A Piss Poor Idea: Winnipeg's Water Park Scheme

Tomorrow Winnipeg's City Council will vote on whether or not it should give a private developer $7 million tax dollars to build a less-than-world-class water park on one of Winnipeg's most prized parcels of land. Fervently backed by Mayor Sam Katz, the Hotel & Water park scheme calls for the new attraction to be built in the heart of Winnipeg at the historic Forks. As luck would have it, the proposed site for the new water park just happens to be across from Mayor Katz's very own baseball stadium. As majority owner of baseball's Winnipeg Goldeyes, Mayor Katz has recused himself from Wednesday's votes on both the land sale and the tax dollar give-away. Yet, notably, he only did so after some Winnipegger's worried about the state of the city raised serious questions about Katz and his role in the affair. And, again notably, he only recused himself after he had already done the local media rounds to promote the deal and was secure in the knowledge there was zero chance his confederates in his 'cabinet' would fail to back the scheme at the committee level. As such, j'accuse that Katz's je me recuse was, at its core, a purposefully disingenuous ruse and too little too late to be considered a truly ethical and effective recusal. 

The Mayor's insincere ruse aside, there are many other troubling aspects to the present water park scheme before City Council. For instance, whose idea was it to offer the designated land (Parcel 4 at Winnipeg's Forks) exclusively to this particular developer instead of opening it up to other competitive bids?  Where is the detailed plan? What happens to the provision that binds the water park developer to issue $700,000 in vouchers per year to low income children for 25 years should the developer go bust and/or sell the property?  And finally, why is City Hall so hell bent on ensuring $7 million tax dollars must go to a private water park rather than to our local community centres?  As Dennis Lewycky of Winnipeg's Social Planning Council pointed out on CBC radio this morning, the monetary math of the scheme doesn't add up. The plan, he says, "Just doesn't make sense." And because it doesn't make sense, its important City Council say no to this scheme now.

Councillors Steen and Sharma, are you listening? Despite all the propaganda you've heard from Mayor Katz & Co., the proposed water park (at 50,000 sq ft) will, most assuredly, be 'less-than-world-class'. We don't need a substandard 'Wally World-esque' structure at the Forks. We need to stop wasting taxpayer money on back room deals. We need to redirect the funds in question to our existing community recreational facilities. We need to do better by our historic site at the Forks. A piss poor idea from the start, this scheme should be thrown out with the bathwater - anything less would be a civic crime. Councillors Steen and Sharma, Winnipeg deserves better, please vote NO on Wednesday.

Lucid ideas coming soon...

Believe it.

Taxi Drivers in Winnipeg say no to child abuse prevention measure: Cab Company President says he will not comply with new law.

[photo courtesy of CBC.ca]

"Starting April 1, child abuse registry checks will be mandatory for all cabbies to make sure they've never been convicted of an offence against children."

Seems reasonable, no? I mean, does anyone believe it's okay for any convicted child abuser to have regular, routine, and unsupervised contact with children? Who could possibly be against this? Who would actually assert it is a non-issue if convicted pedophiles are in regular contact with the children of this city? Well apparently the manager of Winnipeg's largest taxi fleet, Unicity Taxi's Gurmail Mangat, would do just that - - not only is he against it, he's said his company will not comply with the new regulations. Really Gurmail? You're fighting this? Cripes. YOU SIR, are an idiot!

Unlike the recent absurd battle over the unnecessary mandatory safety shield regulations, the adoption of a mandatory child abuse background check for all cabbies is both prudent and reasonable. Gurmail's faux argument that the vast majority of taxi fares are not children simply doesn't hold water. As one Winnipeg School Board has pointed out, it has children who take cabs to and from school every day. Translating into literally thousands of trips every year, one is hard pressed to see why any of these children should be placed in potential danger if even one driver is, in fact, a convicted sexual predator. To claim it is a non-issue is simply indefensible and borders on willful negligence. Gurmail Mangat is a moron.

Think what would happen if a representative of a daycare, teacher, and/or hockey coaching group came out against mandatory child abuse registry checks? Would we stand for that? I think not. By virtue of their job, Winnipeg Taxi drivers become privy to both the home addresses of children and to the child's daily routine; who among us believes a convicted pedophile should have a right to this information? Anyone?

If Gumail Mangat and Unicity Taxi persist in ignoring this law and, in fact, do fail to comply with its measures by April 1st, then the powers that be should use all powers at their disposal to take immediate punitive actions against the transgressors. On this issue, unlike the mandatory safety shield issue, Unicity Taxi does not have a leg to stand on. Without delay the government needs to send a simple but powerful message: Comply or else!

R.I.P. Cam Walker - Winnipeg Jan. 28, 2011: A block and a half away he died

Tonight, our little boy's world is a much darker place.
Hurt beyond words, our little boy cried tonight as I told him the news.
Deeply distressed, gasping for air, his little blue eyes cried the kind of tears that no child should ever have to cry. Yet, this is Winnipeg, and lately, across this city, there have been far far too many children like our 10 year old who've been crying tears born of pain, fear, and loss.

The heartfelt tears our boy cried tonight were not for himself. No, his tears were for his friend - his very, very, very best friend. Oh God how he hurt for his friend - it broke my heart. He cried for his best friend because tonight, in South Winnipeg, there is now an 11 year old boy with a heart of gold who must live with the horrifying reality that his big brother was senselessly stabbed to death late Friday night. And this poor vulnerable 11 year old must also live with the horror that his brother, 16 year old Cam Walker, bled out but meters away from his Winnipeg doorstep.

Sixteen year old Cam was stabbed to death by Matt, a 28 year old adult, who was unable, and incapable of, ever grasping the fact that booze, drugs, folly, and rage do not mix. Who, sadly, was too stupid to realize that Winnipeg's seemingly endless grand-tradition of midnight murders via the mediocrity of banal emotions, lost hopes, and empty lives did long ago lose its luster.

Cam was a kid, who like so many others, had his issues - but he was not violent, and he was not mean... he was just a kid, just another Winnipeg kid who didn't deserve to die at sixteen.

So yet again another senseless Winnipeg death has come calling on yet another Winnipeg teen. It saddens me on many levels. It saddens me because tonight our little boy, all of 10 years old, is innocent no more. It saddens me because he now believes he sleeps in a much more frightening and much darker world. And it saddens me even more because, a block and a half from where I write tonight, there sleeps another little boy that I know oh so well, whose true and gifted golden heart has been irrevocably broken by yet another senseless Winnipeg murder. A murder that has taken his big brother away forever. May you rest in peace Cam Walker.

WELCOME to WINNIPEG! Errr... we have Taxis... (barely)

It was reported that the President of one of the two Winnipeg Taxi companies planning to pull ALL THEIR CABS OFF THE ROAD because of a dispute with the Taxi Board really and truly felt "sorry about the plight of the people of Winnipeg". However, he still told his drivers to "go home and relax" because his company was "willing to wait" to get what it wants from a Taxicab Board that, he says, "chose not to (compromise)." Hmmm, I don't know about you, but that didn't really sound all that sorry to me(?)

Can you imagine all the passengers arriving fatigued, cranky, and rushed at Winnipeg's Airport today hoping to hail cab only to be told ... sorry, you're shit out of luck. Fact is, 90% of all Winnipeg cabs were almost unavailable today. On the upside though, with our windchill right now only making it feel like -22 at least the 15 minute wait for the bus wouldn't have been life threatening when compared to last week's -40 windchill! Welcome to Winnipeg - an absurd wee corner of the world like no other!

A town almost without cabs, our new tourism slogan might have read: "Winnipeg - a visit you'll never forget, ... for all the wrong reasons!"

UPDATE: 8:00am - Just heard on CBC news that the Province has stepped in and done something (maybe blown somebody?) to get the Taxi companies to keep their cars on the road. That the situation should have deteriorated to the extent that the Province had to step in is ridiculous. The fact that our archaic Taxicab Board, and the equally archaic and usury Taxi oligopoly (i.e. Duffy's & Unicity) even still exist is a problem that should be dealt with - and dealt with soon. Neither the Board nor the cab companies deserve to continue on as they have. The Board should immediately flood the market with 200 more taxi licenses to break the oligopoly and then it should drop its heavy-handed stance on mandatory cab shields.

Manitoba's Bill 35: "A slap in the face"? "Don't go there"

Manitoba's Bill 35 - the Municipal Conflict of Interest and Campaign Financing Act.

"In a bid to stimulate confidence in municipal politics, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Steve Ashton unveiled legislation Tuesday that seeks to ban union and corporate contributions to municipal election campaigns."

As some have noted, this really isn't a bad idea at all. After all, it will "improve transparency and accountability in municipal government.".

Today we read that the most vociferous critic of the legislation, Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz, is now back-peddling on his earlier condemnation of the proposed law by calling it an "innocuous document". So then, if this is how the Mayor Katz really feels towards Bill 35, why did His Petulance throw such a royal hissy fit earlier this week when the "laudable, necessary reforms" were announced?

'For the province to jump into this, when ... we're looking for revenue…[I told them] this will cause a real ruckus at City Hall; don't go there.'—Sam Katz, Winnipeg mayor - CBC.ca

"I told them point-blank this was a slap in the face to city council..." the mayor said. - Winnipeg Free Press

Huh, "a slap in the face"? "Don't go there"? Where does Mayor Katz, get off sounding like such a loser? Such a victim? Surely, something is amiss? Or maybe, just maybe, it is the following aspect of the new law that really rubs him the wrong way, the one that will require:

... all municipalities to establish a code of conduct and conflict-of-interest rules for municipal employees. The rules must include prohibiting employees from: using information not available to the public and obtained through their job to further their private interests; or; using their position to try to influence a decision that would further their private interests.

Maybe this is what Katz sees as a true "slap in the face"? Maybe he sees this clause as a threat; as a barrier that will undermine his ability to conduct his business as usual. Maybe, that's why his shrill voice was warning the Province "don't go there"? After all, in this city, it's always about him first - the people second.

But don't worry Mayor Katz, you keep telling 'em! You go girlfriend! Whine and then back-peddle all you want. Say whatever you wish. Just be aware that most Winnipeg voters see nothing wrong with the new bill. Further, we cannot help but be suspicious of anyone, especially OUR MAYOR, whose knee-jerk reaction to the proposed legislation would leave us with less accountability and less transparency at his City Hall!




FYI - In a totally unrelated aside:
Subject: Re: Origin of "don't go there"?

"In the mid-to-late '70s, ... "Don't go there" was in common use among gay yuppies then. Sometimes it was extended into "You don't wanna go there, girlfriend." I don't recall encountering the phrase in the mainstream until the '90s, ... By this time I suspect that the hip gay guys in Chicago wouldn't have been caught dead saying such a thing."

MRSA and the WRHA's inexcusable silence. Just another symptom of institutional sickness?

Is a physician obligated to tell you when their clinic has been confirmed as a source site for a highly contagious virus or a potentially lethal form of an antibiotic-resistant superbug?

Apparently, here in Manitoba, the answer is no.

But to be fair, Manitoba's doctors really need feel no obligation to alert their patients when their clinics are confirmed as vectors for the spread of such illnesses such as the Norovirus, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), C. difficile, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). After all, why should they be held to a higher standard than the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA)? According to Free Press, the WRHA feels it needn't apprise us of such outbreaks in our hospitals - so why should we expect anything different from our community doctors?

Here in Manitoba, the WRHA believes that publicizing confirmed outbreaks of contagions that can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration, skin rashes, boils, "severe blood infections, pneumonia and even death" is unnecessary. Evidently, the WRHA does not feel it is in the public interest for people to know if the facility they are visiting (for whatever reason) has confirmed cases of MRSA, Norovirus, etc.,

According to the WHRA's director of infection control, Dr. Embil (Embilcile?), any furor over the Authority's failure to notify is really much ado about nothing. After all, he says, the WRHA can "anticipate outbreaks every year".

"This is all old news. Quite honestly, this is no news. It happens, it's the reality of taking care of sick people."

Yes Dr. Embil-cile, of course such outbreaks are bound to occur. As for your ability to "anticipate"? Whoopee! Well done Sherlock! Bet you even have the ability to "anticipate" that "every year" you may see a patient or two present with a heart attack, a stab wound, or maybe even a baby? Course, none of these are contagious. And therein lies the problem. When it comes to known outbreaks of contagions that are uncontrolled within our hospital settings you (Dr. Embil-cile & co.) have a duty to inform. Unless, of course, you really believe that all the other jurisdictions across North America who have decided disclosure is the better part of valour in the battle against superbugs are wrong?

As a Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) article in 2006 pointed out, there are serious public health implications associated with MRSA outbreaks in community settings. Schools, daycares, etc., are all at risk. And according to CMAJ, all strategies for the successful control of the spread of such infections hinge on two factors: public awareness of the problem and public education. So, when an outbreak is verified in a Winnipeg hospital setting why is it not publicized? Why is the public not informed in a timely fashion? Given that the community based strains of MRSA (CA-MRSA) "are most frequently described within reasonably well-defined populations"; is it not be reasonable to expect that when a outbreak occurs within a similarly easily defined population (i.e. the staff, patients, and visitors to a specific hospital) that the public be notified of the associated risks of exposure should they visit the hospital?

Dr. Embil-cile, no one is particularly blaming you for the MRSA, Norovirus, and C. difficile outbreaks at your facilities. But in the same way that such outbreaks are (largely) unavoidable in hospital settings, icy roads happen in winter. However, at least weather reporters make an effort to tell us of icy conditions when they occur to help us make informed decisions before we hit the highway. Is it too much to ask that the WRHA not do the same when it comes to periodic adverse germ events within the walls of its hospitals? Why not give people who are choosing to visit a site afflicted with an unresolved outbreak the info they need to make an informed decision? Does one take little Billy or Nancy in to see Grampy in the critical care ward if they know his wing is experiencing an MRSA event? Maybe. Maybe not? But, at the very least, they should have all the facts as they become available. Surely one should not have to file a freaking FIPPA request just to find out if our PUBLIC hospitals pose an exceptional threat to our personal health.

It's about time the WRHA demonstrated a little institutional responsibility. Transparency never hurt anyone (well, unless of course they were guilty of doing something wrong). At this juncture, nobody is accusing the WRHA of anything more than repeatedly exercising poor judgement. The WRHA must stop withholding information on known outbreaks. If it is true that from 2006-08 that 803 patients and 609 hospital staff in Winnipeg were infected with the illnesses in question, then Joe & Jane Public have a right to that data. If there is currently an outbreak not under control within this city then it should be made public. That professionals like Dr. Embil-cile believe such outbreak events are "old news" is not the point. The point is that "news" only becomes "old" after the facts are known.

Ongoing or persistent outbreaks are news. Especially when they impact the lives of 700-1000+ people per year in this city. Just release the facts WRHA - its not up to you to decide what is "no news" or "old news". In this case, control freak doctor-administrators do not "know best" what constitutes real news. That privilege, especially in a public system such as ours, belongs rightfully to the people: you know the one's who pay the bills.

"Friggin' Flaherty and his Fiscal Apocalypse": Daddy tell us a Horror Story pt.1

[as originally posted 01/30/09 on my formerly free thinking blog http://tworippingarseholes.blogspot.com ]

Year: 2016
Date: January 26th
Place: Winnipeg, Canada

Event: Federal Budget Day

Nearing dusk, wind-a-blowing. Crows swirl above. In the distance, along the frozen river, a group of TB enforcers (Tory-Bankers) are putting the boots to a Black Rod vainly trying to raise a tattered Canadian Flag with New-Afghanistan sprayed on it. He is, well, err... truly being boot-fucked. Unseen, the new media is filming the beat down as a destitute man with a notebook next to them licks yellow snow. Other passers-by are simply uninterested. Preferring instead to gawk at the street full of Harpo-Buggies. Horseshit is everywhere.

Two dirty wide-eyed emaciated innocents, a boy and girl, are shivering. Lightly clad, they are gripping their Daddy's hands tight. Together the three step off the northeastern side of the bridge and onto the icy and littered sidewalks. Across the street Great West Life's headquarters lie empty.

"Daddy, why they beatin' that man?" the blue-eyed boy asks.

"They call it 'knocking sense' son. Part of their three-pronged anti-critique reduction strategy: Knock-Kick-Kill. That's just a second warning. Probably the guy was asking too many questions."

"Daddy, what happens if he doesn't listen?" the boy asks.

"That!" the dad says pointing to the west, to a cross with a man nailed to it far down on the river ice. Above it, a huge placard with blood red letters proclaims:

"This is Power to Truth!"

'Poor guy,' the Dad thinks, 'his public eye now nuthin' but crow food.' Immediately, the father realizes the mistake. 'Too young for KKK' he chides himself, ... 'too young.' "Quickly," he says to his shocked children, "Quickly, now. We have to get there by eight."

As they walk they pass a man who's seen better days. Standing perfectly straight, he's mumbling over and over "Anybody want a Peanut? Anybody want a Peanut?" His hand is extended; it wants to complete the offer. Sadly, he has no peanuts? They've been taken away.

Across the street another indigent with an 'I Luv Bjork' sweater keeps bellowing at a dog that won't stop sniffing his ass: "This is Just Damn Stupid! Just Damn Stupid!" he's shouting, "That's it!" he exclaims, "I'm moving to Iceland!"

Looking on is a Conceited Jerk who can only grin as he holds his beloved Nadia. Mute for years now - he's but one of many. Once, back in 2009, all these men were able to offer digital peanuts. But since the Tory ban on public expression and private computers the only platforms now left are the cold, hard streets.

"Daddy are they the ones they tell us about in TB indoctrination classes?" they ask.

"Shhh." he hushes. Then whispering as he bends to their ears, he says "Yes, they're the ones. They've been caught. Censored. Remember, try not to draw attention."

Then, as he always does when here, the Dad glances at the tattered structure nearby. The man's eyes furtively dart upwards to its Dome. The Golden Boy is gone - Forever - long ago sold for a song to fund Doer's failed "Spirited Energy II" comeback campaign just before the streets started going dark at 8pm. Then a crazed-eyed manic man passes on a wobbly bicycle screaming: "Dual Flush Toilets! Dual Flush Toilets! Use them and they will turn our water back on! Use them now!"

"Daddy, is that true? If we use them will we have water for more than 2 hours a day?" the daughter asks.

"No child, first cities privatized their treatment plants. Then the Tories sold our national water rights away to NEW-USA in 2012 to 'fix' the structural deficit. Sorry honey, but we'll never get our rights back."

Just then they pass a bespectacled man with NO IKEA tattooed to his forehead. He's with a group of TRUWinnipegers and one Frog. Indignant all, they are shouting at a burning effigy. "Donkey Trams! Donkey Trams! Pol Pot Katz - what kind of Progressive LRT is this?"

"Daddy, can they do that?" they ask pointing to the solid pile of horseshit and ad hominems that form the effigy labeled 'Mayor.'

"Well they can - until the blackshirts come." he replies as they turn the corner where they pass a downtrodden dude singing the city anthem.

Proceeding east, they look to the right. The steps of the Legislature are, as usual, lightly populated with haggard protesters. Also, as usual, the protesters are outnumbered by the TB crowd controllers. Bemused, the security forces are laughing at the forlorn assemblage. The Legislature's doors are chained shut. "Prorogued" they call it. One indignant Hacking Wonk can be heard screaming: "This is not the way it was supposed to be! I was lied to." Just then, a balding wee-Hughie looks down from a window above. Laughing maniacally, he screams back: "You think you've got it bad - I'm actually in charge of this NUTHOUSE now!"

Crossing the main buggy entrance they see a shovel ready ranting man moving horse crap - all the while exclaiming to no one in particular: "My soul for a forum; my soul for a forum!"

Nearby a former idea planter is listening to an underground radio station on an old transistor radio. One can hear the voices. It's a show about Harpo's new law allowing his acolytes to shot unrepentant Lib's & Dippers on sight. The debate includes that crazed self-professed elder statesman and a partisan post-punker who actually claims to know what jailed Iggy is really thinking! Further on, a man full of love and hate is taking a picture of a pot-smoking one-eyed pecker pissing on a newly erected statue of Friggin' Dim Jim Flaherty. (The ninth such 'national' statue erected since his appointment as the State's Minister of Truth.)

At the next corner, a displaced poetess waiting for the moon is waxing about an 'Unravelling' that came too soon.

"Daddy, her words are beautiful, is she new?" the daughter asks.

"Yeah, I guess. You see after all the Territories flooded from the Arctic ice-melt in 13', these people had to find new homes," he says. Then, seeing some blackshirts approaching, he says gently, but firmly, "Hurry up kids, hurry up... we'll be late."

[To be continued....]

5 comments:

The Public Eye said...

I have always found this blog a great read, but with this post, you have crossed the Rubicon in terms of transcendent originality. Ripping fantastic!

January 30, 2009 4:50 PM

RachelW said...

Ha! You guys are crazy! Love it!

January 30, 2009 6:27 PM

cherenkov said...

Maybe what we need is some good post-apocalyptic chaos to separate the strong from the week and get human evolution back on track!

January 30, 2009 9:33 PM

Prairie Topiary said...

Nice. I've always thought of doing a blog post that would stand as a trail guide to the Manitoba blog scene. You've done me one better!

February 3, 2009 1:01 AM

Conceited Jerk said...

Jesus!

And I thought my outlook was bleak...

Can't wait for part II!

February 3, 2009 10:12 AM