thomas, “The Past, Present and Future of Manitoba’s Civil Service,” in <i>Manitoba Politics and Government: Issues, Institutions, Traditions</i>, ed. P.G. Thomas and Curtis Brown, 227-256 (Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2012). <a href="#top2"><sup>↩</sup></a><br />
</span>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-38126221045569220622016-05-12T10:00:00.000-05:002016-05-12T10:00:25.399-05:00Half of this is true already<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpOPV7HqqvJYJr7ZxSNtEFz3VHx4-1vXwPNw7pXTrgBvYPkzvwGXKgd085MEuNP62gnf2AetE3I-v6E9a8iFLisyOY4_kYqhKDNXmr4RlgH-y6MOd3WhJxOd52ccgqAzV1TPQe_yo_TAa/s1600/Cassandra.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpOPV7HqqvJYJr7ZxSNtEFz3VHx4-1vXwPNw7pXTrgBvYPkzvwGXKgd085MEuNP62gnf2AetE3I-v6E9a8iFLisyOY4_kYqhKDNXmr4RlgH-y6MOd3WhJxOd52ccgqAzV1TPQe_yo_TAa/s400/Cassandra.jpeg" width="188" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Painting of Cassandra in front<br />of Troy by Evelyn De Morgan<br /><br />Obtained from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassandra#/media/File:Cassandra1.jpeg">Wikipedia</a>.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/01/what-solidarity-winnipeg-is-all-about.html"></a>Throughout the election members of Manitoba's pundit class have denounced concerns over cuts and <a href="https://twitter.com/mrabson/status/717387990461521920">comparisons</a> to the Filmon administrations of the 1990s. A lot of this shade on Filmon comparisons did the admirable job, for the Pallister CONs at least, of obscuring the likely differences in governing approach between the two parties and giving the (without consideration of past governments) track record free Tories a clear advantage. Manitobans let Brian Pallister off the hook mostly on ambiguous promises of a "better Manitoba" and <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/provincial-election/pallister-says-cost-savings-will-pay-for-campaign-promises-375040081.html">finding efficiencies</a>, though in the latter days of the campaign Pallister announced plans to <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/provincial-election/unionization-tougher-under-pallister-375282161.html">change labour relations</a> in our province.<br />
<br />
Making the last time Manitoba's had a Tory government not up for legitimate consideration was particularly strange. The man from yesterday the Conservatives chose as leader and who is now Premier of this province was a member of the <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/07/sole-pc-leadership-candidate-embraces.html">Filmon cabinet</a>. He has said "<a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/pallister-keen-to-lead-tories-in-manitoba-147120935.html">I think the Filmon government's record was admirable and I think historians will say that was one of the finest governments that Manitoba has been blessed with</a>". There hasn't been a sharp lurch, ideologically, in the Manitoba Conservative Party away from the Right since the 1990s. Given the prominence of very rightwing figures from southern rural Manitoba in the Tory caucus and <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/former-director-of-religious-lobby-group-will-run-for-manitoba-pcs-1.2874164">even hard right members representing Winnipeg ridings</a> the party may even be more conservative than it was in the 1990s.<br />
<br />
Left-progressives have been doing some preemptive organizing. Geoff Bergen, a spokesperson for the grassroots movement Solidarity Winnipeg, told The Winnipeg RAG Review the following:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Its extremely likely that if they win they will look at the books and
announce that they have less money then they thought (true or not) and
will institute austerity measures that will effect social services and
workers livelihoods in Manitoba.- <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/01/what-solidarity-winnipeg-is-all-about.html">Geoff Bergen, Solidarity Winnipeg spokesperson</a></blockquote>
<br />
From the Winnipeg Free Press yesterday<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"It’s worse than we thought. It’s definitely worse than we thought," he [Pallister] told reporters after his 40-member caucus was sworn in on Wednesday in a ceremony at the Legislative Building.<br />
<br />
("<a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Budget-coming-by-the-end-of-the-month-Pallister-379063721.html">Budget coming in just over two weeks: Pallister</a>". Kusch, Larry. <i>Winnipeg Free Press</i> (May 11, 2016)) </blockquote>
<br />
It is clear, regardless of whatever spin assuaged people that there wouldn't be a fundamentally distinct direction taken by the Pallister Government, things are playing out as skeptics predicted. This leaves us with the question of how long will it take Manitobans to recognize that the Cassandras were right? <br />
<br />
<span class="cwcot" id="cwos"> <span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-71120345902769283862016-05-11T13:47:00.002-05:002016-05-11T17:38:32.888-05:00Scott Price on what the Pallister Gov't means for the Manitoba Labour Movement<a href="https://twitter.com/PriceScott91">Scott Price</a> on what the Pallister CON Government means for the Manitoba Labour Movement. Labour organizing capacity, the new government's stated intent to move away from <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/provincial-election/unionization-tougher-under-pallister-375282161.html">card check certification</a>, and the new group <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/01/what-solidarity-winnipeg-is-all-about.html">Solidarity Winnipeg</a> are discussed.
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/165975316" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
<a href="https://vimeo.com/165975316">Fast Forward Newsline - Unions</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user48338776">Green Planet Monitor</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-85048451447029361002016-04-25T10:30:00.000-05:002016-05-11T13:43:21.770-05:00Yes, service cuts are possible with higher than inflation spending increases<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId-8ypOEzUFQQOorG7PjpyBWwQZuEMMiiQHWmEASVI2EIqDzfRIPaE1Lb9I1GPvyzGfnkgrwElbmqiQjfdTgJH84t9BlYRJAZfmIbXpaSP1BnRTa7MYDNys18bR_n38reV38ZIXYnkxMl/s1600/WhatsYourDefinitionOfAusterity.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId-8ypOEzUFQQOorG7PjpyBWwQZuEMMiiQHWmEASVI2EIqDzfRIPaE1Lb9I1GPvyzGfnkgrwElbmqiQjfdTgJH84t9BlYRJAZfmIbXpaSP1BnRTa7MYDNys18bR_n38reV38ZIXYnkxMl/s400/WhatsYourDefinitionOfAusterity.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Image Source: </i><a href="https://twitter.com/CCPAMB/status/722792555046285312">Twitter</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So some snark is being flung around by the centre-right pundit class on #MbPoli twitter over leftwing concerns about austerity and service cuts under the incoming Pallister CON administration. <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/01/what-solidarity-winnipeg-is-all-about.html">Solidarity Winnipeg</a> was organized under the belief that a Conservative Government on Broadway would result in policies harmful to vast swaths of working people and that push back to said policies are needed. Events like the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/868614919930558/">April 23 post-election workshop</a> on what's next for progressive activists are setting a tone of vigilance. More established progressive organizations, like the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba Office, have taken note too.<br />
<br />
There is a clear rationale for the defensive measures of many progressive organizers. Left-progressive activists don't have the funding and ability to set up issue-based opposition campaigns as quickly as a lot of the deep pocketed rightwing groups do. The left can't muster up an astroturf campaign like rightwing groups such as the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses or the Canadian Taxpayer's Federation does in response to regulations or tax policies they dislike such as the PST hike. Even labour unions have limitations on how quickly they can mobilize members and on what issues. The money lubricated media machine on the Right is just a lot better at snap responses than the volunteer labour powered organizing of leftwing activists.<br />
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Setting up the ground game for a likely fight over public social investments and labour policy early on, therefore, makes quite a bit of sense for left-progressives. When it comes to what "austerity" actually means, obviously the fear is that given enough leeway and not enough pushback the Pallister CON government will implement service cuts like, or greater than, those of the 1990s and drastically change labour relations in this province. "Right to work" and other anti-labour organizing legislation incubated in the US is picking up steam in <a href="http://www.pressprogress.ca/en/post/fraser-institute-tries-and-fails-be-grinch-who-stole-labour-day">Canadian rightwing think tanks</a>. In the homestretch of the campaign, Brian Pallister ratcheted up his anti-labour rhetoric and <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/2639061/manitoba-run-by-union-pc-leader-brian-pallister/">accused unions of running the province</a>.On social services, Pallister stuck to ambiguously talking about cutting "<a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/pallister-vows-to-eliminate-the-waste-in-education-365613151.html">waste</a>" - but "waste" cutting is often a euphemism for cutting services one says to assuage voters.<br />
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I have no idea in what context the activists Brian Kelcey tweeted about argued that spending increases above Consumer Price Index increases plus 1-2 % count as "austerity". It can be the case, depending on the demographic makeup of users of certain programs, that even increases above the rate of inflation in spending can result in service cuts, however. This is most obviously the case in healthcare.<br />
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Consider the Manitoba mining town of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson,_Manitoba">Thompson</a>. Shortly after it was established it had a very young population of blue collar workers and next to no senior residents. I've heard anecdotes of how in the early days of the Thompson any senior in town meant somebody was visiting from elsewhere.<br />
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Now, over time the proportion of older residents of Thompson increased as founding residents aged and more white-collar, industry support jobs developed in the town. It's possible to imagine the growth in seniors being as high as 120% during a five year period in the early days of the town. If we suppose, just to illustrate the argument, that healthcare spending in the area in 1965 was $8000 and there were 100 users we would get spending of $80 per user. Now suppose that spending increased with the rate of inflation plus 3% real growth per year. In five years healthcare spending would be up to $<span class="cwcot" id="cwos">9274.19 in constant dollars*. Let us assume the town had 30 seniors at the start of the five year period and that 70% of seniors use healthcare services. At the end of the five year period the town would have 36 additional seniors and of those about 25 would be healthcare users. Even with the above inflation increases, spending per user and potentially service levels have gone down to $74.19 per user.</span><br />
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<span class="cwcot" id="cwos">This numerical example, completely made up to illustrate the point (I haven't looked at the demographic data over time for Thompson), shows that spending can actually result in service level cuts. This could take the form of longer wait times or less quality care per visit. Obviously, there are other complications (depending on what's the optimal amount of hospitals in the area there can be <i>economies of scale </i>- in which less spending per user doesn't matter - or <i>diseconomies of scale </i>- in which less spending per user would be a big concern and the intensity/cost of care required by seniors may differ from non-seniors).</span><br />
<br />
<span class="cwcot" id="cwos"> </span><span class="cwcot" id="cwos"></span><span class="cwcot" id="cwos">The main takeaway point is that Brian Kelcey's <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/subtweet">subtweeted</a> activists may not be completely out to lunch. Within the context of certain programs, such as healthcare spending, even if funding increases above the rate of inflation there may be cuts in service levels.<br /><br /><b>ENDNOTE</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="cwcot" id="cwos">*$8000x(1.03)<sup>5</sup> = $</span><span class="cwcot" id="cwos">9274.19</span><br />
<br />
<span class="cwcot" id="cwos"> <span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span> </span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-73373325759409131002016-03-13T22:49:00.000-05:002016-03-13T23:16:14.887-05:00Rana Bokhari's Harperite tendencies on display in residential school survivor response<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrWV1As6JLLkxRQdNqDVD5tqJnnDbmO3Aks1aSLkkz_BIisH2yXsnWeE9EAr4YWop1CpCGtZLznk2t0urldTDGTc5aqX4-p1lnwZZDunwLEvEe-UXhfBlOrYPaVXe-SqlbOradD1jbCnP/s1600/RanaBokhariLiberalLeader.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrWV1As6JLLkxRQdNqDVD5tqJnnDbmO3Aks1aSLkkz_BIisH2yXsnWeE9EAr4YWop1CpCGtZLznk2t0urldTDGTc5aqX4-p1lnwZZDunwLEvEe-UXhfBlOrYPaVXe-SqlbOradD1jbCnP/s320/RanaBokhariLiberalLeader.png" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Manitoba Liberal Leader <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rana_Bokhari#/media/File:Canadianbokhari.png">Rana Bokhari</a>.</b><i></i><br />
<b><i>Image Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rana_Bokhari#/media/File:Canadianbokhari.png">Wikipedia</a></i></b></td></tr>
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Manitoba Liberal Party Leader Rana Bokhari, who I mistakenly called a "<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2013/10/new-manitoba-liberal-leader.html">dynamic leader</a>", has been running on a <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/01/what-solidarity-winnipeg-is-all-about.html">grab bag of policy proposals</a> and <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/12/13/manitobas-rana-bokhari-wont-reveal-financial-plan-until-shes-ready.html">without a clear plan available to the public on how she'd pay for it</a>. As the campaign has dragged on one event made it abundantly clear that, far from being a dynamic, transparent, and optimistic leader Bokhari is acting with an intolerance of dissent reminiscent of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.<br />
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The Manitoba Liberal Leader has indicated a clear intolerance for tough questions with her response to Residential School Survivor Gerald McIvor.
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<a class="embedly-card" href="http://aptn.ca/news/2016/02/04/manitoba-liberal-leader-denies-she-mishandled-residential-school-survivor-claims/">Manitoba liberal leader denies she mishandled residential school survivor claims - APTN National News</a>
<script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script>
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The Residential School Survivor asked various questions about her involvement as a lawyer with <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rana-bokhari-defends-response-residential-school-survivor-1.3469988">Carroll Law Office</a>. That law office was involved in a complicated controversy involving legal fees charged to Indian Residential School Survivors for filling forms.<br />
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The brother of Rana Bokhari, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rana-bokhari-defends-response-residential-school-survivor-1.3469988">Syed Bokhari, and Ken Carroll from the Carroll Law Office formed First Nations Residential School Solutions, Inc (FNRSS) in 2010</a>. Along with the law office FNRSS would play a major role in this controversy.<br />
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After investigating for years, the <a href="http://www.iap-pei.ca/home-accueil-eng.php">Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat</a> alleged in 2014 that the Law Office and FNRSS worked together to <a href="http://aptn.ca/news/2014/04/16/x/">charge 30% of settlement value fees</a> to clients. Carroll denied the claim. In April 2014 Justice Schulman of the Court of Queen's Bench in Manitoba <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rana-bokhari-defends-response-residential-school-survivor-1.3469988">ruled</a> the fees charged by FNRSS were "unconscionable" as well as "illegal". Ken Carroll claimed to have reimbursed clients of his for the fees charged as well as cut his ties to FNRSS.<br />
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In a particularly stark case, reported by the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rana-bokhari-defends-response-residential-school-survivor-1.3469988">CBC</a> and <a href="http://aptn.ca/news/2016/02/04/manitoba-liberal-leader-denies-she-mishandled-residential-school-survivor-claims/">APTN</a>, it is alleged that Rana Bokhari's brother escorted<b> </b>one Residential School Survivor who had just received a compensation cheque to the bank. The alleged purpose was so the survivor could cash the cheque and pay the high fees for legal work immediately.<br />
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Rana Bokhari's main professional experience and hence track record for which one can assess her competence to be premier is in law. Bokhari was a <a href="http://aptn.ca/news/2014/04/16/x/">junior lawyer</a> at Carroll Law Office. Furthermore, her brother was part owner of the controversial FNRSS agency which charged, in the words of Justice Schulman, "unconscionable" and "illegal" fees to Residential School Survivors. These facts do not implicate her in any wrongdoing, however Manitobans can have reasonable questions about her legal career given the controversy involving her employer and brother. <br />
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Residential School Survivor Gerald McIvor seems to have had just that: <i>questions for a potential next Premier of Manitoba regarding her professional past</i>.<br />
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Rana Bokhari denies having any involvement in the fee controversy and has yet to be accused of any involvement. <a href="http://aptn.ca/news/2016/02/04/manitoba-liberal-leader-denies-she-mishandled-residential-school-survivor-claims/">In her words</a> to an APTN reporter "sometimes [...] just by association, as a young student you just happen to be involved in a part of a firm that has something going on and as students we don't know what's happening at the upper levels, right? We're just, we're little gophers doing what we're told to do, right?"<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPIG6CNoODHU1FJaVIPpWuvCGmnzkr-Ns1JXs-5Bz9SDErJ5X8WnfYRczZpsdvfAfFM7XYDrCgHqo2w-vlMBYLIBxjPD8jr5Ldb95m943MFvdoDYdxdq4ddnHH1DmvEnOxLa-Zx4Kqwio/s1600/SyedBokhari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPIG6CNoODHU1FJaVIPpWuvCGmnzkr-Ns1JXs-5Bz9SDErJ5X8WnfYRczZpsdvfAfFM7XYDrCgHqo2w-vlMBYLIBxjPD8jr5Ldb95m943MFvdoDYdxdq4ddnHH1DmvEnOxLa-Zx4Kqwio/s320/SyedBokhari.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rana Bokhari's brother and in 2014 part owner<br />of First Nations Residential School Solutions, Inc<br />Syed Bokhari.<br /><br /><i>Image Source:</i> <a href="https://twitter.com/204Syed">Twitter/@204Syed</a></b></td></tr>
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Bokhari also told APTN that she left Carroll Law Office within five days of finding out about the overcharging situation. Bokhari <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rana-bokhari-defends-response-residential-school-survivor-1.3469988">told the CBC</a> she became "very emotional" and "enraged" over the overcharging. <br />
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So what was her response, as "enraged" as she was at the overcharging to Residential School Survivors, to one survivor who asks questions and is concerned about her past employee-employer relationship? Is it a reasoned demonstration of why she was not involved and is not responsible? Is it a redirection to the Carroll Law Office or FNRSS, to better answer those questions?<br />
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Nope.<br />
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A Manitoba Liberal Party lawyer, not Rana Bokhari, responded to McIvor's inquiry without answering him. The lawyer's response was cold to the Residential School Survivor, Liberal Leader Bokhari even herself admits it was "<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rana-bokhari-defends-response-residential-school-survivor-1.3469988">harsh</a>".<br />
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In it, the Manitoba Liberal Party's lawyer wrote that "Ms Bokhari denies having done anything unprofessional or improper" and that if McIvor "<a href="http://aptn.ca/news/2016/02/04/manitoba-liberal-leader-denies-she-mishandled-residential-school-survivor-claims/">spread[s his] false allegations further you will be subject to defamation and liable [sic] proceedings</a>".<br />
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One has to wonder what false allegations were made by the residential school survivor. Based on the reports from APTN and CBC (including the screen shots of the email in the APTN piece) it looks like Gerald McIvor was asking questions rather than making claims. Rana Bokhari, subsequently defending her self-admittedly "<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rana-bokhari-defends-response-residential-school-survivor-1.3469988">harsh</a>" response to a residential school survivor, stated " […] you almost feel like you're getting slandered, right?" and that she was "threatened [.... with] timelines". The <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rana-bokhari-defends-response-residential-school-survivor-1.3469988">CBC article</a> says that it was the <i>tone</i> she found defamatory, which makes you wonder how a "tone" as opposed to actual claims can be defamatory.<br />
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Regardless of how "threatening" deadlines are, not answering and bringing up the spectre of defamation and liable proceedings is a ridiculous response to deadlines, no matter how unreasonable you perceive them to be. Redirection or offering answers past the deadline or just saying you do not have all the information are infinitely more appropriate responses than a "harsh" response from your party's lawyer to a Residential School Survivor.<br />
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Rana Bokhari's whole overreaction to the questions reveals that she shares many flaws with former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Rather than acting transparently her response to hard questions is to clamp down, sending a response through her party's lawyer which shuts down dialogue and discussion. A bit of time after the backlash from her response she <a href="https://twitter.com/chintapuxley/status/704381942746091521">cancelled</a> an in-depth sit-down interview with the Canadian Press.<br />
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Manitoba Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari has acted with a Harperite disdain for dissent and avoidance of hard questions. She is not displaying the open and transparent leadership Manitobans need and, despite a suite of indigenous candidates, revealed a coldness towards an indigenous person who demanded transparency. Former PM Harper, it should be noted, was able to ignore real grassroots indigenous concerns while having an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leona_Aglukkaq">indigenous woman for a cabinet minister</a>. A much more serious dialogue with indigenous peoples is needed in Manitoba if there is to be any hope of reconciliation. <br />
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On one final note, while Rana Bokhari has not spoken much about her brother or the allegation he escorted a residential school survivor straight to the bank to cash a cheque for fees, <a href="https://twitter.com/204Syed">a twitter account with Syed Bokhari's picture is up</a>. As of March 13, 2016 10:00 AM Central Time it is filled with retweets attacking Rana Bokhari <a href="http://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/Voting/Candidates/1">opponent in Fort Rouge</a>, Wab Kinew.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-67250050036750921622016-02-16T10:30:00.000-06:002016-03-13T18:55:10.066-05:00Why rightwing authoritarians are perplexed by grassroots leftists<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNZjSWJ86Av_ZvKQ131O-1cj8o0uc8ejrCNoeNYI0VN7-OM5P0rWFIXbVtaodvD6Hq6bCYbk3wzidDKVSOBVy0qA2blWwl4Pm1dL9KWHbty-1VOHUoQQwlR9D9AEEj77lEGq7QeQwLxXn/s1600/solidarity+winnipeg+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNZjSWJ86Av_ZvKQ131O-1cj8o0uc8ejrCNoeNYI0VN7-OM5P0rWFIXbVtaodvD6Hq6bCYbk3wzidDKVSOBVy0qA2blWwl4Pm1dL9KWHbty-1VOHUoQQwlR9D9AEEj77lEGq7QeQwLxXn/s1600/solidarity+winnipeg+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Poster advertising a Solidarity Winnipeg forum.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/494762007361618/">Facebook/Solidarity Winnipeg</a></b></td></tr>
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Rightwingers have been very clueless about the grassroots movement that is <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2016/01/what-solidarity-winnipeg-is-all-about.html">Solidarity Winnipeg</a>. Unsubstantiated accusations that the group is "union-backed" or "union funded" are swirled around by conservative tweeters and Facebookers. One Peter Montagnon, for instance, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/340215279387987/photos/a.517623461647167.1073741827.340215279387987/947961325280043/?type=3&comment_id=950503691692473&comment_tracking={%22tn%22%3A%22R3%22}">alleged</a> to an <i>organizer</i> of Solidarity Winnipeg that the group was likely funded by labour unions and after being informed that the group receives no union money said the organizer didn't follow the money. When informed that, actually, the organizer is deeply involved and does know a thing or two about finances, Mr. Montagnon resorted to a bunch of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/340215279387987/photos/a.517623461647167.1073741827.340215279387987/947961325280043/?type=3&comment_id=950611411681701&comment_tracking={%22tn%22%3A%22R%22}">childish taunts</a>. Such is the discourse of rightwing conspiracy theorists.<br />
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Anyone even vaguely familiar with leftwing activism, such as the work of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement">Occupy movement</a>, European anti-austerity movements or various grassroots environmental groups, recognizes a familiar strain in Solidarity Winnipeg. That is the pattern of extremely deliberative and participant driven processes sustained by idealistic individuals outside the conventional party politics system. Some individuals on the left periphery of the Manitoba NDP, <a href="https://twitter.com/SolWinnipeg/status/693520143297699840">like Jim Silver</a>, have gone to Solidarity Winnipeg meetings but by and large it lacks the official party activist and labour officialdom set of NDP conventions. Party outsiders and socially conscious individuals, of a variety of different ages, make up the bulk of Solidarity Winnipeg's membership based on the events I've seen.<br />
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Solidarity Winnipeg uses the divide up into issue-based groups and brainstorm on the topic model at meetings. The participant and member engagement is crucial to the process of Solidarity Winnipeg developing a more detailed profile on the issues. Incidentally, some of the refrains about the lack of quick decision-making that have been<a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/occupy-wall-street-protests-fordham-university-professor-analyzes-movement-321066"> leveled at movements like Occupy Wall Street</a> apply, in a less exaggerated form, to Solidarity Winnipeg. How this will affect their political efficacy coming forward remains to be seen.<br />
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Now with the organizational and ideological basis of Solidarity Winnipeg so plain to see, with organizer Matthew Brett having even penned <a href="https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/building-manitobas-fightback">an article</a> discussing the need for independent left activism in Manitoba before the movement took off, why do the "union command and fund" claims abound?<br />
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The answer seems to lie in the fact that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_authoritarianism">rightwing authoritarians</a> are so utterly entrenched in a hierarchical understanding and ordering of society that they project this onto the left. These rightwing authoritarians think leftwing activists act and see the world the same way as they do, taking marching orders from on high while subserviently and mindlessly following leaders. Recall that Manitoba Forward was funded by high level figures with grievances against the NDP, had an agenda set by a small group of people and then hired staff to carry out an already established agenda.<br />
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The grassroots left just doesn't work that way. It is utterly non-hierarchical and deliberative, arguably to a fault, in political organizing. One can expect to see more of these nonsense claims as rightwing authoritarians continue to fail completely at understanding the other side. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-50751027905427408232016-01-29T10:30:00.000-06:002016-01-29T11:18:23.137-06:00What Solidarity Winnipeg is all about, in the words of their spokesperson<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY65yUgW5YAoj6igxrcr2hzcwF3Zv2MAKpge6udGLZ6wHPWzctEAusADFJNKnOHl3-NcHwAwcbbxQm2Qh94ZNu-npcuWtK9vELxlHsIHY1DPgZBI1KRuIMUWJxTu5RaUpl1eERvDbKho24/s1600/solidarity+winnipeg+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY65yUgW5YAoj6igxrcr2hzcwF3Zv2MAKpge6udGLZ6wHPWzctEAusADFJNKnOHl3-NcHwAwcbbxQm2Qh94ZNu-npcuWtK9vELxlHsIHY1DPgZBI1KRuIMUWJxTu5RaUpl1eERvDbKho24/s1600/solidarity+winnipeg+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Poster advertising a Solidarity Winnipeg forum.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/494762007361618/">Facebook/Solidarity Winnipeg</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<a href="http://www.solidaritywinnipeg.ca/">Solidarity Winnipeg</a> is a grassroots, leftwing movement in our city mobilizing as a force of independent left opposition. Their prime concern is opposing a potential Pallister CON government should one form after the 2016 provincial election. If that does not happen and the NDP is re-elected, they plan on pressuring the party into a more progressive policy direction. Given the history of any large, vaguely leftish group in the province being fairly direct auxiliaries of the provincial NDP this is certainly an interesting turn of events. A fairly independent, growing leftwing movement not shackled by partisan considerations has great potential for injecting balance and perspective into the "NDP vs NDP are evil socialists" politics of our province.<br />
<br />
Centre-right blogger Derick (of <a href="http://aroundthistown.ca/">Around This Town</a> fame) asked if the group was the "<a href="https://twitter.com/infidelatheist/status/691771963396718592">anti-Manitoba Forward</a>". The assessment sounds fair, as Manitoba Forward was a group organized at the elite level by rightwing folks with their own grievances against the Manitoba NDP. Solidarity Winnipeg, on the other hand, is a deliberative, street-level movement critical of all major Manitoba parties that has just nominated a spokesperson in Geoff Bergen. The group seems to be heavily, if not entirely, dependent on volunteers whereas Manitoba Forward was launched into the media as a fully formed organization with paid staff. This truly is an "anti-Manitoba Forward" in terms of both ideology and their approach to political organizing.<br />
<br />
I have emailed Winnipeg Solidarity. They took a bit of time to get back to me - the nascent, grassroots organization had not yet chosen a spokesperson. Once Geoff Bergen was chosen as spokesperson for the organization he agreed to answer some questions I had.<br />
<br />
<b>Bold = My Questions</b><br />
<b> </b><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Blue = Solidarity Winnipeg spokesperson Geoff Bergen's answers </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="im"><b><span style="background-color: white;">1)
What was the main motivation for forming? Was there any core group that
coalesced to form Winnipeg Solidarity and are there ties to earlier
groups?</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="im"><b><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></b></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">The
main motivation for forming Solidarity Winnipeg was to create some sort
of grassroots fight back against the PC's should they form government
after the provincial election. Solidarity Winnipeg aims to attract
people who do not want to see a PC victory but don't want to be involved
in an NDP campaign. Though Solidarity Winnipeg is not campaigning for
the NDP we are hoping for an NDP victory. If that should happen
Solidarity Winnipeg will shift its grassroots campaign to putting
pressure on the provincial NDP to resist austerity and make real
progressive changes for Manitobans. Their was no core group that
coalesced SolWpg and it has no ties to earlier groups. Some members of
SolWpg are members of the NDP, some are not and never will be. Some
members have worked together before and some are meeting for the first
time. Our membership includes, but is not limited to student activists,
environmental activists, anarchists, socialists</span>, <span style="color: blue;">feminists, and trade unionists. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="im"><b>2) What, in particular, makes members of
Winnipeg Solidarity fear that Brian Pallister would implement an
austerity agenda of harsh program cuts? Are there any statements of his
or the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba that are particularly
concerning?</b></span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">The track records of the PC's and
Liberals in other provinces is very telling as to what either of those
party's may do should they win after <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1825877049" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">April 19th</span></span>. </span><span style="color: blue;">We
only need to look at the Manitoba PC's in the 1990's to see how their
party feels about spending on the public service. People shouldn't get
caught up in the nice sounding rhetoric coming from Brain Pallister, he
has already mentioned numerous times how he will cut "waste" in
government. Should the PC's win it is to be expected that they will try
to run the province differently then the NDP. This means things the NDP
left alone, like the Labour Relations Act may be opened and changed by
the PCs. Its extremely likely that if they win they will look at the
books and announce that they have less money then they thought (true or
not) and will institute austerity measures that will effect social
services and workers livelihoods in Manitoba.</span><b></b><br />
<b><br /></b><span class="im"><b>3) Based on social media posts, it seems
Solidarity Winnipeg members are sceptical of Manitoba Liberal Party
Leader Rana Bokhari and the type of administration the Manitoba Liberals
would run. What is your main cause for concern?</b></span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">The
Liberals are in the envious position where they can promise all
kinds of things and never actually have to implement any of them nor
follow through. At this point they seem to be making grab bag promises;
change student loans to grants (good), privatize liquor sales (bad).
Because the Manitoba Liberals are not likely to win this election they
will likely continue to make campaign promises this way, with no way of
being certain of what they will actually follow through on. Again, the
Liberal Party's track record in Ontario also creates some skepticism of
how the Liberals would actually run the province of Manitoba.</span><br />
<b><br /></b><span class="im"><b>4)
Winnipeg Solidarity, based on social media posts, seems to be critical
of the Manitoba Liberal Party's pledges to privatize liquor sales. What
would your main concerns with liquor sale privatization be? </b></span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">By
privatizing liquor sales the government would be giving up revenue
generated by those sales. That loss of revenue would result in more
pressure to cut spending which would hurt Manitoba's social services.
Secondly by privatizing the sale of liquor, good paying unionized jobs
in the retail sector will be lost.</span><br />
<b><br /></b><span class="im"><b>5)
Does Winnipeg Solidarity perceive a role for participating with the
labour movement? If so, could you elaborate on the type of relationship
you would see?</b></span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">We would hope to
be partnering with labour movement, however some parts of the mainstream
labour movement are rather entrenched with the NDP. Some may not like
our critical stance on the party. I personally hope to work with labour
movement as I consider myself a labour activist. I was drawn to
Solidarity Winnipeg as I had become frustrated with the fact that
getting involved with labour initiatives ultimately meant I was going to
campaign for the NDP. Its hard to say what this relationship will look
like, but possibly partnering on pickets or demonstrations to start
while we build a relationship with one another. </span><br />
<b><br /></b><span class="im"><b>6) If the Manitoba PCs win next election, what type of political action - if any - do you see Winnipeg Solidarity partaking in?</b></span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">This
is a great question. What I would like everyone to know about
Solidarity Winnipeg is that the provincial election is just the short
aim of the group. Our long aim is to form a solid group of grassroots
activists to put pressure on which ever government is in power. We did
not form to work for a few months before the election and then
disappear. When we formed the group, the feeling was we couldn't wait
till after the election to build our fightback. We are using the
election period as a time for form our group, get input from different
groups and community's and recruit activists who are in this for the
long haul. I can't speak to what our political action will look like
after the election, I feel that depends on who wins. But what I can say
about our political action is to expect it, regardless of who wins on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1825877050" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">April 19th</span></span>. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span> <br />
<b><br /></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-54009063627944593002015-10-31T10:50:00.000-05:002015-10-31T10:50:00.685-05:00The Next Premier of Manitoba<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m_9DuGG0qbk" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
There hasn't been a Conservative so progressive since, at least, the 18th century. Brian Pallister, of course, displaying the height of compassionate Conservative concern for our children and his will to move Manitoba <i><b>FORWARD!!!!</b></i><br />
<br />
The four or more years of a Pallister Premiership will be fantastic for budding political comedians in the province, which is something in terms of job creation at least.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-35145571994277414232015-10-05T10:30:00.000-05:002015-10-05T23:44:25.720-05:00Guest Post - End the Bureaucracy: UMSU won’t solve our Problems<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><i><b><u>Note</u>: I spoke to a concerned student at the University of Manitoba about current events involving the University of Manitoba Students Union (UMSU) and the administration. They expressed a number of concerns and I, The Analyst, asked if they would be willing to summarize the situation for interested members of the public. They agreed to submit a summary of the problems at hand geared towards University of Manitoba students. Presented below are the thoughts and arguments of the concerned student, not me. They have been edited for the blog format.</b> </i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S-Yhcx5BI27ZlLarH6afwHviCeFhpSMdMxcIpgL2zpSqiyxUVq65oB7zfDFRXB_aIeremhKDvRVkkpiqukdG1hEJBDfmvSjlFv5097zAv3zvS3PPwflz1wwK78yiVR_TcTEvrUYHmmFp/s1600/AdminBuildingUniversityOfManitoba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S-Yhcx5BI27ZlLarH6afwHviCeFhpSMdMxcIpgL2zpSqiyxUVq65oB7zfDFRXB_aIeremhKDvRVkkpiqukdG1hEJBDfmvSjlFv5097zAv3zvS3PPwflz1wwK78yiVR_TcTEvrUYHmmFp/s320/AdminBuildingUniversityOfManitoba.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Is power at the University of Manitoba too centralized<br />with the administration? In today's guest post, a <br />U of M student argues it is.<br /><br /><i>Image Source: </i>University of Manitoba Administration<br />Building, obtained from <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UManitoba_Administration_Building.jpg">Wikipedia</a>.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">We are often told that we are facing a financial crisis at the
University of Manitoba, but what is ignored is that we are facing a political
crisis as well. This crisis is driven by the structure of our university’s
decision making process, and the political actors such as the administration
and UMSU executives. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Bureaucratic structure</span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">The university administration has attacked students. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">The
attack can be most clearly seen in the budget cuts and fee increases that were
passed this May, 2015. Depletion in the quality of our education, cuts to
programs and courses, a loss of services across campus, a drop in community
morale, and, despite University VP Academic <a href="http://umanitoba.ca/admin/vp_academic/about/biography.html">Joanne Keselman</a>’s claim that
increasing tuition makes the university <i>more </i>accessible, an increase in
barriers to accessibility were visible results.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">But the attack on students existed long before the vote on this
year’s budget. The process, or system, that generates these harmful decisions
is the larger problem that plagues <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i>
university as well as many others. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">The process in which the budget is created is incredibly opaque,
as are many other decision making processes on neoliberal campuses. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">The majority of budgetary decisions are made by a tight group of
senior administration and by the Budget Advisory Committee – a small group completely
lacking in transparency that meets throughout the year. These meetings are
closed off to the public, including the university community. No minutes are
published, and any documents dispersed are not allowed to enter the public
domain. What a shame it would be for the university if their proposals could be
properly scrutinized by the great minds of our campus.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Students who begin to question budgetary decisions, <a href="http://www.themanitoban.com/2015/02/pointcounterpoint-budget-cuts/22919/">such as the $3.6 million transfer from the operating budget to the capital budget to pay offthe Welcome Centre</a>, or the plans for developing movie theatres on purchased
golf courses, are directed by the administration to the University’s <a href="http://umanitoba.ca/admin/president/strategic_plan/2294.html">Strategic Planning Framework</a> and <a href="http://umanitoba.ca/admin/president/strategic_plan/index.html">Strategic Plan</a>. But this plan was created without
student consultations that could create any binding decisions. This means that
the consultations with students could only end in recommendations that the
admins were free to ignore. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Once the budget proposals have been created, they are passed on to
the <a href="http://umanitoba.ca/admin/governance/bog/">Board of Governors</a> (BoG) for a rubber stamp of approval. Students, who
comprise the vast majority of the campus community, are given 6 out of 23 seats
- 3 of these seats are given to UMSU who have traditionally given one of these
seats to a <a href="https://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=ssl#q=university%20of%20manitoba%20graduate%20students%20association">University of Manitoba Graduate Students' Association</a> (UMGSA) representative. These board members are only given a single
week to review the proposal before it is voted on, with no alternative offered.
This decision came at a time when many student board members were preparing for
exams. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">The university both keeps us in the dark, and acts as if we are
having our voices heard. They have created a façade of democracy where students
are led to believe that they make decisions that in fact come from a small
group atop the administrative hierarchy. This fake democracy conceals our lack
of power on campus and creates passive tendencies in students.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Bureaucrats</span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO_4bZQ3ehg_ANgRv2VypskduqGzd5hciMDrcgkXyr9opxadkLNy_LTrBwyriOlCXphyIzfam7twE_952ALkJ4JQGsn9xvcGyWxvlx7xip7rc7TmMhnAbnTJaI8f36wcK9jxUW9EhHmRl/s1600/RebeccaKunzman.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO_4bZQ3ehg_ANgRv2VypskduqGzd5hciMDrcgkXyr9opxadkLNy_LTrBwyriOlCXphyIzfam7twE_952ALkJ4JQGsn9xvcGyWxvlx7xip7rc7TmMhnAbnTJaI8f36wcK9jxUW9EhHmRl/s320/RebeccaKunzman.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>University of Manitoba Students Union Vice-President<br />Advocacy Rebecca Kunzman.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/rebeccakunzman">Rebecca Kunzman/Twitter</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">A question that is surely on the minds of many students is what
the two UMSU representative’s positions were on the budget that was passed. The
purpose of a union is to advocate for better and just conditions for its
members. The last public stance made by UMSU’s executives seemed to reflect
this when they claimed they were against budget cuts in <a href="http://www.themanitoban.com/2014/12/letter-editor-umsus-position-cuts/21894/">a letter published by
the Manitoban on December 4</a></span><a href="http://www.themanitoban.com/2014/12/letter-editor-umsus-position-cuts/21894/"><sup><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 6.5pt;">th</span></sup></a><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.themanitoban.com/2014/12/letter-editor-umsus-position-cuts/21894/">, 2014</a>.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">But the phrase “action speaks louder than words” comes to mind, as
UMSU VP of Advocacy <a href="https://twitter.com/rebeccakunzman">Rebecca Kunzman</a> refused to stand in opposition to the cuts
and international fee increases, abstaining from voting while offering no
amendments to the budget proposal. UMSU President Jeremiah Kopp voted in favour
of the proposed cuts and international fee hikes, with no objection or
amendments to the budget.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Our executives are failing us. On Friday, May 15</span><sup><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 6.5pt;">th</span></sup><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">,
students from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/UMSAN/">Student Action Network</a> (SAN) met with voting student members
of the BoG in an attempt to have them vote in opposition to the budget
proposals. Despite our efforts, despite the outcry and activism of the
international community, and the hundreds of students who participated in the
rallies and marches of last year, it was evident that Kopp had already made his
mind to vote in favour. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">It is has been said time and time again by student bureaucrats
that “process is process”. But this reinforcement of the bureaucratic structure
allows the administration to avoid responsibility for the dire situation it has
created. It allows them to continue with the façade of democracy, pushing the
blame onto the broader community who is not at fault and is ultimately
powerless. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Our UMSU executives have confused the end goals of unions with the
means of attaining those goals. While good relations between our union and the
administration can perhaps streamline the procedure of advocating for students,
these relations must never be prioritized above the condition of students
themselves. Better conditions for students must be the goal. Their confusion is
manifested in their support of the budget, and their refusal to oppose
administration. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3HIePb7mUbmTb9YWHzJCeCz6obDz4FwPwySTNj69gK5JCjuXKm5uPFQmBL3L2gduUasyQwmi3vdw8BN0nJIjYoBqqMjpV-rxiafqaFr7cx0XYDoIL-6zGKaHvnM2OwNBJkYwg77eMPmT/s1600/JeremiahKopp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3HIePb7mUbmTb9YWHzJCeCz6obDz4FwPwySTNj69gK5JCjuXKm5uPFQmBL3L2gduUasyQwmi3vdw8BN0nJIjYoBqqMjpV-rxiafqaFr7cx0XYDoIL-6zGKaHvnM2OwNBJkYwg77eMPmT/s320/JeremiahKopp.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>University of Manitoba Students Union President<br />Jeremiah Kopp.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremiahKopp">Jeremiah Kopp/Twitter</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Where do we go from here? Our first step is to recognize that
budget allocations are political choices, as are tuition increases. The austere
conditions facing the community today are a result of the choices made at the
hands of an administration. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">Until UMSU takes issue with the processes it participates in, they
can do little to solve our problems. It is not enough to ask them, or the
administration, to make different choices on our behalf. The bureaucrats and
their choices are a problem, but the problem also lies with the bureaucratic
structure. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">If the administration were to become reasonable before the next
round of cuts, they would still be able to make terrible decisions on our
behalf in the future. Instead, we must be able to make the choices ourselves.
The university is a diverse and public intellectual centre that deserves a
proper democratic process. The recently revived <a href="http://www.mofa-fapum.mb.ca/">Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations</a> (MOFA) has begun to make headway
towards a participatory budget for the University of Manitoba as well as the University of Winnipeg. No doubt
this is a step in the right direction, and one we must push the administration
to adopt. Hope that we may progress towards a democracy – one that listens to
domestic and international students, workers, and faculty – is inspiring. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">But our efforts must not end there. Problems such as quotas,
differential GPAs, and an increasingly privatized campus cannot all be fought
for, or even discussed, within the scope of a budget. We must democratize other
aspects of campus as well.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter (even though he didn't write this post).</b></i></span></b></span> </span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-28456279397699351992015-08-20T10:00:00.000-05:002015-08-20T10:00:02.286-05:00Wingnut sickos carpet bomb Winnipeg with disgusting flyers<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGrnrVRg6ycRuw_jlq6Ml5dw2g_hoqlG9LJQuS8Ga-nZL27_WPuJzRI1bakVCBwyozKsDpTKitsx5dvu6nThmmCjWQY9BNtsZvhrTu1aUnYYJzCecid00PkcBZVlOtaGb2hnzjNjggB6j/s1600/gory-imagery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGrnrVRg6ycRuw_jlq6Ml5dw2g_hoqlG9LJQuS8Ga-nZL27_WPuJzRI1bakVCBwyozKsDpTKitsx5dvu6nThmmCjWQY9BNtsZvhrTu1aUnYYJzCecid00PkcBZVlOtaGb2hnzjNjggB6j/s320/gory-imagery.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Image Source: <a href="http://wonkette.com/587540/alabama-pro-lifers-want-abortion-clinic-closed-to-protect-kids-from-alabama-pro-lifers">Wonkette</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A group of <a href="https://unrepentantoldhippie.wordpress.com/category/fetus-fetishists/">Fetus Fetishists</a> with an infamous history is at it again. The group, billing itself the "Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform", took to<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/anti-abortion-flyers-mailed-to-winnipeg-homes-shock-some-1.3180871"> sending out flyers</a> throughout Winnipeg with disgusting images of fetuses in early August.<br />
<br />
10,000 of these flyers were sent to Winnipeg through Canada Post mail delivery. Deceptively labelled "important election information", at least <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/anti-abortion-flyers-mailed-to-winnipeg-homes-shock-some-1.3180871">one Winnipegger</a> opened it up - expecting information on where to vote - only to be taken aback by the disgusting shock value of the flyer photos.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="348" src="http://www.cbc.ca/i/caffeine/syndicate/?mediaId=2673157610" width="620"></iframe>
<br />
But mass mailings weren't the only way these sicko flyers were distributed throughout our great city.A local group strongly opposed to reproductive choice, Winnipeg Against Abortion, decided to hand deliver 6,000 flyers to homes across the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipeg_South_Centre">Winnipeg South Centre</a> riding. This riding was one where the Conservative candidate, Joyce Bateman, <i>very narrowly </i>won over her nearest competitor and the flyers were in response to Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau's new party line on reproductive choice.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eY3PAQhoqcF7-o0tHN5uPU1jpY1PiekXhRUytwmR078WYmx_coK3Qie8IfMwEFNKz_plpkeZq1qslqVhyphenhyphenAeiPSfdRYFjKYXO2KGhggFPKI2NQIFmFsmER9hyd9tHpvwf6qIRJA0n9FiX/s1600/Grandfathered.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eY3PAQhoqcF7-o0tHN5uPU1jpY1PiekXhRUytwmR078WYmx_coK3Qie8IfMwEFNKz_plpkeZq1qslqVhyphenhyphenAeiPSfdRYFjKYXO2KGhggFPKI2NQIFmFsmER9hyd9tHpvwf6qIRJA0n9FiX/s400/Grandfathered.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Liberal Party of Canada's new stance on abortion, laid out<br />by Federal NDP Associate Media Director </b><br />
<b><span class="st">Marc-Andre Viau.<br /><br /><i>Image Source:</i> <a href="https://twitter.com/maviau/status/576473853255372800">Twitter/</a></span><a href="https://twitter.com/maviau/status/576473853255372800"><span class="st">Marc-Andre Viau </span></a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Third Party Leader declaring that<i> <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/trudeau-s-mandatory-pro-choice-stance-doesn-t-faze-winnipeg-mp-1.2636714">new </a></i><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/trudeau-s-mandatory-pro-choice-stance-doesn-t-faze-winnipeg-mp-1.2636714">Liberal MPs</a> could not be forced birth advocates apparently drove these wingnuts more insane. The fact that this leaves many Liberal MPs, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipeg_North">Winnipeg North</a>'s Kevin Lamoureux, free to vote and advocate for anti-choice laws was a nuance that appears to be beyond the grasp of the mass mailers.<br />
<br />
Cara Ginter, of the anti-choice group Winnipeg Against Abortion, had some comical rationales for the shock mail:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<div id="yui_3_11_0_1_1440058120664_29">
"We're just volunteers that, you know, we support the project," said Cara Ginter of Winnipeg Against Abortion.</div>
<div id="yui_3_11_0_1_1440058120664_29">
<br /></div>
"As long as people are getting the messages, as long as people are
seeing the images and learning the truth, I really don't care who thinks
put it on."<br />
<br />
("<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/anti-abortion-flyers-mailed-to-winnipeg-homes-shock-some-1.3180871">Anti-abortion flyers mailed to Winnipeg homes shock some</a>". <i>CBC News</i>. August 5, 2015)</blockquote>
<br />
The thinking here is that people will see these pictures, be shocked at how disgusting they are and thereby conclude the truth of the matter is that abortion is bad. Unfortunately for Ginter, most Canadians are smarter than that. Most Canadians believe that just because something looks shocking doesn't mean it should be illegal. A "bioethical reform" group sending out gross pictures of open heart surgery would fail to convince the public to ban it.<br />
<br />
This is not the first time Cara Ginter has engaged in shock antics to push a forced birth agenda, however. Back in 2013 she was a University of Manitoba student with the<a href="http://www.themanitoban.com/2013/09/abortion-debate-at-u-of-m/16803/"> U of M Students for a Culture of Life</a> - a group that put up placards comparing abortion to the holocaust.<br />
<br />
These signs were, of course, designed by the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR) mentioned at the start of this post. The CCBR is a group with a well known history of using shock antics against reproductive choice on Canadian campuses. These tactics frequently amount to <a href="https://briarpatchmagazine.com/articles/view/freedom-of-hate-speech">implicitly comparing women getting abortions to Nazis</a>. The CCBR has even <a href="http://www.macleans.ca/education/uniandcollege/graphic-anti-abortion-displays-have-no-place-outside-high-schools/">stooped to having graphic displays outside of high schools</a>.<br />
<br />
Regardless of whether these sicko wingnut tactics work on teens for adults they're backfiring. Conservative voting Winnipegger Dorian Fontaine was disgusted by graphic images sent to him in an envelop that looked like it would have voter information in it. Furthermore, it failed to convince him that he has to right to dictate over women's bodies.<br />
<br />
Winnipeggers are much wiser than this bullshit.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-84189661972538054292015-07-27T10:30:00.000-05:002015-07-27T14:25:44.689-05:00Quack remedies, economic blood letting & smears from Manitoba Forward director<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHl4tsmY-1APLk3O1dyOaRS6SBQqUMNaL-53skb2j9jyFctfyvwO0azp6pNKNxDpRzL1zayzQwThyphenhyphenu7i8iVuJeadc1mPK_hLpOah2KQ5EmsAPQgMMhJKwcuno5ew9MYkuLHE1VYlUZ_M4/s1600/GreekChildrenAusterity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHl4tsmY-1APLk3O1dyOaRS6SBQqUMNaL-53skb2j9jyFctfyvwO0azp6pNKNxDpRzL1zayzQwThyphenhyphenu7i8iVuJeadc1mPK_hLpOah2KQ5EmsAPQgMMhJKwcuno5ew9MYkuLHE1VYlUZ_M4/s320/GreekChildrenAusterity.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvQNXYJjQoRyDShcCYWX-HelXfveFtINJsAOY_A32u6BxbeNryTQmR4NDE1hZqeZNoVyWlRi9Wj1j-4e1oCHT82k8Uc-qIy62NAT6s7f7RQu0Ga8Z8fg8HQ6brSfXJHs-hf3PtY_P2OD2/s1600/DaveShorr.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvQNXYJjQoRyDShcCYWX-HelXfveFtINJsAOY_A32u6BxbeNryTQmR4NDE1hZqeZNoVyWlRi9Wj1j-4e1oCHT82k8Uc-qIy62NAT6s7f7RQu0Ga8Z8fg8HQ6brSfXJHs-hf3PtY_P2OD2/s320/DaveShorr.png" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Top: <a href="http://en.protothema.gr/unicef-report-greek-children-hardest-hit-by-child-poverty/">2.6 million more Greek children</a> entered<br />poverty following the recession, according<br />to 2014 Unicef report. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Bottom: Dave Shorr full of suggestions<br />for helping Greek kids.<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="http://en.protothema.gr/unicef-report-greek-children-hardest-hit-by-child-poverty/">themanews.com</a> (top)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Image Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/daveshorr">Dave Shorr</a> (bottom)</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dave Shorr is best known for his stint as communications assistant to the Manitoba Liberals' ex-leader Jon Gerrard. In that role Shorr honorably served, taking a <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/martin/Gerrards-spin-doctor-blows-smoke-114311929.html">clearly anti-smoking line</a> from Manitoba NDP MLA Jennifer Howard and twisting it into "seemingly endorsing smoking as a family tradition".<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="combx">
<i>Here’s what Shorr wrote to me, with selected — and selective — quotes from Hansard:</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="combx">
<i> Shorr: A day
after Nancy Allan sent her deputy minister to a high school in
Steinbach, to close a shack for teenaged smokers, Jennifer Howard is
reminded of her comments from a house debate in 2008 seemingly endorsing
smoking as a family tradition.</i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i>[...]</i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i> Shorr again: Howard’s views are at odds with Allan’s
efforts (to) reduce teen smoking in Manitoba high schools. Since the NDP
have taken power, Manitoba has the highest rates in Canada for teen
smoking.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i> Shorr: Perhaps
most shocking of all is that she seems to be remiss that young adults
will never get to experience smoking in bars.</i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i>[...]</i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i><br /></i></div>
<i><b> Mr. Shorr, do you think me such an idiot that I would print this without reading Hansard and putting this in context? [emphasis added]</b></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>[...]</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="combx">
<i>Let’s see what else Howard had to say in that debate,
this time after reading her entire speech. I haven’t quoted it all here,
I’ve been selective too. You can read <a href="http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/hansard/2nd-39th/vol_40a/h40a.html">the whole thing</a> here.</i> </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="combx">
<i></i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i> Howard, on May
13, 2008: "I would like to talk for a moment about some of the things
that we have done and how I think those things have been successful.
Certainly, one of those is the ban on smoking in public places. I think
it’s hard to overestimate what a tremendous change in culture that has
been.</i> </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="combx">
<i></i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i> "When I speak
now to friends of mine who have kids who are turning 18 and starting to
go out to bars for the first time, it strikes me that this generation
will never know a smoke-filled bar; that will never be part of their
experience. I think that is a tremendously positive change in the
culture."</i> </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="combx">
<i></i></div>
<div class="combx">
<i> Oh, that’s a little different, isn’t it?</i> </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="combx">
"<a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/martin/Gerrards-spin-doctor-blows-smoke-114311929.html">Gerrard's spin doctor blows smoke</a>" Nick Martin, <i>Winnipeg Free Press </i>(January 20, 2011) </div>
</blockquote>
<br />
The former Liberal staffer went on to greater things, such as <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-policy-group-springs-forward-onto-political-landscape-1.2934073">executive directorship of the rightwing lobby group Manitoba Forward</a>. As director Shorr stated Manitoba Forward would bring forth "<a href="http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/1271213/new-political-group-blasts-ndp-in-online-video-campaign/">smart policy solutions</a>". A big part of "smart policy solutions" for the lobby group is enacting stark, hard right economic reforms. So the gentleman and scholar that is Mr. Shorr must have much to say about one of the most high stakes economic case studies in the news: the Greek Crisis.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
What learned opinions does economic sage Dave Shorr have? Does he have a solution to the intractable political stalemate or an innovative package of economic reforms to end human misery in Greece. <br />
<br />
Well, not really.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvjAq4yXP4no7sCbZKMxA6cy3PaDo2z3bx7MUGRGLUmNJilh1fvUUAkLt2_hq22F4HGHRkdAAitf8j5JVg84Av89JyxzQ993BGlKtx3lY4WO4tCpQ_JNH_crmSvRx0E-a9FtXirLjXgA3/s1600/JuxtaPoseDaveShorr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvjAq4yXP4no7sCbZKMxA6cy3PaDo2z3bx7MUGRGLUmNJilh1fvUUAkLt2_hq22F4HGHRkdAAitf8j5JVg84Av89JyxzQ993BGlKtx3lY4WO4tCpQ_JNH_crmSvRx0E-a9FtXirLjXgA3/s640/JuxtaPoseDaveShorr.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dave Shorr attacks Greek speaking MLA Steve Ashton for daring to side with the Greek<br />people in their vote choice to reject austerity measures (left), while IMF notes that<br />austerity won't solve the Greek debt crisis (right). </b><br />
<br />
<b>Image Sources: <a href="https://twitter.com/daveshorr/status/617803135914938368">Twitter/Dave Shorr</a> (left) and Twitter (right) </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It looks like his main takeaway from the economic crisis in Greece was that it represented an opportunity to smear a Manitoba NDP politician ... which Shorr has an impressive track record of. As a matter of fact, smearing the Manitoba NDP seems to be a <a href="http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/1271213/new-political-group-blasts-ndp-in-online-video-campaign/">major reason</a> for Manitoba Forward's existence.<br />
<br />
But let's take a step back and look at just what Dave is saying. Celebrating the no victory in the Greek referendum, the rejection of a <b><i>particular set of austerity policies</i></b>, is celebrating Greece defaulting on it's debts?! That is a weird reading of the situation, especially since several or so days after these tweets it became apparent that a different (and harsher) <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/violent-protests-greece-accepts-austerity-bailout-what-next-n393021">austerity package</a> was in store following Greek-EU renegotiations.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, what Dave Shorr's bizarre trolling seems to imply is that Nobel Prize winning economists like <a href="http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/05/austerity-arithmetic/?_r=0">Paul Krugman</a> and <a href="http://time.com/3939621/stiglitz-greece/">Joseph Stiglitz</a>, who also opposed the austerity package, are "proud of Greeks for defaulting on debt".<br />
<br />
Dave Shorr, incidentally, had harsh words for Nobel Laurette Krugman and his "anti-austerity absolutism"<br />
.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTriLLRWj6s1IlJggZ49cTn_XIKqLK676CBcXxF4f6_iSGFGQ0xdMWEKB9zw3kj9m9a1Qm4p_CRHtdDWqjLOpe3zXVa8bqoRN-eGd272vHP1NWZsETYLE0EZDP_dnwa8UZzhx9RwovSbw/s1600/DaveShorrOnGreece1.bmp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTriLLRWj6s1IlJggZ49cTn_XIKqLK676CBcXxF4f6_iSGFGQ0xdMWEKB9zw3kj9m9a1Qm4p_CRHtdDWqjLOpe3zXVa8bqoRN-eGd272vHP1NWZsETYLE0EZDP_dnwa8UZzhx9RwovSbw/s400/DaveShorrOnGreece1.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha34e_CwehH9UW0V6Q87ehyphenhyphenofr_5EP_PGUGUIyxgm_mUhiqz7NbtD2Tf1G3twvxcIh6jQcHawBOl191gIvIZB22OowcMH_1T8qNl5Fkgmsg5_V0VGyWQlvnceS29WRIji7FuCj_ceRNpnT/s1600/DaveShorrOnGreece2.bmp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha34e_CwehH9UW0V6Q87ehyphenhyphenofr_5EP_PGUGUIyxgm_mUhiqz7NbtD2Tf1G3twvxcIh6jQcHawBOl191gIvIZB22OowcMH_1T8qNl5Fkgmsg5_V0VGyWQlvnceS29WRIji7FuCj_ceRNpnT/s400/DaveShorrOnGreece2.bmp" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Dave Shorr discussion his disregard for Nobel Prize winning economist<br />Paul Krugman's thoughts on crisis in Greece.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Image Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/daveshorr/status/617839492850802689">Twitter/Dave Shorr/Stephen Gordon</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Now, it should be clear that Paul Krugman knows there's a time and place for austerity and that that time and place is <b><i>not</i></b> during severe downturns.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><br /></i>
<i>“The boom, not the slump, is the right time for austerity at the Treasury.” So declared John Maynard Keynes in 1937, even as F.D.R. was about to prove him right by trying to balance the budget too soon, sending the United States economy — which had been steadily recovering up to that point — into a severe recession. Slashing government spending in a depressed economy depresses the economy further; austerity should wait until a strong recovery is well under way.</i><br />
<br />
"<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/30/opinion/keynes-was-right.html">Keynes Was Right</a>". Paul Krugman. <i>New York Times </i>(December 29, 2011)</blockquote>
And ... <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Some readers ask whether Keynes believed that the government should
always run deficits — and whether I believe that too. The answer is no
on both counts.</i><br />
<br />
<i>[..]</i><br />
<br />
<i> If you go back to the debate over the Bush tax cuts back in 2001, Bush
and Greenspan were saying that we needed to reduce revenue to get rid of
the surplus; I was furiously opposed to that view, and wanted to
maintain a surplus as long as times were good.</i><br />
<br />
<i>[...]</i><br />
<br />
<i>So if you’re a serious Keynesian, you’re for maintaining and even
increasing spending when the economy is depressed, even though revenue
has plunged; but you’re for fiscal restraint when the economy is
booming, even though revenue has increased. </i><br />
<br />
(<a href="http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/hard-keynesianism/">Hard Keynesianism</a>. Paul Krugman. <i>New York Times: The Conscience of a Liberal</i> (May 2, 2011)<i> </i></blockquote>
<br />
So Dave Shorr is clueless on the views of a major economist and yet feels entitled to spew out his opinion on the matter. I wonder what other matters Shorr will give ill informed opinions on. Perhaps Manitoba economic policy? <br />
<br />
It cannot be understated how resoundingly expert consensus is against the sham remedy of austerity for Greece. The <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/30/greek-debt-troika-analysis-says-significant-concessions-still-needed">International Monetary Fund</a>'s <b><i>own research division</i></b> notes how fool-hearty, counterproductive, job killing and growth destroying austerity against Greece is. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/02/greece-austerity-economists_n_7714148.html">Major economists</a> predict austerity will shrink the Greek economy and increase its debt burden. The main folks who seem to actually think austerity policies will do any good is an <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e257ed96-6b2c-11e4-be68-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3h4pkQ5Pm">out to lunch</a>, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2015/05/20/steve-keens-interesting-view-of-the-greek-debt-crisis/">ordo-monetarist intellectual cult</a> in Germany.<br />
<br />
So Dave Shorr has waded into the Greek crisis and seems partial to insane, growth killing and job killing policies. He's also clueless about a major economists view and seems partial to the hard right, economic blood letting that is spending cuts in a deep recession.<br />
<br />
One wonders if the brain trust of Manitoba Forward will conclude that cutting and cutting and cutting, even in deeply recessionary periods and even to highly stimulative spending, is an effective way to reduce debt burdens. If the brain trust shares what appear to be the esteemed Mr. Shorr's views, provincial policymakers pay heed to these views and a deep recession hits Canada, Manitoba workers are in for a world of hurt.<br />
<br />
Listening to these economic quacks is not worth the risk.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b> </b></i></span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-20160393185665649862015-05-19T21:37:00.000-05:002015-05-19T22:04:10.357-05:00Go Vote 2015<u><b>Note:</b></u> <i><b>Sorry about missing last Tuesday. I find a post out each Tuesday is a lot easier said than done. I'll try to keep the self-imposed deadline for future weeks as best as practicable.</b></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8MLFdTFTUt90zO-YAkifY0Oy2LEufXpm09tC988RxdztNMfeSOLIWpszi6yXIdpGeVr3L7BP7WMPq1HnHL3fnfA607QRqVZvxKpJ2wlT-rE5oN2vx6jGPd5QR1x0cdJPzZ9sXYijbg1G/s1600/GoVote2015.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8MLFdTFTUt90zO-YAkifY0Oy2LEufXpm09tC988RxdztNMfeSOLIWpszi6yXIdpGeVr3L7BP7WMPq1HnHL3fnfA607QRqVZvxKpJ2wlT-rE5oN2vx6jGPd5QR1x0cdJPzZ9sXYijbg1G/s320/GoVote2015.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Image Source:</b></i><b> <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveAshtonMB/status/598290477775917056">Twitter/Steve Ashton</a></b></td></tr>
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At the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Indian-Metis-Friendship-Centre-of-Winnipeg-IMFC/626710274019206">Indian and Metis Friendship Centre</a> on May 12, 2015 a Public Forum on Democracy was held in Winnipeg's working class <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_End,_Winnipeg">North End</a>. The forum<b> </b>speakers highlighted the excesses of the Harper MisGovernment and how to fight it. Central to their message was the importance of voting.<br />
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The forum was organized by the <a href="http://canadians.org/event/winnipeg-public-forum-state-our-democracy">Council of Canadians</a> and the <a href="http://cupe.ca/">Canadian Union of Public Employees</a> (CUPE). Winnipeg born and raised activist Brigette DePape, of "<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2011/06/evan-solomon-ron-burgundy-of-canadian.html">rebel page</a>" fame or infamy (depending on your circle) moderated the forum.<br />
<br />
The overarching message was that voting matters and that groups of people need to be mobilized to vote, particularly low voting groups such as the youth, the indigenous and those with low incomes. This is a belief I have long held, noting the <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2014/01/2011-lecture-attack-ads-nonvoters.html">low voting of indigenous peoples in Canadian elections</a> and how social inequality affected the <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2014/10/the-great-divide-in-voting.html">municipal election</a> here. In short, when social inequality maps onto voter turnout inequality you get the underprivileged underrepresented.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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This presents an enormous challenge for advancing an agenda of economic justice as those with the most stake in it and who are most familiar with a structural lack of opportunity are the least likely to vote. Economic privilege can blinker even the most compassionate middle and upper income voters.<br />
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Low turnout particularly serves the Right in this country. Harper's Conservatives consistently has a lock on around a third of (the presently existing) electorate. South of the 49th parallel American wingnuts have long realized the importance of low voter turnout to their fortunes, with Christian conservative Paul Weyrich noting how the <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/05/1156061/-Paul-Weyrich-wanted-fewer-people-to-vote-for-a-simple-reason-When-more-do-Republicans-lose#">religious Right's leverage goes down as turnout increases</a>. So does thee Harper CONs'. A wave of<a href="https://www.aclu.org/map/battle-protect-ballot-voter-suppression-measures-passed-2013"> voter suppression laws</a> passed in the United States. In Canada the Harper MisGovernment has pushed through the utterly unfair "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/05/13/fair-elections-act-bill-c-23-passes_n_5319184.html">Fair Elections Act</a>", a bill that will go a long way to furthering the cause of voter suppression in Canada. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pN7IB-d7Hfw" width="420"></iframe>
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With that said, get out the vote campaigns by activist groups are utterly important. A successful voter mobilization drive could not only halt the Harper MisGovernment's agenda but also radically alter the shape of party competition. With a greater share of the working poor voting, for instance, future governments may think twice before instituting slash and burn fiscal policies or<a href="https://www.change.org/p/conservatives-and-liberals-hands-off-the-employment-insurance-fund"> raiding the EI fund</a>.<br />
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It is with intense interest informed by these realities that I listened to many of the panelists speak on the state of Canadian democracy and the upcoming election. Voter ID clinics, of course, were one of the positive developments noted. <br />
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The videos below courtesy of <a href="http://paulsgraham.ca/">Paul Graham</a>. <br />
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<b>Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow</b><br />
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On Shoal Lake and the third world conditions of the community that supplies Winnipeg it's water.
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5zXU9MFYGsI" width="560"></iframe>
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A sobering list the Harper MisGovernment's "accomplishments".<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pfFhZKLiTAU" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><a href="https://twitter.com/wpgindigvote">Indigenous Rock the Vote</a> Co-organizer Sylvia Boudreau</b><br />
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On the disenfranchisement of First Nations and efforts to get out the indigenous vote.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/13D4oCEAD1g" width="560"></iframe>
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<b>Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) National President Paul Moist</b><br />
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On the state of workers' right and strategic voting.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wbTPe7k2elY" width="560"></iframe>
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Here, I see some flaws in Moist's rhetoric. So Liberals have historically used pleas for strategic voting among centre-left progressives as a reason to vote for them and ... what? It's surprising that a party would hypocritically advocate for something only when it helps them?<br />
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The real question is <i><b>what should</b></i> <i><b>progressive Canadians do</b></i>, not whether or not politicians and their spin-masters are hypocrites (they are). Paul uses flowery rhetoric to urge Canadians to vote for "what they believe in" and not "what they fear". But fear of bad policies is a more than <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/07/in-defence-of-issue-based-negative.html">legitimate reason for voting</a> in democracy and all voting, to some extent, is strategic to the point that no politician perfectly matches your vision for society. Strategic voting is a question of the <i><b>degree</b></i> of deviation from your political ideals you'd be willing to live with, not <i><b>if</b></i> you could tolerate it at all.<br />
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Given the Trudeau Jr Liberal stances on pipelines and Bill C-51 their party is <i><b>waaayyyyy</b></i> too far from my beliefs for me to vote for them. That doesn't mean I wouldn't consider voting for a different from the NDP and more progressive than the Liberals party or an independent candidate if they had a better shot at unseating the Tory in my riding.<br />
<br />
In Moist's account of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_general_election,_2015">2015 election in Alberta</a> it sound as if, driven by a singular <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_will">general will, </a>Albertans voted "with their conscience" to wholeheartedly endorse Rachel Notley and the NDP. A reality-based study of the actual election, however, would likely conclude that many red Liberals and even red Tories jumped ship and voted "strategically" (strangely opposed to "with conscience") when they realized the NDP was rising and the PCs were swinging right as Wildrose rose in countryside.<br />
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Those "millions who voted for change", in short, included more than a few who voted "strategically". <br />
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<b>Full video of the forum speeches</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LnXkRZ0eZJo" width="560"></iframe>
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<br />
Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair (<a href="http://umanitoba.ca/centres/ccwoc/artists_affiliates/Sinclair.html">University of Manitoba professor</a>) and Diwa Marcelino (coordinator with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MigranteManitoba">Migrante Manitoba</a>) also spoke. Sinclair discussed the meaning of treaty and Marcelino discussed the abuses precariously employed temporary foreign workers can face from employers. <br />
<b> </b> <b> </b><br />
In response to a question on proportional representation, Paul Moist issued another statement I utterly disagree with. Because Europe has experienced a surge in hard right and xenophobic parties that somehow means that proportional representation sucks. More likely, the radical economic restructuring and just beneath the surface, hardline racist attitudes in Europe deserve more blame.<br />
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The manufactured majorities First Past the Post gives haven't been that great for progressives. Just look at the Chretien-Martin Liberal assault on social welfare or the Harper MisGovernment's all out war on public workers, scientists and civil society. <br />
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With those disagreements with Paul Moist aired, the forum was still very interesting and engaging. Hopefully get out the vote drives succeed at changing the shape of this election and future elections in a progressive direction.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-90413952830095424502015-05-05T22:32:00.001-05:002015-05-05T22:48:38.984-05:00Clear danger of Energy East to Winnipeg<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaxyFJhjWE6knePkNpmQRu-lELGdb79bnWpN4AXbJgPJI83_MNOHdrNrwrvRcFXptMi_en6oBcFVkClq2oJWpLh5TF06AW2Fh_GNqi70WTJdGT9R92Z6caLVBEq7gN7ilCn03-nSJnoqe/s1600/Energy+East.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaxyFJhjWE6knePkNpmQRu-lELGdb79bnWpN4AXbJgPJI83_MNOHdrNrwrvRcFXptMi_en6oBcFVkClq2oJWpLh5TF06AW2Fh_GNqi70WTJdGT9R92Z6caLVBEq7gN7ilCn03-nSJnoqe/s1600/Energy+East.png" height="640" width="387" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Image Source</i>: <a href="http://environmentaldefence.ca/energy-east-poster">Environmental Defence Canada</a></b></td></tr>
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<br />
In mid April I went to a panel talk organized by the <a href="http://www.canadianswinnipeg.org/">Council of Canadians</a> and the <a href="http://noenergyeastmb.org/">Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition</a> on the proposed energy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_East">East Pipeline</a>. In a talk featuring strong indigenous perspectives and highlighting the the clear and present danger of Energy East to livelihoods and our City's water supply. A discussion of another pipeline - the Keystone XL - and its opposition in Nebraska was supplied by a rancher from the state.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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Primer on the Energy East, courtesy of the Council of Canadians.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZfCWlTBLDJE" width="560"></iframe>
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<br />
Full panel, courtesy of <a href="http://paulsgraham.ca/">Paul Graham</a>. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nv9ssNNpIyQ" width="560"></iframe>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-15136093432414946402015-04-28T21:22:00.002-05:002015-04-29T00:42:45.915-05:00Hilariously ironic Harpocrisy from 2013<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr align="justify"><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><a href="http://www.thespec.com/news/canada/article/575962--harper-may-not-be-the-toast-of-brazil"></a> <span id="goog_263017409"></span><span id="goog_263017410"></span> </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdXDjeHmkKazzSj6jNG5crQKnOcF-32fORsEXJP_8Zfhi-tRrje9eg5D6jis0ZZWQ4L3n7ZVv8xcijzaXdjS5sVN0BkRBFsWU9UXNjxMqLYTPBbX1P6Mg7j6qEbvKb5DV48Dfgs1KVOoB/s1600/OurPM.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdXDjeHmkKazzSj6jNG5crQKnOcF-32fORsEXJP_8Zfhi-tRrje9eg5D6jis0ZZWQ4L3n7ZVv8xcijzaXdjS5sVN0BkRBFsWU9UXNjxMqLYTPBbX1P6Mg7j6qEbvKb5DV48Dfgs1KVOoB/s1600/OurPM.bmp" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Image Source: </b></i><a href="http://www.thespec.com/news-story/2213882-harper-may-not-be-the-toast-of-brazil/"><b>The Hamilton Spectator</b></a></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><i><b>Note:</b></i></u><i><b> Late in the day, but part of a new commitment to have a new post out every Tuesday.</b></i> </div>
<br />
Amid the height of the first wave of the <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2013/05/grilling-squirmin-pm.html">Senate Scandal</a> in 2013 Stephen Harper took to the Conservative Party <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/stephen-harper-speech-to-conservatives-hits-at-embattled-senators-justin-trudeau-and-elites">faithful to bash "elites"</a>. In a speech dripping with hypocrisy Stephen Harper wagged his finger at the Supreme Court of Canada and Federal Liberals for his<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2013/10/senscam2013-heats-up.html"> inability to get his <i><b>own Senators</b></i></a> to clean up the joint. <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Prime Minister Stephen Harper struck out against a trio of defiant
senators, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and the “elites” who have tried
to stand in his way, in a sharply worded campaign-style speech Friday to
the party’s rank-and-file.<br />
<br />
[...]<br />
<br />
He blamed the courts for standing in the way of Senate reform. <br />
[...]<br />
<br />
“In private life, you would be fired for doing anything ressembling
this…and Liberal senators continue to block action.”<br />
<br />
("<a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/stephen-harper-speech-to-conservatives-hits-at-embattled-senators-justin-trudeau-and-elites">Stephen Harper speech to Conservatives hits at embattled senators, Justin Trudeau and 'elites'</a>". <i>Canadian Press. </i>Nov 1, 2013)</blockquote>
The hypocrisy and buck passing is rife in Stephen's screed. At the start of January 2013, well before the Prime Minister's rant, the Senate had both a Conservative Majority <a href="http://blogs.canoe.com/davidakin/politics/by-the-numbers-the-harper-conservative-majority-in-the-senate/"><i><b>and a majority of Harper appointees</b></i></a>.<br />
<br />
The Harper CONs <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/07/stephen-harper-not-leader.html">mercilessly bashed Stephane Dion</a> for his supposed inability to get "his own Liberal Senators" to pass Senate Reforms. Dion, by the way, had appointed <b>ZERO</b> of those senators and was portrayed as a weak leader with weak party discipline because of this.<br />
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Harper, however, received clear <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/tory-tactics-on-senate-reforms-may-be-shifting-says-senator">push back</a> from his OWN Senators in mid 2012 when it came to his Senate Reform agenda.Weak party discipline would be bad enough for our Prime Minister given his attacks on Dion, but it turns out he also had weak judgement, too. This is so as some of the worst offenders in the Senate Expense Scandal - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Duffy">Duffy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Wallin">Wallin</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Brazeau">Brazeau</a> - were <i><b>appointed by him</b></i>. <i><b> </b></i><br />
<br />
But the dark comedy of Harper's 2013 screed to the Party Faithful doesn't end with Senatorial hypocrisy.<i><b> </b></i>Our Prime Minister was also self-congratulatory about Canada's economy.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He touched on some of the same themes that were in the recent throne
speech, suggesting the Conservatives are the only party capable of
capitalizing on the country’s many assets.<br />
<br />
<br />
“In a world that is struggling, Canada is rising, being steadily lifted by a rising tide,” he said.<br />
<br />
“Our sound finances, our stable politics, our expanding network for
trade relationships, our natural wealth and the growing demand for it
worldwide.”<br />
<br />
("<a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/stephen-harper-speech-to-conservatives-hits-at-embattled-senators-justin-trudeau-and-elites">Stephen Harper speech to Conservatives hits at embattled senators, Justin Trudeau and 'elites'</a>". <i>Canadian Press. </i>Nov 1, 2013)</blockquote>
<br />
This boast may have worked in 2013, but unfortunately for the CONs that's not when the election is. Heading into the 2015 election season Canadians have a picture of the end results of the Conservative economic strategy. The long term dividends of Harper's risky strategy of tying our national prosperity to the tar sands is now clear.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.thestar.com/business/2015/03/18/canadas-economic-growth-to-fall-further-behind-us-for-next-two-years-oecd-says.html">OECD</a> and <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/imf-cuts-canada-s-gdp-outlook-to-2-2-in-2015-1.3032741">IMF </a>are is slashing their forecasts for Canada's economic growth. Outside of very high oil prices the <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/environmental-health-risks-of-alberta-oilsands-probably-underestimated-study/article16667569/">destructive</a> process of tar sands exploitation just doesn't sustain the jobs and is <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2014/12/the-harper-misgovernments-sick.html">certainly less job-creating than the Green Energy sector is</a>. Due to the <a href="https://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/fr/node/2305">destruction of manufacturing capacity</a> that occurred during the oil driven days, manufacturing job growth has failed to rebound significantly during a falling dollar. Harper lost the bet on oil and we're losing our prosperity because of it.<br />
<br />
All told, his 2013 speech and subsequent events show the broken promise of the Harper CONs. Stephen Harper went Ottawa under promises of being a bold moral reformer and antidote to the corruption exemplified by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponsorship_scandal">AdScam</a>. Now his own Senators have led to some of the most disgusting escapades in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Senate_expenses_scandal">SenScam</a>. Stephen went to his diehard partisans in 2013 <i><b>blaming others</b></i> for his inability to control his own Senators but softened the blow by emphasizing his economic stewardship. That promise, too, has rung hollow. What more excuses will he have to stay in power past 2015?<br />
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<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-57979982198330460042015-04-21T10:30:00.000-05:002015-04-21T14:40:06.119-05:00Da EVUL BIKE LOBBY ... and it's nonexistent power<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP4lxSHCMWZ-gw9YYr8IgZJZuDZ1bhg27OQNK06k4y8Aw7M1a9ZohTyVM8Kyexdmx_R_yZVPLNNCypVECsMDWqyJW53vvNaEZ6fqYlZAS4v1G1tFsbVoFm-p1rwNDzm9L7Rg4z0mgTDwU/s1600/bikelobbyevil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP4lxSHCMWZ-gw9YYr8IgZJZuDZ1bhg27OQNK06k4y8Aw7M1a9ZohTyVM8Kyexdmx_R_yZVPLNNCypVECsMDWqyJW53vvNaEZ6fqYlZAS4v1G1tFsbVoFm-p1rwNDzm9L7Rg4z0mgTDwU/s1600/bikelobbyevil.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Image Source: </b></i><b><a href="http://www.chaoscycling.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=6082">Chaos Cycling Club Forum</a></b></td></tr>
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A local public access demagogue on the Right has taken to hysterical ravings about the "<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/12/the-assiniboine-avenue-no-way.html">bike lobby</a>" and all their evil plans. Their main, if we can stretch the word, "evidence" for this oh-so-powerful cabal is that in <a href="http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/38597/assiniboine-bike-path-divides-council/">2010 a bunch of bike infrastructure projects</a> were pushed through. These were done quickly because the Federal stimulus grants they depended on expired quickly. <br />
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These Federal grants, just so you know, came out during the Harper Government, which for all intents and purposes could give zero fucks about a small, municipally specific lobby in a mid-size prairie city.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Now, if an all powerful, nefarious bicycle lobby runs City government you'd expect quite a bit of maintenance priority given to bicycle paths. Yet, in reality,<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/12/the-assiniboine-avenue-no-way.html"> much of the Assiniboine Avenue Bikeway was <i><b>shut down</b></i> as part of the process constructing a new development</a>. This also makes all the histrionics of how bad the bikeway would be for traffic pretty ironic, at least in the near term.<br />
<br />
Before the return of snow on April 19 I had actually visited both the parts of Assiniboine Avenue that were open and bike infrastructure in Point Douglas and Elmwood. Did I see the sign of an all powerful bicycle lobby then?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOS9yRAoaMWMM9RfVuwe767FtcIkS8mKdWBlM9HoARzvBAMZYfby0bdc8_rNzVLfyL6ScVpYwmnxz2aEtJvwG1BRnlS_npXQ1V1_-fm8St99KaWQvFxtOBQ9PLdID_p-imehSI9RqanSxL/s1600/SoCalledBikeLobby1.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOS9yRAoaMWMM9RfVuwe767FtcIkS8mKdWBlM9HoARzvBAMZYfby0bdc8_rNzVLfyL6ScVpYwmnxz2aEtJvwG1BRnlS_npXQ1V1_-fm8St99KaWQvFxtOBQ9PLdID_p-imehSI9RqanSxL/s1600/SoCalledBikeLobby1.jpeg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Section of the Assiniboine Avenue Bikeway opened, filled with sand,<br />taken in early April, 2015.<br /><br />Image Source: Photo by The Analyst.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qM17aNxAKVncIqjcuijYzHzMlew1ZXwMETMsBDC50odfagSJ_JzLDSMfH38Ljk2iWEA3EgXXFmj2mNbZxw01tcd6z5T_k4w9BAIF5PyOD3DEZAZcApR5HEhu6-tMJWGNRxwnplW-qeu0/s1600/SoCalledBikeLobby2.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qM17aNxAKVncIqjcuijYzHzMlew1ZXwMETMsBDC50odfagSJ_JzLDSMfH38Ljk2iWEA3EgXXFmj2mNbZxw01tcd6z5T_k4w9BAIF5PyOD3DEZAZcApR5HEhu6-tMJWGNRxwnplW-qeu0/s1600/SoCalledBikeLobby2.jpeg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Assiniboine Avenue Bikeway,<br />early April 2015.<br /><br />Image Source: The Analyst</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DpeDxm-4DlQ-Gt35IzGj27CZLJi7YsGdIFZYpiVkXpMGtPFpkKiALyDi_aU7AIj60srKrjyropVUfjU4qGvaUDnZIXeWKKExwJmfJA3NyK7YLS3JE50MFTpH_9PDTZ3pg-sll-oJQlv7/s1600/SoCalledBikeLobby3.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DpeDxm-4DlQ-Gt35IzGj27CZLJi7YsGdIFZYpiVkXpMGtPFpkKiALyDi_aU7AIj60srKrjyropVUfjU4qGvaUDnZIXeWKKExwJmfJA3NyK7YLS3JE50MFTpH_9PDTZ3pg-sll-oJQlv7/s1600/SoCalledBikeLobby3.jpeg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sharrow lane, along Annabella Street<br />north of Higgins Avenue in<br />early April 2015.<br /><br />Image Source: Photo taken by The Analyst.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXukgGLEcmfG8kD8d5fiHu-ftabAYukLXuLTSvNRXOC4tZw789K1-2QYskIc1eBW2whTVwyFIPh4DJ7BzXx3V8bbkGggGu0No3Xp6fFzTNUXjHxlUmpX3PToKP3Y1FXOlt_7UERriQjM7z/s1600/SoCalledBikeLobby4.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXukgGLEcmfG8kD8d5fiHu-ftabAYukLXuLTSvNRXOC4tZw789K1-2QYskIc1eBW2whTVwyFIPh4DJ7BzXx3V8bbkGggGu0No3Xp6fFzTNUXjHxlUmpX3PToKP3Y1FXOlt_7UERriQjM7z/s1600/SoCalledBikeLobby4.jpeg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sidewalk level bike way on <br />Midwinter Avenue in early April<br />2015. <br /><br />Image Source: Photo by The Analyst</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Nope! <br />
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It should also be noted that the Midwinter Avenue bikeway was filled with snow throughout November 2014 until the melt in 2015 and many of the bike lanes in question were also filled with heavy snowfall in winter.<br />
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The bike lobby ... truly a force of sinister, cabalistic power!<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-67098450912738647872015-03-31T10:30:00.000-05:002015-03-31T15:37:30.001-05:00"Kinda pathetic" kinda totally right<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJSO14VZ2oWS26v64AwpaOVitWoMcKWqeArDXdst9XNFVAvxsaUZFwsVOUnUUpBgTOuDLdL72YmGG-OROwjbk7VG8ANL8mJ8THrlpYlHc1bva8oCtOqoJ_7VTxNHQYL07s4uVU3caNjX0/s1600/HarperCONLawrenceToet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJSO14VZ2oWS26v64AwpaOVitWoMcKWqeArDXdst9XNFVAvxsaUZFwsVOUnUUpBgTOuDLdL72YmGG-OROwjbk7VG8ANL8mJ8THrlpYlHc1bva8oCtOqoJ_7VTxNHQYL07s4uVU3caNjX0/s1600/HarperCONLawrenceToet.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Are you with us or are you with the TERRORISTS?!!<br /><br />The mature reasoning like that<br />kind Elmwood-Transcona MP Lawrence <br />Toet would us.<br /><i><br />Image Source</i>: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR-46Qs09YM">Youtube</a></b></td></tr>
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Seemed like there was quite a bit of March madness coming from the Conservative Party this year. Harper CON MP <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/harper-urged-to-remove-mp-john-williamson-over-whities-comment-1.2992300">John Williamson made a comment about "brown people" and "whities"</a> at the nexus of wingnuttery that is the <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2015/03/lowlights-of-2015-manning-centre.html">Manning Centre Conference</a>. Fellow Conservative MP Larry Miller told prospective Muslim immigrants to "<a href="http://www.pressprogress.ca/en/post/audio-stay-hell-where-you-came-conservative-mp-shares-thoughts-niqab">stay the hell where you came from</a>" if you want to wear niqabs at citizenship ceremonies.<br />
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Manitoba, unfortunately, was not free from this lunacy.<br />
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With the farce that is<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/08/for-love-of-manitoba-vic-toews-must.html"> Vic Toews</a> gone from Federal politics other Manitoba MPs have had to step up their game. My own representative of Lawrence Toet seems a prime candidate for the next Toews.<br />
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Defending Bill C-51- <a href="http://ccla.org/2015/02/01/ccla-responds-to-new-anti-terror-legislation-2015/">a civil liberties crushing bill</a> that would inspire <a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/demonstrators-across-canada-protest-bill-c-51-1.2279745">mass protest across Canada</a> (including <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/hundreds-of-winnipeg-bill-c-51-opponents-rally-at-city-hall-1.2995389">here</a>) - with the following <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push_poll">push polling</a> flyer:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJlQ77Mo8q8tdUkj2GP1MWCeti1IX83YXvdx7vsfZpT5oAMz9YoUZvyC1MVXYqxxVGORRqvOBuIxlG-RGaOucNdqPdt1MIN8774g0Vuq8vizshscD0rkrH0juXWNyNoiPDX4Td4nETprp/s1600/LawrenceToetElmwoodTransconaFlyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJlQ77Mo8q8tdUkj2GP1MWCeti1IX83YXvdx7vsfZpT5oAMz9YoUZvyC1MVXYqxxVGORRqvOBuIxlG-RGaOucNdqPdt1MIN8774g0Vuq8vizshscD0rkrH0juXWNyNoiPDX4Td4nETprp/s1600/LawrenceToetElmwoodTransconaFlyer.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Elmwood-Transcona MP and Harper CON<br />Lawrence Toet's question to constituents.<br /><br /><i>Image Source:</i> <a href="https://twitter.com/curtisatprobe/status/575071346717163520">Twitter/Curtis Brown</a></b></td></tr>
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Residents of<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmwood%E2%80%94Transcona"> Elmwood-Transcona</a> were, predictably, able to cut through this ridiculous bullshit.
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="348" src="http://www.cbc.ca/i/caffeine/syndicate/?clipId=2658276806" width="620"></iframe>
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Crap like this makes me hopeful for a day, possibly this year, when we citizens of Elmwood-Transcona rightly give this clown the boot.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-28003615335719680522015-03-28T14:23:00.001-05:002015-04-02T18:29:10.232-05:00Lowlights of the 2015 Manning Centre ConferenceBoy, this year has been crazy - too busy for super frequent blog posting (that and my <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">twitter account</a> has sorta cannibalized a lot of my would-be blog content). I'm still working on some drafts for the blog that should be interesting but as an inaugural post for 2015 I thought I'd lazily share a good mashup of some of the low lights of the 2015 Manning Centre Conference, courtesy of the fine folks from at <a href="http://www.truthmashup.com/">Truth Mashup</a>.<br />
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This early March conference - a true voice of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-c_conservative">small c-conservatism</a> with a large C-Conservative speakers - is said to have set the tone for the upcoming <a href="http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/03/08/manning-conference-sets-tone-for-the-coming-campaign/">Federal Election</a> on the right. If so, then feel joy as we're finally going to get to watch the spectacle of real far-right wingnuttery that's dragged political discourse and policy south of the 49<sup>th</sup> into the ground.<br />
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Finally, Canadian politics can become <i><b>exciting </b></i>like US politics by becoming a train wreck like US politics!<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-85688790705564544482014-12-30T17:01:00.000-06:002014-12-30T18:07:57.990-06:00New Comment System ... bunch of old comments dead<b>Update: Got old comments back - uncertain of how well it'll work. </b><br />
<b> </b><br />
Lest there be another <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/03/comment-gate.html">Comment-Gate</a> I'd like to clarify that I switched the commenting system over at The Winnipeg RAG Review from blogger's default system to Livefyre. Unfortunately, it seems <a href="http://www.windroidclub.com/2013/07/add-livefyre-comment-system-to-blogger.html">that I had to kill a bunch of old comments to do so</a>. Hopefully, it works out in the end. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-77706431919366860202014-12-27T10:00:00.000-06:002014-12-30T15:17:54.113-06:00The Harper MisGovernment's sick priorities<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXWozEhlZLBgvcGrBzKII73hxxFbdfdbNfMPra0FaUntwz2nVQKzVxm2lBzfNdnHhCbxgwEG1AB5A9RcQO7cXeoAeRRvvkPi4hwXEZ0HBsCPxEN31LI2mABcyxdakJN_2DaCVEmYFiM0C/s1600/PMStephenHarper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXWozEhlZLBgvcGrBzKII73hxxFbdfdbNfMPra0FaUntwz2nVQKzVxm2lBzfNdnHhCbxgwEG1AB5A9RcQO7cXeoAeRRvvkPi4hwXEZ0HBsCPxEN31LI2mABcyxdakJN_2DaCVEmYFiM0C/s1600/PMStephenHarper.jpg" height="231" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Is this how much Prime Minister Harper cares about<br />the safety of Canadians?<br /><br />Image obtained from <a href="http://westcoastnativenews.com/six-hundred-reasons-why-harper-is-a-scumbag/">West Coast Native News</a></b></td></tr>
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The Harper MisGovernment has fought a <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/04/20/harpers_vision_of_canada_as_energy_superpower_thwarted_by_opposition_to_pipelines.html">long battle</a> to destroy <a href="http://www.amnesty.ca/our-work/issues/indigenous-peoples/northern-gateway-pipeline-debate">indigenous lands</a> with pipelines, showing <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/2013/09/26/stephen-harper-wont-take-no-for-an-answer-from-u-s-on-keystone-xl-pipeline/">desperation</a> for US approval of the <a href="http://www.ienearth.org/what-we-do/tar-sands/">Keystone XL </a>pipeline. Stephen Harper's lackey, Jason Kenney, has gone so far as to <a href="https://twitter.com/kenneyjason/status/386967036766978048">opine about US public opinion polls on Keystone</a> to get the dirty - and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/aug/24/climate-camp-canada-oil-tar-sands">perhaps bloody</a> - oil project through.<br />
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As a unique study in priorities, one should note this same Harper MisGovernment often implies that we have scarce public money. As a response to this the<a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/03/fabian-neo-conservatism-of-harper.html"> Fabian Neo-Conservative agenda</a> of Harper includes cuts to many basic public services, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/11/10/conservatives-transport-safety-lisa-raitt_n_6134804.html">like transport safety:</a><br />
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The Harper government has made dramatic cuts in spending on aviation, marine and rail transport safety over the past five years, even as it was touting new safety measures in the transportation sector.
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The latest figures from the federal government's public accounts show actual spending by Transport Canada on marine safety has plunged 27 per cent since 2009-10, while aviation and rail safety spending are both down 20 per cent or more.
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[F]unding under the "transport of dangerous goods" did increase to $14.7 million last year, up from $12.7 million spent in 2012-13. Spending on the dangerous goods directorate averaged $13.9 million in the three previous years.
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<b>By way of comparison, the Conservatives budgeted $16.5 million last year, according to supplementary estimates, to advertise "responsible resource development"</b> [emphasis added], a program that includes new safety rules for the marine transport of oil, such as double-hulled tankers.
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("<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/11/10/conservatives-transport-safety-lisa-raitt_n_6134804.html">Tories Make Big Cuts To Transport Safety While Touting Safety</a>". Bruce Cheadle (Nov. 10, 2014). <i>The Canadian Press</i>)</blockquote>
So the specific subset of "dangerous goods" transport safety increased in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac-M%C3%A9gantic_rail_disaster">year of the exploding train</a>, but much more basic transport safety has been cut and not even "dangerous goods" safety gets as much public money as ads bragging about our "responsible" resource extraction?!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4J09kibTx10IKdGTk1P3CxByWHETkK25JRnCwtlyZipMfuvg-DIwV832Ll5lkVFfSj27vwOGQvdUIqZgMBBHmNIdSMHYblZlD-HTT6yRgmTtsaXWLp8vYdqizPYhylbt4xcNWWWeJUJfy/s1600/StephenHarpersPriorities.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4J09kibTx10IKdGTk1P3CxByWHETkK25JRnCwtlyZipMfuvg-DIwV832Ll5lkVFfSj27vwOGQvdUIqZgMBBHmNIdSMHYblZlD-HTT6yRgmTtsaXWLp8vYdqizPYhylbt4xcNWWWeJUJfy/s1600/StephenHarpersPriorities.JPG" height="235" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Harper Government spending, Dangerous Goods Safety vs<br />Ads for "Responsible Resource Development".<br /><br />Image constructed off of data <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/11/10/conservatives-transport-safety-lisa-raitt_n_6134804.html">reported by Bruce Cheadle</a>.</b></td></tr>
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Sounds about right ... for Harper. <br />
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Hope the thought of a 20% drop in rail and aviation safety comforts you as the train passes by in the middle of the night or as you board your next flight. <br />
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As we all know, when the cupboards are bare we really get to see what a government's true priorities are. What does the Harper MisGovernment, in this cash-strapped environment, deem worthy of scarce public funds? <br />
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While slashing transport safety budgets and <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/10/cons-poor-first-nation-child-welfare.html">fighting fair funding for First Nations Child Welfare</a> the Harper MisGovernment has decided to spend some more money advertising for rich, highly profitable Corporations.<br />
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The Federal Government has hired the ad firm FleishmanHillard as part of a <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/01/09/ottawa_hires_ad_firm_for_22_million_oilsands_campaign.html">$22 million ad campaign</a> for the tar sands. While Harper rests Canada's economic future on unsustainable, dirty oil extraction dependent on pipelines crossing and jeopardizing indigenous land, the actual net benefit for Canadians remains uncertain.<br />
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Oil and gas is estimated to<a href="http://behindthenumbers.ca/2014/10/27/is-big-oil-a-big-job-creator/"> create only 4,500 jobs per year</a> over the next decade, well under the job count for many major industries. The nascent<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/green-energy-sector-jobs-surpass-oil-sand-employment-total/article21859169/"> Green Energy Sector is already surpassing total tar sands employment</a>, while there are no Federal (and very minimal provincial Albertan) <a href="http://www.desmog.ca/2013/02/28/if-canada-oil-rich-why-are-we-so-debt">royalties from oil</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqdEr9YE_M7NTSW_MQTruSfyFh-wf8uai2c8iVeBhuIbTsfi2npRGAjF72lxfJT9gJzaqNf47JN27pqRXKaunSVjDU1Dk1OsbDWl3fChg2BXCZdRpcMZpd-FdNV-pwEe30XgP6eKVmpRJ/s1600/PunnyTarJobs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqdEr9YE_M7NTSW_MQTruSfyFh-wf8uai2c8iVeBhuIbTsfi2npRGAjF72lxfJT9gJzaqNf47JN27pqRXKaunSVjDU1Dk1OsbDWl3fChg2BXCZdRpcMZpd-FdNV-pwEe30XgP6eKVmpRJ/s1600/PunnyTarJobs.png" height="326" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Job creation from different sectors. <br /><br /><br /><i>Image Source:</i> <a href="http://behindthenumbers.ca/2014/10/27/is-big-oil-a-big-job-creator/">Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives</a></b></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.iisd.org/gsi/sites/default/files/ffs_awc_3canprovinces_kfindings.pdf">Tax subsidies</a> - going up to $1.38 billion from the Federal Government in 2008 - spur extraction and environmental degradation of indigenous lands. Much of the wealth from oil extraction goes to multinational corporations while minimal jobs are created in Canada as the indigenous and settler peoples of Canada get left with the high environmental bill.<br />
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All in all this amounts to an increasingly twisted and sick set of priorities from the Harper MisGovernment. Failure to make crucial public investments and continual legal brawls with indigenous nations while providing Corporate Welfare in advertising for an unsustainable industry harmful to the land and even the future of the planet. No sound leader would bank our future on being an economic "superpower" of last century's energy. <br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4758139357823553893.post-36265047060578834322014-12-25T10:30:00.000-06:002014-12-25T14:17:00.351-06:00Stephen Harper's Christmas Insult to First Nations<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCE6pQbPNOO5SpQIyrH-LOtFw9NrSRrUNvzu20qrKKWlfVBEtHXHd5hXiqZsfyLl7Nv51giBvb5QjIrYnO-nDl7nHePU9muQ-yjes-r_oJ0IsYBe14rJsJWJTWbF2qq6NC_xRmxpDIe6E/s1600/TinaFontaineVigil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCE6pQbPNOO5SpQIyrH-LOtFw9NrSRrUNvzu20qrKKWlfVBEtHXHd5hXiqZsfyLl7Nv51giBvb5QjIrYnO-nDl7nHePU9muQ-yjes-r_oJ0IsYBe14rJsJWJTWbF2qq6NC_xRmxpDIe6E/s1600/TinaFontaineVigil.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tina Fontaine vigil, August 19, 2014.<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/GregGallinger/status/501890240043552769">Image taken by Greg Gallinger, <br />obtained off Twitter</a>.</b></td></tr>
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Finding a mean spirited way to insult Indigenous Peoples seems to be a holiday trick Stephen Harper pulls out at least every two years. Back in 2012 he <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/12/an-unmerry-christmas-for-attawapiskat.html">snubbed the suffering community of Attawapiskat</a> for some cribbage photo ops. This year he's basically thumbing his nose at the relatives and advocates of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. <br />
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After a year of tragedy, with increasingly high media profile cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (including <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/tina-fontaine-faron-hall-deaths-candles-still-burning-after-winnipeg-vigil-1.2740432">Sagkeeng First Nation teen Tina Fountaine</a>, who was under the care of Child and Family Services in Winnipeg before her death) Stephen Harper <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/year-of-heartbreak-for-aboriginal-community-212448099.html">flat out said</a> an Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women "... isn't really high on our radar, to be honest" in a Dec 17 year end CBC interview.<br />
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This is well after the<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/aboriginal-women-inquiry-support-grows-ahead-of-premiers-meeting-1.2747423"> Provincial Premiers</a> had supported an inquiry, by the way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFaSFGYjirnjpEMCMY2ISxoUDWotIYU-GxKZClxym6OEN33-az0seeBSCAAi_cK-kC3H_IWnqgGJ5vfzNKzBh60ZvUBjYLvSI1XsJqLZW2pDj08agREEHZyAQpectA8yQRDQI_0HlLcR0/s1600/PMStephenHarper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFaSFGYjirnjpEMCMY2ISxoUDWotIYU-GxKZClxym6OEN33-az0seeBSCAAi_cK-kC3H_IWnqgGJ5vfzNKzBh60ZvUBjYLvSI1XsJqLZW2pDj08agREEHZyAQpectA8yQRDQI_0HlLcR0/s1600/PMStephenHarper.jpg" height="231" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Prime Minister Stephen Harper.<br /><br />Image <a href="http://westcoastnativenews.com/six-hundred-reasons-why-harper-is-a-scumbag/">Obtained from West Coast <br />NativeNews.</a></b></td></tr>
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Stephen Harper has had an utterly contemptuous relationship with First Nations. Federal Government lawyers (same government Stephen lets us know is the "Harper Government") <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2012/10/cons-poor-first-nation-child-welfare.html">spent $3 million trying to stop equitable funding for the First Nations Child Welfare System</a>. The Harper MisGovernment's Aboriginal Affairs Department has even <a href="http://aptn.ca/news/2013/09/12/lawyer-says-ottawa-wont-agree-to-stop-spying-on-first-nations-childrens-advocate/">spied on an advocate for First Nations Child Welfare</a>.<br />
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While refusing to hold an inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, <a href="http://wpgragreview.blogspot.ca/2014/09/harper-misgovernment-blind-to-social.html">dismissing</a> the social factors behind the tragedy, the Harper MisGovernment is <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-government-taking-first-nations-to-federal-court-over-finances/article21996200/">brazenly challenging the sovereignty</a> of Indigenous Nations in court. <br />
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All this leads to what a colossal insult admitting an inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women was low on his radar is. It is hard to imagine how Prime Minister Harper could show more disregard towards Indigenous Peoples, but surely he'll find a way. <br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b> </b></i></span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Liked this post? Consider <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Winnipeg-RAG-Review/340215279387987">liking us on Facebook</a> and following <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Analyst1">The Analyst</a> on Twitter.</b></i></span></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478584067447488835noreply@blogger.com0