tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-234842422024-03-14T01:32:41.966-05:00Blackberry AddictsWe dealt in information ... the real poop. Our aim was to combat the know-nothing, open-mouth nonsense that sometimes passed for political punditry in Manitoba and sometimes we strayed into gossip, but only if it was really good.North Prov 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/17420928611499384180noreply@blogger.comBlogger206125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-52388782437597989272015-03-29T16:44:00.002-05:002015-03-29T16:44:40.514-05:00Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After </span><a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/ndp-a-house-still-divided-297874791.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> article in the Winnipeg Free Press it is clear the time for BBA has past.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’ve called for and predicted our silence before but something always kept us coming back. Those dynamics aren’t really there anymore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The passing of Blackberry Addicts will be met in a variety of ways. Some will applaud, others may be sad, some may wonder how a blog named “blackberry addicts” was exclusively based on Manitoba politics with a leftist tilt, still others may ask “What is a blackberry?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was started with a clear goal and dual purpose:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It came forward when it was needed prior to elections; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to correct the folks who buy their ink by the barrel when their stories missed the mark;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to say what needed to be said to keep Today’s NDP in line when they were straying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Submissions were widely submitted, editorships were edited, but it became increasingly difficult for people to reveal anything behind the curtain when the dirty laundry was aired in public. Witch doctors get worried with witch hunts being conducted. The collection of people that started this have moved on. Some literally or figuratively, others physically or spiritually. No one can say with certainty who wrote this, other than the author, and these people certainly won’t claim ownership in this climate given where we work. Ultimately, the best this post can hope for is to become a cautionary tale told in the halls and whispered in the building’s basement for those that follow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hearing that the house leader is being chastised for maintaining a dialogue with elected colleagues he understands the premier and the caucus want to reconcile with is at best a farce and at worse a tragic comedy. They are not just turning their back on a tradition but on an ability to make informed decisions. Seems odd they would be more upset that Dave Chomiak spoke with Jennifer Howard and Andrew Swan to get things done than Kelvin Goertzen. I wonder how much retribution a government house leader faces when striking his next deal with the opposition? If Greg Selinger can’t lead his caucus and defers to Rob Altemeyer in this how can he claim to lead the province on any decision without Wolseley’s permission? Seliger’s first leadership slogan was “Ready to lead”. He asked the party to grant him that opportunity. We still wonder if he will ever step up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But these sorts of things aren’t unique here. They are only unique to a caucus, party and government in turmoil. Echos of Pawley and Filmon can still be heard in the halls for those willing to listen to those cautionary tales.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The FreeP article is really a clear example of a surprising abdication of decision making power and the lack of leadership and accountability that was and is there now. It also speaks to an arrogance and willful ignorance that is dangerous not only to the elected officials but the people they represent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is no surprise the internal fighting is continuing. The only thing Premier Selinger and “his team” learned from the leadership was “Everything I/he did was right”. They won, the party told them so. In some ways, the instant the dissenting MLAs were removed from caucus the course was set and the echo chamber complete. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are countless comparisons that can be made. The bad break up is a solid example; however, it fails to grasp the absurdity of the situation. The visual we would paint is of an NDP misinterpretation of a Mccarthy era tribunal with Monty Python elements thrown in for good measure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just think of it: The MLA for Wolseley, MLA for St Norbert, and the Premier presiding and cross-examining MLAs.“Prove to me these matters 3 your nomination papers signed you’ll see.” Who can eat more granola? Who is more blue collar? Who can take a more principled academic stance? Get all three right and you get to be part of NDP Caucus until 2016 when Manitobans can have their say about your part in increasing their taxes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyone has a choice, even in these types of absurd situations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Greg Selinger could have worn the decision to raise the tax, resigned, triggering a leadership contest allowing the party to rebrand and rebuild prior to the next election. He could have contributed to them having a fighting chance. He chose, based on undefined principle, to stay on despite his unpopularity and dragging the party down in the polls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The dissidents could have remained silent knowing they were going to see many of their colleagues, and an organization they worked hard to build and contribute to, fail. They chose to act and call for a leadership review knowing that they will be blamed for any possible defeat by Selinger’s supporters and much of the NDP for the foreseeable future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of particular note, Alex Forest and Paul Moist could have put the long-term benefit of a labour-friendly government and union members first. They chose to gamble that with short-term backroom deals and ideological positioning, which may leave the very workers they purport to represent more damaged in the long-term. All this to claim the personal title of kingmaker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And every NDP member had a choice casting their ballots whether to be conservative and support the status quo or progressive and change. A slim majority chose the status quo. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so we find ourselves here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Premier is the ultimate judge and jury to sign the nomination papers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The individual MLAs and staff facing the inquisition are left with the simplest choice: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do I stay or do I go?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every elected official faces these decisions periodically for a variety of reasons. Inadvertent pen clicks, dissident labels, unpopular decisions in the public eye, the countless personal sacrifices. An old adage “the worst day in government is better than the best day in opposition” is often used to help incumbents focus. The tragedy comes in the level of denial and self-delusion needed to convince yourself a romanticised version of the past is better to keep fighting for than a self-determined future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If this relationship is no longer working it becomes a matter of individual decision for each MLA on some simple dynamics that often get overlooked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do I still have the ability to affect the change that got me involved with politics to begin with?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do I still have the ability to represent the members that nominated me?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do I still have the ability to represent the constituency that sent me to the assembly?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the last few months were fun will the next year be any better?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is the personal cost and benefit of staying for another year and losing or winning compared to leaving now?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If they answered no to any one of these or the costs outweigh the benefits maybe they should let someone who wants to do it take their best shot. While there are broad ranging implications for the organization if resignations trigger a by-election, particularly prior to a general election and what those can mean, the net harm from the by-election is on par with the gain for the organization in preparedness and would ultimately prove a net benefit to the electorate gaining a functioning elected official able to work with and in a caucus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For staff its a matter of asking “how high?” when they ask you to jump knowing that the tallest blades of grass get cut first by the lawnmower.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m not counting the NDP out of the next election. As staff we turn up everyday to get the job done until we chose not to. There will be countless hours spent before and during the next election. Many are hoping to show up to work the day after e-day and continue to make a difference and improve the lives of all Manitobans. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 1.38;">Sometimes to do this we need to be reminded of what the meaning is behind leadership, accountability and choice. Even when a government, party or MLA forgets these things, voters seldom do.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some will chose to stay. For some it’s time to go. And, in this case, it’s time to fade to black.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">northprov1@gmail.com</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>North Prov 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/17420928611499384180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-85811019551400740092014-10-31T19:32:00.001-05:002014-10-31T19:32:52.063-05:00Premiers Campbell and SelingerWe have written previously about the <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.ca/2010/11/art-of-political-exodus.html">art of political exodus</a>. It ain't easy, that's for sure.<br />
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And with the events of the last week, we couldn't resist adding some thought bubbles to this photo.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t8AtcZWxueg/VFQpWgO5JHI/AAAAAAAAAKU/v3reXkD8jh0/s1600/Premiers%2BCampbell%2Band%2BSelinge%2BThinking.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t8AtcZWxueg/VFQpWgO5JHI/AAAAAAAAAKU/v3reXkD8jh0/s1600/Premiers%2BCampbell%2Band%2BSelinge%2BThinking.png" height="203" width="320" /></a></div>
(Darryl Dyck photo, Canadian Press) <div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-50387602338509196232014-10-28T19:08:00.001-05:002014-10-28T19:08:15.013-05:00We're All Good!For a whole host of reasons, a lot of our readers will have thrown up in their mouths a little bit when they saw Mr. Robinson flank Mr. Selinger...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwRAVvGCJWk/VFAu_NftMrI/AAAAAAAAAJo/kJ12v32cxcM/s1600/Selinger%2Band%2BRobinson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwRAVvGCJWk/VFAu_NftMrI/AAAAAAAAAJo/kJ12v32cxcM/s1600/Selinger%2Band%2BRobinson.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-67186948524912443222014-10-20T20:16:00.000-05:002014-10-28T19:28:52.834-05:00Premier's Dinner Dines on Cruel IronyThe 900 or so people attending last weekend's Premier's Dinner heard Mr. Eric Robinson unreservedly endorse Premier Selinger as a great friend and supporter of First Nations people and communities.<br />
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Does this rhetoric really align with reality?<br />
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Remember this press release from 2006? We won't reproduce the entire thing, but have retained a key quote from former Premier Gary Doer who very rightly pointed out the travesty of northern Manitoba communities not having access to clean water and sewer systems.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GJCT3ThAexw/VDG41I3FLfI/AAAAAAAAAIs/urgSM16_hL0/s1600/Kelowna%2BNews%2BRelease.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GJCT3ThAexw/VDG41I3FLfI/AAAAAAAAAIs/urgSM16_hL0/s1600/Kelowna%2BNews%2BRelease.JPG" height="143" width="320" /></a></div>
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The former NDP Premier made the point that modern water and sewer systems are not only critical to good health, but are also a matter of "basic human dignity".<br />
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Here's the Free Press' coverage of that news release.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EGeY8gTzYLU/VDG5W9dpz1I/AAAAAAAAAI0/q6ZEX29Inmg/s1600/Free%2BPress%2BKelowna%2B2006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EGeY8gTzYLU/VDG5W9dpz1I/AAAAAAAAAI0/q6ZEX29Inmg/s1600/Free%2BPress%2BKelowna%2B2006.JPG" height="320" width="138" /></a></div>
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Fast forward eight years. Eight years later, who ends up getting a $45 million water treatment plant? The people of Garden Hill?<br />
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Nope. Stony Mountain convicts and CentrePort.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mtHW68EvLu0/VDG6Gsj9O3I/AAAAAAAAAJA/i-h4sxV3IGs/s1600/CentrePort%2BWater%2BPlant%2BFree%2BPress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mtHW68EvLu0/VDG6Gsj9O3I/AAAAAAAAAJA/i-h4sxV3IGs/s1600/CentrePort%2BWater%2BPlant%2BFree%2BPress.JPG" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
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Don't get us wrong... convicts and empty industrial parks need love too. None of us could possibly sleep at night knowing industrial parks and convicts were being denied their "basic human dignity". Clearly, this stuff matters to Manitoba families.<br />
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Mr. Robinson does not normally mince words when it comes to sharing what's really on his mind. Just ask the people of Osborne House.<br />
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We find it difficult to believe he supports a $45 million water treatment plant for an industrial park and convicts when many communities in his constituency struggle to attain and maintain access to clean, running water. Which makes us wonder why Mr. Robinson would so unreservedly endorse Premier Selinger as a friend and supporter of First Nations people and communities.<br />
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Is something else going on here we don't know about? Why the unwavering support for a Premier so soon following what should have been a drastically divisive political decision for Mr. Robinson to swallow and defend to his constituents?<br />
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As for Garden Hill - a community of 3,800 mostly without proper drinking water where elders are still forced to use outhouses in extreme winter weather - hang in there folks... we'll get to you once our industrial parks and prisoners are looked after, and Mr. Robinson and Premier Selinger find a way to align their rhetoric with reality.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-57410044911999377732014-10-09T19:03:00.000-05:002014-10-09T19:03:42.096-05:00Probing the LiberalsIn today's <i>Winnipeg Free Press</i>, Dan Lett suggests the Liberal party is "soaring" with more than 20 percent public support. He also suggests this is "rarified" air for the Liberals.<br />
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We have to admit, we had to first Google the word, "rarified". Who other than physicists and mountaineers use this word anyway...? In anycase, what we think Mr. Lett's trying to say is it is "rare" for the Liberal party to be in the range of 20 percent public support.<br />
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We checked the annals of Probe Research. Over the last 57 or so quarters going back to 1999, the Liberal party has been at 20 percent or greater support 14 times. This includes a two year stretch from September 2000 until September 2002 when the Liberals never fell below 20 percent support. And just recently, the Liberals were at 23 percent in March 2014, and have been as high as 27 percent at times.<br />
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If we applied a margin of error of 3 percent to Mr. Lett's 20 percent threshold, the facts would even more strongly suggest how out to lunch Mr. Lett's suggestions are. <br />
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The Liberal party, Mr. Lett, despite your best wishes, is not "soaring", and it is not "rare" for them to bounce around in the 20 percent range.<br />
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We hate to say it, but the headline writer got it more right than the reporter this time. <div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-81008261183193557282014-10-05T10:06:00.000-05:002014-10-05T10:06:37.697-05:00What's in a Trend?Probe Research has been busy collecting and compiling data over the last couple weeks. According to their Omnibus schedule, they were set to deliver the Fall omnibus results to clients last week. Very soon, we can expect the Winnipeg Free Press to publish the quarterly provincial political party standings.<br />
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We know. No politician pays attention to polls and, yes, only one poll matters. Yadda, yadda, yadda.<br />
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Despite what politicians say, polls and research data do matter, and politicians do pay attention to them (well, at least most of them do...).<br />
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In preparation for the upcoming quarterly release, we have gone back and compiled almost every single quarterly Probe poll result available to illustrate what a 15 year trend looks like for the NDP and Progressive Conservatives.<br />
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Not surprisingly, the NDP is clearly on a downward trend, and recorded their lowest level of provincial support over the 15 years in December 2013. Even though, at the moment, the NDP continues to linger in a nasty funk, the linear slope for a political party that's governed for 15 years is remarkably, well, flat.<br />
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Also not a surprise is the Progressive Conservatives are clearly on an upward trend, and recorded their highest levels of support over the 15 year period in March 2011 and December 2013. Despite choosing a leader who appears bitter his inheritance included just a watch and hates it when people click their pens in meetings, the Progressive Conservatives continue to enjoy high levels of provincial support.<br />
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Even though the Progressive Conservatives continue to enjoy high levels of provincial support, as they illustrated in the 2011 election, their vote continues to be incredibly inefficient. You don't have to be Paul Thomas to know that Kelvin Goertzen winning with 80% of the vote instead of 60% brings their party no closer to forming government. <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.ca/2010/09/final-countdown.html">They need to win seats</a>, remember, they need to win a lot of them, and to win government they need to do in a little over a year what it took the NDP ten years to do.<br />
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Does any of this matter? Isn't this just the natural life cycle of politics, a phenomenon no political party can reasonably be expected to resist or counteract? Isn't it all, well, simply inevitable these two trends will intersect?<br />
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Time will certainly tell. In the meantime, our hope is that the NDP is not assuming this particular trend is going out of style anytime soon.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-30647904866352037702014-09-24T05:56:00.001-05:002014-09-24T05:56:45.123-05:00That Museum's Wearing No Clothes!We normally give <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.ca/2010/10/grandpa-kives-stirs-rants-and-then.html">Grandpa Kives</a> a difficult time on this blog. But, today, we want to recognize him for a stroke of brilliant observation. He is absolutely correct about the Canadian Museum for Human Rights leaving all of us wondering what, exactly, people from around the world are going to pay money to see. Even though we support the Museum (who doesn't?), what's actually going to be inside to see?<br />
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Ms. Gail Asper, of course, was front and centre, ready to answer that very question and put the Museum's best foot forward on the day it opened.<br />
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So, what has the Museum got planned to attract an international audience?<br />
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Stones.<br />
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That's right. A basket of stones.<br />
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Come, global community of human rights watchers, advocates, and learners young and old. Come gather round and see our basket of stones.<br />
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Thank you, Grandpa Kives, for being the one to finally stand up and yell, "hey, that museum's not wearing any clothes!"<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-16646822000459802332014-09-22T18:44:00.000-05:002014-09-22T18:44:05.702-05:00A Tail of Two Cats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Brandon's Butterscotch the cat didn't think there was anything that could make her feel stupider...</div>
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<br style="font-family: monospace;" />Until Dauphin's Sylvestor the cat made an escape from a devastating hotel fire look easy.<br /><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-11048909260775966552014-09-16T21:10:00.000-05:002014-09-16T21:10:06.865-05:00Does Anyone Blog Anymore?It's been almost three years to the day since the BlackBerry Addicts' last blog post.<br />
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All this time we thought Twitter was just a fad, and that ultimately blogging would reign supreme. Who knew Twitter was here to stay?<br />
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With the passage of time we've certainly grown to miss McFadyen, shutter at the prospect of Pallister, but nothing is making us more weary than Selinger...<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-38518512556020250112011-09-29T21:45:00.016-05:002011-10-03T21:49:16.070-05:00D'oh! I'll Probably Do it Again!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-azzRUGDJHwA/ToUtxsQ1gnI/AAAAAAAAAGo/t6J6FeuT8vQ/s1600/Homer%2BSays%2BDoh.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 184px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-azzRUGDJHwA/ToUtxsQ1gnI/AAAAAAAAAGo/t6J6FeuT8vQ/s200/Homer%2BSays%2BDoh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657978838579511922" border="0" /></a>When Mr. McFadyen not only lost the 2007 election but also shrunk his caucus from 20 to 19, the first word out of his mouth was, "Ouch!".<br /><br />It was, without a shadow of doubt, a terrible loss for the young, sweater wearing, Jets promising Opposition Leader.<br /><br />Not only did he not make any progress toward forming government, he actually moved his party and his caucus backward.<br /><br />As early as the morning of May 23, 2011, Mr. McFadyen had a chance to begin restructuring his party in order to chip away at an increasingly fortified NDP majority. This opportunity, in fact, really began when Mr. McFadyen took over the leadership of the party from Mr. Stuart Murray.<br /><br />But he blew it. And he blew a four year opportunity to redefine himself and his party into something Manitobans could know and trust, the only real chance he had of defeating the NDP.<br /><br />To the benefit of all pundits and media, the Blackberry Addicts would like to provide the top five reasons why Mr. McFadyen and the Conservatives should lose the election tomorrow:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">First, Mr. McFadyen used an election period to fundamentally redefine, unveil, and then try to communicate, a "new" McFadyen and a "new" Conservative party.</span> This is work that takes significantly more time than a short writ period can provide.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Second, Mr. McFadyen surprised the electorate with policies they weren't expecting from him or his party.</span> In 1999, a lot was made of Mr. Filmon's 50-50 plan. What made this promise publicly unpalatable, in the end, was that its boldness and risk was so uncharacteristic of a calculating and conservative Premier who most Manitobans had grown to know, understand, and trust.<br /><br />Similarly, Mr. McFadyen surprised his party and right-of-center voters by promising to spend big money on doctors and nurses ($118 million), long-term care ($200 million), and extend deficit financing until 2018.<br /><br />Mr. Selinger, on the other hand, continued throughout the campaign to promise and do things people recognized and trusted from an NDP government and Premier. Being "bold" in an election means doing things the public doesn't want you to do. The NDP understands this. Mr. McFadyen and the Winnipeg Chamber do not.<br /><br />Furthermore, the Blackberry Addicts believe quite strongly that Mr. McFadyen's characterization of Mr. Filmon's decisions as "mistakes of the past" disillusioned many statesmen within the Conservative party. Just take a quick look at what <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/election-spawns-passion-have-your-say-130900263.html">Mr. Sandy Riley</a> had to say about Mr. Filmon's record!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Third, Mr. McFadyen simply could not crack the greatest strength going for the NDP: their record of good government.</span> As much as pundits and media try to underscore an omnipresence of bad government, this simply isn't the case in the eyes of the public. Mr. McFadyen's strategy of <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.com/2010/11/hugh-mcfadyen-gets-cemented.html">keeping himself and his caucus quiet</a> throughout the spring and summer while waiting for the NDP to screw up was, in the end, a terrible mistake, and one the Blackberry Addicts and <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704648604575620653438957226.html?KEYWORDS=karl+rove">Karl Rove</a> have written about in the past.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fourth, a convergence of public issues driving voters to "kick the bums out" never materialized.</span> Without the ability to ride a public wave demanding change, there is little hope of major victory.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fifth, as the Blackberry Addicts pointed out a year ago at <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.com/2010/09/final-countdown.html">E-365</a>, Mr. McFadyen is faced with the challenge of winning ten seats. </span> This monumental challenge is further complicated by the fact the NDP holds huge pluralities in many of the seats Mr. McFadyen has to win making this year's "general election" essentially 57 independent by-elections.<br /><br />Good luck to all pundits tomorrow. The Blackberry Addicts wish you all the best as you try to apply political science and reason to what is essentially an unscientific and emotional exercise. We just know you won't disappoint us.<br /><br />And, in the end, always vote Quimby. He'd vote for you!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P8FgKyB5OgY/Topyd-B_AeI/AAAAAAAAAG4/RU_NHWJaAPg/s1600/Vote%2BQuimby.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 187px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P8FgKyB5OgY/Topyd-B_AeI/AAAAAAAAAG4/RU_NHWJaAPg/s200/Vote%2BQuimby.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659461740937544162" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-9579408340647784412011-09-28T20:46:00.004-05:002011-09-28T21:17:04.898-05:00Always Beware the Probe!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2X3GVyB4VsY/ToPOyKfAF_I/AAAAAAAAAGY/V86uS7LqbBU/s1600/Alien%2BProbe%2BComic%2B2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 191px; height: 231px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2X3GVyB4VsY/ToPOyKfAF_I/AAAAAAAAAGY/V86uS7LqbBU/s320/Alien%2BProbe%2BComic%2B2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657592918110640114" border="0" /></a>In the coming days, the Winnipeg Free Press will publish election survey results from Probe Research.<br /><br />It's almost guaranteed that very general questions will have been asked in the survey, and it's almost guaranteed that Scott McKay, Chris Adams, and maybe even Curtis Brown will be quoted extensively on why they think the data is the way it is.<br /><br />For an otherwise credible research company, it has always fascinated the Blackberry Addicts the extent to which researchers themselves provide their own personal opinions on why the public appears to think the way they think rather than actually researching why the public thinks the way they think.<br /><br />Nobody pays a research company for the opinions of researchers, and it's always a hoot to read the Free Press extensively quote Scott McKay et al on why Scott McKay et al think the public thinks a certain way when they didn't even bother asking why.<br /><br />Nevertheless, Mr. Dan Lett has devoted an entire <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/lett/You-cant-both-be-right-130653788.html">blog post</a> arguing Probe's upcoming survey results will be the definitive survey of the campaign. And readers should expect the Free Press to make a big deal out of the results.<br /><br />It's been rare, in fact, for Probe to accurately predict recent election results.<br /><br />In the 2007 election, the NDP won 48 percent of the popular vote. Probe's quarterly polls leading up to the 2007 general election were off between 8 and 12 percent.<br /><ul><li>June 2006 = 38%</li><li>September 2006 = 36%</li><li>December 2006 = 38%</li><li>March 2007 = 40%</li></ul>And we all remember what happened in 2003 when Probe thought the NDP was at 57%, right? Probe was wrong.<br /><br />So, take the upcoming Probe survey results with a gigantic grain of salt everyone.<br /><br />And, most importantly, always beware the probe even if it's only presented as a bunch of questions!<br /><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-28318750513175235252011-09-26T17:14:00.008-05:002011-09-26T23:20:04.845-05:00Why Does McFadyen Hate Dakota Community Centre?When former Premier Gary Doer stood with Southdale candidate Erin Selby and promised to expand the Southdale Recreation Centre during the 2007 election campaign, the Winnipeg Free Press printed this headline the day following the announcement:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VSJYci-ljpc/ToD5_wXPzXI/AAAAAAAAAGA/zmwvOJO3PHs/s1600/Doer%2BBypasses%2BCity%2BRec%2BProcess.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 161px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VSJYci-ljpc/ToD5_wXPzXI/AAAAAAAAAGA/zmwvOJO3PHs/s320/Doer%2BBypasses%2BCity%2BRec%2BProcess.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656796005686824306" border="0" /></a><br />According to Grandpa Kives and Mary Agnes Welch, Mr. Doer's promise "circumvented a long, torturous process governing the distribution of scarce funds for improving community centres".<br /><br />Please note.... this process was both "long" and "torturous". You can imagine the dungeon in which bureaucrats slaved day in and day out figuring where to spend all that frozen property tax revenue.<br /><br />Anyway, flash forwarding to today, you'd think any politician brave enough to promise something similar would have been held to the same standard by the Winnipeg Free Press.<br /><br />Apparently not.<br /><br />Mr. McFadyen has made two recreation announcements recently. One dealing with the St. James Civic Centre. The other a commitment to build a brand new multiplex somewhere in south Winnipeg.<br /><br />Interestingly, the "long" and "torturous" process undertaken by the <a href="http://gcwcc.mb.ca/documents/Plan2025.pdf">General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres</a> didn't end up short listing either of the projects promised by Mr. McFadyen. Neither the St. James Civic Centre nor the multiplex in south Winnipeg were identified by General Council directors on their short list. The Southdale and Winakwa proposals however, both supported by Mr. Doer in 2007, are identified.<br /><br />One the proposals, in fact, included in the final short list is Dakota Community Centre, technically located in Riel but serving Seine River, two Conservative targets that Ms. Rochelle Squires and Mr. Gord Steeves must win.<br /><br />It's interesting how Ms. Squires and Mr. Steeves have allowed Mr. McFadyen to ignore all the "long" and "torturous" work city council bureaucrats have done in supporting and ultimately short listing the Dakota Community Centre proposal.<br /><br />The Blackberry Addicts strongly encourage Ms. Melnick and Ms. Oswald to remind constituents of Riel and Seine River that Mr. McFadyen has deliberately left Riel, Seine River, and Dakota Community Club, the home ice of NHL star Mr. Jonathan Toews, behind in this election.<br /><br />And the Free Press, including Catherine Mitchell, should stand up for the "long" and "torturous" process they so fiercely defended in 2007. And, on this note, when did Catherine Mitchell suddenly embrace Hugh McFadyen's new Conservatism anyway?<br /><br />Shame on all of these participants.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wUpnyZfA6jY/ToFM-XtxnhI/AAAAAAAAAGI/7CPDodGzsZ4/s1600/Catherine%2BMitchell%2BGet%2BOff%2BNDP%2BCloud.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 297px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wUpnyZfA6jY/ToFM-XtxnhI/AAAAAAAAAGI/7CPDodGzsZ4/s320/Catherine%2BMitchell%2BGet%2BOff%2BNDP%2BCloud.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656887241355664914" border="0" /></a>(Winnipeg Free Press, April 27, 2007)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-6912376586764066442011-09-24T14:36:00.010-05:002011-09-25T08:42:20.481-05:00When A Nurse Speaks in an Election, Does Anyone Hear?In an official <a href="http://www.manitobanurses.ca/media-releases/nurses-want-assurance-their-pensions-won-t-be-rolled-back.html">news release</a> issued late last week, Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) called on all political parties to clarify where they stand on pensions.<br /><br />More specifically, they called on the Progressive Conservatives to clarify whether or not they support the existing defined-benefit pension plan for nurses or a shift toward a defined-contribution pension plan.<br /><br />The news release hardly made a ripple on the provincial election stage.<br /><br />This is most unfortunate for a host of reasons.<br /><br />First, any media outlet or pundit with a shred of political intuition should never discount any union representing over 11,000 workers. This is especially true when those 11,000 workers are nurses who have the ability to bring the entire provincial health system to a grinding halt.<br /><br />Second, mainstream media should get their heads out of Twitter, off Facebook, and actually take a look around at what's happening in the world today.<br /><br />If you believe economists and leading economic indices, we're approaching the brink of another economic collapse. Savings accounts, personal investments, homes, currencies and, yes, pension plans, are all on the road to ruin should a repeat of 2008 be in the cards. And yet, in this context, a union calling for clarity in where political parties stand on pensions is largely ignored. Shame.<br /><br />Third, take a look at what's happening in the world of corporate pension funds right now (and since 2008). Just yesterday, the Royal Bank of Canada is reported to have axed its long-held defined-benefit pension plan, and replaced it with a defined-contribution plan for new hires.<br /><br />This is the exact same issue on which the MNU is seeking clarity!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9py9epWtcdM/Tn4xktkLCeI/AAAAAAAAAF4/YVtWSz3_YL8/s1600/RBC%2BPension%2BPlan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 123px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9py9epWtcdM/Tn4xktkLCeI/AAAAAAAAAF4/YVtWSz3_YL8/s320/RBC%2BPension%2BPlan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656012688800287202" border="0" /></a>Pensions, how they're structured, and how they're managed are all extremely relevant, and incredibly political.<br /><br />Lastly, Mr. McFadyen has been openly reported as wanting a <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.com/2011/09/give-him-freedom-or-give-him-death.html">"freer Manitoba"</a> and wanting a larger role for "private" investment. It's not clear what Mr. McFadyen means by a "freer" Manitoba, but it would be very entertaining to see how he rationalizes a "free" Manitoba while at the same time supporting a defined-benefit pension plan for nurses.<br /><br />So, when a nurse speaks in an election, does anyone hear?<br /><br />They certainly should, but it appears Mr. McFadyen is largely ignoring them.<br /><br />In politics, all rhetoric eventually becomes reality, and beginning the morning of Wednesday October 5 nurse pensions could end up becoming a hollow shell of what they once were.<br /><br />Let's hope they won't let that happen despite being ignored.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-16362105049278898562011-09-22T21:47:00.008-05:002011-09-22T22:15:03.592-05:00Are Two Suits Better Than One?The very <a href="http://todaysndp.ca/videos/all/Fd7kp_zZA_8">pithy NDP TV ad</a> released a couple weeks ago portrays Mr. McFadyen not only as a risk, but also an untrustworthy slickster who wears "nice suits".<br /><br />In response to the ad, Mr. McFadyen suggested to the Free Press that he wears a "$125 suit from Tip Top".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GuTf7zj91Ek/Tnvz0_CeIYI/AAAAAAAAAFY/eAbzs4rSt9k/s1600/McFadyen%2BTip%2BTop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 111px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GuTf7zj91Ek/Tnvz0_CeIYI/AAAAAAAAAFY/eAbzs4rSt9k/s320/McFadyen%2BTip%2BTop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655381848694333826" border="0" /></a><br />In response to <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.com/2010/10/grandpa-kives-stirs-rants-and-then.html">Grandpa Kives'</a> question on Saturday, Mr. McFadyen said he was wearing a "$500 J.P. Tilford suit", 50% off.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-omVGo0rGQ/Tnv0RDV7HNI/AAAAAAAAAFg/67YrSEOvYOw/s1600/McFadyen%2BTilford%2BSuit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-omVGo0rGQ/Tnv0RDV7HNI/AAAAAAAAAFg/67YrSEOvYOw/s320/McFadyen%2BTilford%2BSuit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655382330886003922" border="0" /></a><br />J.P Tilford is Harry Rosen's house brand, made by Samuelsohn in Montreal. As such, these suits are only available at Harry Rosen.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R6cWRANTlx0/Tnv09zGr4JI/AAAAAAAAAFo/De_l15EqCmc/s1600/Harry%2BRosen%2BSuit%2BAd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 174px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R6cWRANTlx0/Tnv09zGr4JI/AAAAAAAAAFo/De_l15EqCmc/s320/Harry%2BRosen%2BSuit%2BAd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655383099621236882" border="0" /></a><br />Harry Rosen is a much different clothing store than Tip Top, and a J.P Tilford suit is much different than a suit from Tip Top.<br /><br />In response to the direct suggestion that he's an untrustworthy slickster who wears nice suits, Mr. McFadyen claimed he wears $125 suits from Tip Top.<br /><br />In response to Grandpa Kives querrying what suit he was currently wearing, Mr. McFadyen admitted it was a J.P Tilford suit by Harry Rosen.<br /><br />In the quest for political power, it's very easy for immature and insecure politicians to pretend to be someone they think the public wants them to be.<br /><br />Mr. McFadyen's fallen head first into this trap. It's the reason he wore sweaters for most of the 2007 election campaign (note the terror exhibited by the children in the bottom right).<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gln2QWXw3-k/Tnv1SI54PzI/AAAAAAAAAFw/ZEehAKxV1Zc/s1600/McFadyen%2BKicks%2BSoccer%2BBall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gln2QWXw3-k/Tnv1SI54PzI/AAAAAAAAAFw/ZEehAKxV1Zc/s320/McFadyen%2BKicks%2BSoccer%2BBall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655383449070485298" border="0" /></a><br />It's the reason he drinks Tim Hortons coffee during the week, but Starbucks on the weekend.<br /><br />And it's the reason why he's pretended to be Mr. Tip Top rather than Mr. Harry Rosen.<br /><br />In the end, is having two suits better than having one?<br /><br />It's not the number of suits nor the make of the suit that matters.<br /><br />What matters most is being mature enough to know what suits you best.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-72675064855422398462011-09-20T21:10:00.007-05:002011-09-20T22:25:55.867-05:00Give Him 'Freedom' or Give Him Death!A lot has been suggested of Mr. McFadyen throughout this election.<br /><br />The Blackberry Addicts have received all kinds of accusations and claims against him. Most of these our readers would have heard before, some they probably have not.<br /><br />Almost all of them relate to exercising incredibly poor judgement.<br /><br />But, all of these unspoken words aside, one of the more salient suggestions of Mr. McFadyen was actually printed, published, and confirmed in the Winnipeg Free Press on July 3, 2010. That suggestion, of course, is the one that portrays him as a privatizer.<br /><br />In an interview with Bruce Owen (pasted below), Mr. McFadyen said he stands for a "freer Manitoba".<br /><br />What, exactly, does Mr. McFadyen want to "free" Manitoba from?<br /><br />It's anyone's guess.<br /><br />But anyone with a head on their shoulders knows that on the political spectrum, "freer" almost always means less government, less regulation, and a significantly greater role for private business in matters relating to the public good.<br /><br />Is it then unreasonable for the NDP to suggest that Mr. McFadyen will privatize Manitoba Hydro? Absolutely not. As much as he wants to distance himself from Premier Filmon and the Conservatives of the past, Mr. McFadyen is of the same ilk.<br /><br />Does any Manitoban know what Mr. McFadyen would ultimately do if elected Premier on October 4?<br /><br />Of course not.<br /><br />But take a serious look at his words below and consider the risk of giving a politician the chance to "free" our province. Grant Devine tried to free Saskatchewan in the 1980s by declaring the province, "open for business". And we all know how that turned out.<br /><br />In the end, on October 4, voters will ultimately decide. Will they give Mr. McFadyen freedom or give him political death?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oy92nTKDJCI/TnlH6nJ6b-I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/lOlp0rLIwaQ/s1600/McFadyen%2BFrees%2BManitoba.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 172px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oy92nTKDJCI/TnlH6nJ6b-I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/lOlp0rLIwaQ/s320/McFadyen%2BFrees%2BManitoba.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654629879408914402" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-81642357456869225932011-09-17T15:40:00.007-05:002011-09-18T16:59:37.425-05:00Winnipeg Free Press…? Please Meet Mr. Abacus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vw6DcLf3Ugs/TnUGjPy0xTI/AAAAAAAAAFI/rvah7Fyem7w/s1600/Abacus%2BColour.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 190px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vw6DcLf3Ugs/TnUGjPy0xTI/AAAAAAAAAFI/rvah7Fyem7w/s200/Abacus%2BColour.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653432109838419250" border="0" /></a>Manitoba’s official broadsheet and paper of record, including its two key legislative reporters and earlier this past week its top political commentator, have reported on at least two occasions that Mr. McFadyen has to win nine (9) seats to win the October 4 election.<br /><br />The Blackberry Addicts pulled out their abacus to double check the Free Press’ math.<br /><br />Let’s see. There are 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. To maintain the tinniest of tiny majorities, a party must win more seats than the other parties combined. In Manitoba, this equates to 29 seats.<br /><br />At the time the Legislature was dissolved (notwithstanding earlier resignations), there were:<br /><ul><li>2 Liberals</li><li>19 Conservatives</li><li>36 New Democrats<br /></li></ul>The Free Press suggests Mr. McFadyen must win 9 seats to form government. The Conservatives currently hold 19 seats, plus 9 more (carry the one…) equals 28 seats.<br /><br />Twenty-eight seats is not a majority, folks.<br /><br />Mr. McFadyen must win 29 seats to form a majority government. He has 19 right now. That means he must win 10 more, not 9 as the Free Press suggests.<br /><br />And even if Mr. McFadyen wins 10 more seats, one of his 29 member caucus would most likely be elected Speaker of the House. This would leave 28 Conservative votes and 28 non-Conservative votes. A tie! This, of course, forces the non-partisan Speaker to cast tie-breaking votes.<br /><br />Certainly, not an ideal way to govern.<br /><br />To govern in practical terms, Mr. McFadyen needs to win at least 11 seats. This would give him a one seat majority without requiring the non-partisan Speaker to vote.<br /><br />And, as we’ve seen in the past in Manitoba, governing with a marginal majority isn’t easy at all.<br /><br />All Winnipeg media and pundits might benefit from reviewing an <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.com/2010/09/final-countdown.html">earlier post</a> from the Blackberry Addicts showing the immense challenge facing Mr. McFadyen and his party.<br /><br />At the end of this week, remember, Mr. McFadyen and the Conservatives have about two weeks remaining (~16 days) to achieve something Gary Doer and the NDP took ten years to achieve (3650 days), and Prime Minister Stephen Harper about five years to achieve (1825 days).<br /><br />Pundits and analysts beware… all the anecdotal political crap aside, don’t get caught discounting the fundamental magnitude of what actually needs to happen for Mr. McFadeyn and the Conservatives to win.<br /><br />Do the Blackberry Addicts think Mr. McFadyen can do it?<br /><br />Stay tuned!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-2700116148667684632011-09-15T21:06:00.011-05:002011-09-15T22:22:54.264-05:00McFadyen's Give-Away-Weekend Extravaganza<span style="font-family:arial;">Most Winnipeggers will know what Give-Away-Weekend is.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For those who don't, it's when your neighbours put their junk out on the curb in the hopes someone will come by, pick it up, and take it away.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />For those who watch Manitoba politics, they'll remember in 2007 when the NDP threw two pieces of junk out on the curb (see Winnipeg Free Press article below).</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />One whose company was convicted of child pornography. The other who refused to support his own children eliciting a cutting character assessment from a provincial judge who called him the biggest liar he's ever seen.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Hugh McFadyen, in true Give-Away-Weekend style, was first in line to come pick up the junk the NDP was smart enough throw out. Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard, apparently, wasn't too far behind.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Mr. McFadyen, Mr. Gerrard, there's usually a reason why people throw their junk out on the curb. If you're going to pick it up, at the very minimum you've got to dust it off and have a look at it. You appear to have done neither.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Worst of all is that not a single media outlet in Manitoba has figured out that Mr. McFadyen and Mr. Gerrard have not only picked up two pieces of junk, but also picked up the junk the NDP was smart enough to throw out.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />A political team is as important as its captain because the quality of the team reflects the judgement of its leader.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />In the case of Mr. McFadyen and Mr. Gerrard, bad judgment clearly abounds.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1gwTz86pJI8/TnKzdhWEmeI/AAAAAAAAAFA/cIAcVlS6AIo/s1600/Sidhu%2BJPEG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1gwTz86pJI8/TnKzdhWEmeI/AAAAAAAAAFA/cIAcVlS6AIo/s320/Sidhu%2BJPEG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652777802051918306" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-66571298491576501252011-09-14T20:21:00.006-05:002011-09-14T21:04:19.565-05:00What the Free Press Knew (But Didn't Tell You)<span style="font-family:arial;">The Blackberry Addicts are normally very careful about repeating a lot of the accusations we receive at our doorstep (of which there are many).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But we couldn't ignore the suggestions coming our way today regarding the Free Press' handling of the Brian Sinclair story.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />According to Mike McIntyre, the detective leading the criminal investigation into the death of Brian Sinclair, Sgt. John O'Donovan, has concluded his investigation, is recommending charges be laid, and has forwarded his report to provincial Justice officials.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />According to an official Winnipeg Police news release issued today, the investigation is ongoing, a decision to lay charges has not been made, and nothing's been forwarded to provincial Justice officials.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />He said, she said?</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Not entirely, apparently.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />It appears it was more a case of "she said, but Free Press refused to listen".</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The Blackberry Addicts can confirm, based on very credible rumblings received throughout the day today, that prior to the Free Press publishing McIntyre's story, <a href="http://www.winnipeg.ca/police/WomenInPolicing/scott.stm">Superintendent Corrine Scott</a> of the Winnipeg Police Service called the Free Press night Editor directly in an attempt to clarify the details in McIntyre's story prior to it being printed.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The Free Press editor refused to make any changes, choosing to stand by their "justice source" instead of what Superintendent Scott was actually telling them on the record.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The Free Press and its night editor knew well before they published the Sinclair story today that it had very, very serious credibility issues. They didn't even bother corroborating their "source" by calling Manitoba Justice to see if the report, in fact, had been submitted to them. But they deliberately chose not to tell readers any of this.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />That is what the Free Press knew, but didn't tell you. No wonder they closed their website to reader's comments.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">********************************************************************<br /></span><span style=" font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Anyone Remember This Guy?</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />If you miss knee-jerk (yet surprisingly thoughtful) political commentary, send an email to ctbrown@yahoo.ca letting him know that, jerk or no jerk, retirement’s for wimps.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ads6VLXtiSY/TnFcNNLWDLI/AAAAAAAAAEw/b5mL8EaM05o/s1600/CTB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ads6VLXtiSY/TnFcNNLWDLI/AAAAAAAAAEw/b5mL8EaM05o/s200/CTB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652400389271981234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Oh, while we’re at it, let’s bring back <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.com/2010/10/grandpa-kives-stirs-rants-and-then.html">Grandpa Kives</a> too!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-41143688158420635292011-09-13T20:08:00.002-05:002011-09-13T23:14:58.771-05:00When a Win Isn’t a Victory<span style="font-family: arial;">The results of the Canadian Wheat Board farmer plebiscite represent a very good example of when winning something can sometimes make for bad politics.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Sixty-two percent of Western Canadian farmers voted to keep the monopoly in place for wheat while only 51% voted to keep the monopoly for barley.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">While it may appear counterintuitive, the Canadian Wheat Board would have found itself in a much better place politically if they’d have simply lost the barley vote.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">A 50% +1 margin is a very limited vote of confidence. Had the Wheat Board lost the barley vote, it would have positioned them very well to suggest the federal government move forward with eliminating the monopoly for barley while deferring any decision on wheat.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Politically, this would have worked out much better for the Wheat Board. Now, unfortunately, the Board is saddled with defending the barley monopoly, when the barley pool is becoming increasingly irrelevant. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">And, of course, “irrelevant” is exactly how Mr. Ritz wants the Wheat Board to look.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">******************************************************</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">P.S. - was there a provincial election called in Manitoba?? Somehow, we missed it!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-23964390010958181032011-07-07T10:47:00.004-05:002011-07-07T11:03:00.767-05:00Where's the Beef? (Er... we mean "Posts")<span style="font-family: arial;">After a period of radio silence, the Blackberry Addicts will resume posting material to help counter some of the know-nothing nonesense beginning to re-emerge across Manitoba's blog sphere.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />We apologize to our many readers for our absence over the last few months. We've been busy. Very, very busy...</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />However, we look forward to providing our readers with quality posts and, yes, maybe even some beef.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-68461356066343234052010-12-11T11:38:00.008-06:002010-12-11T12:41:51.279-06:00Sing Us A Song You're the PoliticianPoliticians often find themselves dominating the public stage.<br /><br />But when, exactly, is it okay for them to dominate the music stage?<br /><br />The answer's never clear. The first fundamental rule, however, is do no harm. So, if you're a politician who actually has some skills best expressed musically, your chances of harming yourself on the music stage are much less than if you're a politician who finds chalk on a chalkboard melodic.<br /><br />Take, for example, Prime Minister Harper. He can actually sing. While he still doesn't bring a lot of cool to being a Conservative, he can actually carry a tune:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TQO5hYWjRgI/AAAAAAAAAD0/qlUko4dr4bQ/s1600/Harper%2BSings.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 165px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TQO5hYWjRgI/AAAAAAAAAD0/qlUko4dr4bQ/s200/Harper%2BSings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549483148974441986" border="0" /></a><br />On the other hand, Hugh McFadyen should try not only to avoid the music stage, but also try to avoid buying his shirts at local Head Shops:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TQO5wxSrhVI/AAAAAAAAAD8/KrVm0EVxMNk/s1600/McFadyen%2BSings.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TQO5wxSrhVI/AAAAAAAAAD8/KrVm0EVxMNk/s200/McFadyen%2BSings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549483413367129426" border="0" /></a><br />I guess we can't expect much more from a politician who kicked off the 2007 election campaign with this front page Winnipeg Free Press photo:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TQPCjgL7tbI/AAAAAAAAAEE/0YSCFOZqOqA/s1600/McFadyen%2BKicks%2BOff%2B2007%2BCampaign.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TQPCjgL7tbI/AAAAAAAAAEE/0YSCFOZqOqA/s200/McFadyen%2BKicks%2BOff%2B2007%2BCampaign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549493081041778098" border="0" /></a>While some Manitobans might be in the mood for McFadyen's melody, most of us are still waiting for him to grow up.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-67456309378820727082010-12-10T09:11:00.004-06:002010-12-10T09:31:49.236-06:00Friends Once Again?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TQJFfmkNJXI/AAAAAAAAADs/BdnMM_sBbKE/s1600/Rodyniuk.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 128px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TQJFfmkNJXI/AAAAAAAAADs/BdnMM_sBbKE/s200/Rodyniuk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549074100104537458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >The Blackberry Addicts has never hesitated to acknowledge when we may have sometimes misinterpreted the facts.<br /><br />In the end, however, while we still think poor Mr. Rempel's left with the unfortunate job of cleaning up the <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.com/2010/10/mr-rempels-left-holding-bag.html">mess</a> left by the never camera shy Mr. Rodyniuk, it appears the two of them get along well enough to pose for a quick photo with Glen Feltham, Manitoba's outgoing Business School dean.<br /><br />Considering what Mr. Rodyniuk left behind, we'd have to award Mr. Rempel the Nobel Prize for being the Biggest Man. And we've got to hand it to Mr. Rodyniuk for sticking around Winnipeg. When Mr. Feltham bungled the relatively insignificant application to increase tuition for business school, he fled the province!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-19283157051833182792010-12-08T07:57:00.003-06:002010-12-08T08:32:42.576-06:00If Engineers Ran the Zoo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TP-TxIQ1f7I/AAAAAAAAADk/SkeUdpyhZQo/s1600/Bipole%2B1%25262.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 138px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TP-TxIQ1f7I/AAAAAAAAADk/SkeUdpyhZQo/s200/Bipole%2B1%25262.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548315738184712114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >We can certainly appreciate that sometimes engineers feel they know better than the public. And it's certainly their right to write letters explaining how they're able to engineer something the public doesn't actually want.<br /><br />As readers digest the group letter published in today's <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/engineers-united-on-east-side-111511504.html">Free Press</a>, consider what Bipoles actually look like. They're huge swaths of destruction. They are inconsistent with the development of long-term economic opportunities like ecotourism and unlike an all weather road, it's impossible to transport milk via a high voltage transmission line.<br /><br />Governments at all levels - municipal, provincial, and federal - have important laws in place that actually protect the public from engineers. And it's a good thing too. Without them, hog barns and manure storage facilities, for example, could be engineered and built almost anywhere in the province.<br /><br />Hugh McFadyen and his Tories haven't met an engineer they haven't wanted to hug. If you believe, however, that there's more to good public policy than an engineer's formula book, <a href="http://www.heartoftheboreal.ca/">take a serious look</a> at what the NDP, First Nations like Poplar River, and local environmental groups are actually trying to do on the East Side. And if you ever wonder what happens when governments build things in communities where people don't want them, take a tour of Winnipeg's new roundabouts.<br /><br />If you truly believe in long-term economic development and economic opportunity for East Side communities, the right choice is almost formulaic.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-22391148426059840162010-11-26T09:28:00.004-06:002010-11-26T10:01:33.732-06:00The Art of Political Exodus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TO_ZSIRJWfI/AAAAAAAAADc/QGpeo6p8GlQ/s1600/Bush%2BExit%2BStrategy%2BPicture.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 155px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TO_ZSIRJWfI/AAAAAAAAADc/QGpeo6p8GlQ/s200/Bush%2BExit%2BStrategy%2BPicture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543888571796642290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >Politics is difficult, and many of us can recite all the pat reasons why.</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />But one of the more understated, personal challenges of politics is having enough individual self-awareness to voluntarily know when it's time to pass the torch. And history has shown that voluntarily dissolving oneself of power is not easily done.</span><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Take a moment and compare the three most recent high profile political exoduses in Canada. If you were a Premier, which of the doors below would you choose?<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">(Two of these things are certainly not like the other...)<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Premier Danny Williams:</span><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"Orson Welles once said that if you want a happy ending, you need to know when to end your story. So I've called you here today to announce the end of my story as the ninth premier of Newfoundland and Labrador."</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Williams, 61, later told reporters he's not getting any younger. He said he wanted to leave enough time for his Progressive Conservative party to elect another leader, likely this spring, before a fixed-date election slated for next October.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Premier Gary Doer:</span><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"I thought, if you ever get a chance in this job to go out on your own timing, you'd better take advantage of it. I have watched very good people leave not of their own accord," Doer said.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"I think it's important that you go out on your own terms as an individual but you also go in a way that allows your party to renew and the government to renew and the public to have a renewed sense of energy."</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Premier Gordon Campbell:</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Campbell told a news conference in Vancouver that his decision was based on the realization that his own unpopularity over the HST was preventing his government from moving forward on anything else in its economic agenda.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">“When public debate becomes focused on one person, instead of what is in the best interest of British Columbians, we have lost sight about what is important,” Mr. Campbell told a news conference in Vancouver. “When that happens, it's time for a change."<br /></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23484242.post-15746062976007795652010-11-19T14:32:00.003-06:002010-11-19T15:01:34.078-06:00We Have to Believe You're Smart<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TObinblcYII/AAAAAAAAADU/Syk4wCCdhwU/s1600/Bright%2BIdea%2BCartoon.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 162px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z7JpawQkzfo/TObinblcYII/AAAAAAAAADU/Syk4wCCdhwU/s200/Bright%2BIdea%2BCartoon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541365558573555842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >One of the worst things a political party can do is take their opposition for granted. As such, parties need always assume there's method behind all of their opposition's madness, and they need to believe their opposition is smart, calculating, and strategic.<br /><br />So, what happened when Hugh McFadyen responded to this week's Throne Speech? Did he assume the NDP was smart, calculating and strategic? Or did he write off the entire event as just another socialist attempt to fool Manitobans before scampering off to the Manitoba Club for a glass of soda water and lime?<br /><br />Well, it seems McFadyen still thinks the NDP's stupid and cloaked in communists capes. This is a really big mistake.<br /><br />What's surprising to us is that McFadyen didn't even try to use the occasion to generate some earned media of his own. Instead, he again chose to remain muted on what Manitoba Conservatives stand for and believe in, just like he did following his political convention. A few <a href="http://blackberryaddicts.blogspot.com/2010/09/final-countdown.html">blog posts</a> ago, we pointed out McFadyen had just 365 days left to do what took Gary Doer and the NDP ten years to do. Now, he has less than 330 days. And just this week, he passed up one of only two major opportunities remaining to tell Manitobans what he stands for and believes in.<br /><br />And in the vacuum created by McFadyen's silence, the <a href="http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?archive=&item=10181">government's message</a> ends up resonating more crisply than Christmas choirs in the rotunda. (Oops...! Should we have said "multicultural" choirs?)<br /><br />And what happens as a result of all this? The NDP force McFadyen to follow when, less than a year out from the election, he should be leading.<br /><br />And if readers are skeptical about our assertions, take a moment to review government news releases in the fall of 2006. Anyone with a basic level of political acumen who understands Manitoba will recognize how former Premier Gary Doer systematically stripped away and took ownership of key populist issues like Winnipeg road improvements, highway upgrades, bicycle paths, and the Canadian Wheat Board (just to name just a few), all of which was done well in advance of the 2007 election.<br /><br />Doer ended up leading McFadyen, and Selinger's now doing the same. (By the way, McFadyen, remember when Doer forced you to give him a standing ovation in front of key Conservatives, including the Prime Minister, the day he called the election? That really sucked, eh?)<br /><br />Conversely, has the NDP written off McFadyen's Throne Speech response as right wing blather before running off to the Union Centre to toast capitalism's demise?<br /><br />Absolutely not. Which is why the NDP leads and the Tories follow.<br /><br />In yesterday's <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704648604575620653438957226.html?KEYWORDS=karl+rove">Wall Street Journal</a>, Karl Rove issued a stern warning to fellow GOP members that they cannot count on President Obama imploding. Rather, Rove astutely points out to Republicans that the road ahead is going to be very difficult.<br /><br />If this week's response to the Throne Speech is any indication, McFadyen's going to need to begin counting on more than an NDP implosion. And while we have to believe you're smart, Mr. McFadyen, it's getting more and more difficult to do so.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Courtesy of bisonmb@gmail.com</div>Bison Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901303062524434055noreply@blogger.com