* Off the top, CTV's Kelly Dehn spoke about a provincial committee evaluating the potential use of live camera feeds of court proceedings. Dehn didn't think it was going to be used outside of less revealing aspects such as opening and closing arguments, and was surprised when told about the statements committee chairman Alan Fineblit of Legal Aid Manitoba made to Canadian Press.
People would also get a "fuller picture" of the justice system if they could witness day-to-day proceedings rather than hear only about sensational and unusual cases that tend to be covered heavily by the media, he added.
"All of those things are solved if you ... have cameras in the courtroom."
While re-iterating the concern that witnesses may be put at risk if seen to "rat" on a gang-banger by a mass audience, Dehn vigourously disagreed with Fineblit's other major concern:
"It can change the nature of the proceedings so that people play to the cameras ... or turn the courtroom into a circus," Fineblit said.
Oh, we already do, he replied, there are a couple of media representatives as part of the group.
He hesitated to identify them however, saying he wasn't sure it was his place. Dehn did agree to ask those media reps if they would agree to having their names disclosed to TGCTS for follow-up interviews about the process and about how the alternative media was going to be included.
* A number of related issues were expounded upon in a discussion with our Wednesday producer Adam, a sharp-minded Red River Cre-Comm student. Not only does the committee have to determine whether trial telecasts could be posted on YouTube and similar websites for 24/7 access, but why is it, that telecasts of Question period from the legislature is restricted to a single live broadcast by one cable provider and is never shown again? What about the Public Accounts Committee?
Adam opined that there was more public interest -- and interest from the public -- in what politicians were doing with our money, than in the majority of court cases. He suggested maybe a new TV channel would have to be allotted that could combine court and political telecasts, and enhance transparency and accountability on a broad scale.
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Next, the Disraeli Freeway rehabilitation continued to dominate the provincial Elmwood byelection.
* North Kildonan Councillor Jeff Browaty is calling for the NDP to commit funding a 6 lane span that would allow for a gradual revision of traffic patterns with NO crippling shutdowns to and from Henderson Highway. Till now, Premier Doer has refused to commit any new funds to allow for a faster or more elaborate project, despite the fact many of the 40,00 daily users facing "5 to 10 minute delays" are his own provincial contituents.
* We reported how this morning Mayor Sam Katz used his guest stint as CJOB 'Excuse Meeee' commentator to directly challenge the use of the Disraeli repair as a "political football" in the March 24 vote. The term was first raised by NDP coronation-designate Bill Blaikie, but Katz surprised the AM radio audience by calling out the former MLA, and now federal MP for the area Jim Maloway, who keeps running print ads criticizing the civic adminstration.
Katz pointedly stated that Maloway has never once called Katz to work with him and Premier Doer on a solution to the 16 month shutdown scenerio.
* While Liberal hopeful Regan Wolfrom had agreed to another interview on TGCTS ( 5 PM Thursday), and Conservative party novice Adrian Schulz was set for Friday at 4 PM, still no response had come from Blaikie's camp for even a first interview.
Even after 4 telephone requests by us, and a flood of on-air calls and emails from Elmwood voters criticizing the absence of the probable cabinet-bound from Kick-FM airwaves -- and one caller who asked us for Blaikie's offcie number and called so they could demand an explanation why campus radio listeners were being ignored -- not even a "sorry, can't make it" had yet been offered.
However, as we exclusively revealed, our morning visit to Blaikie's campaign headquarters at 312 Nairn Avenue yielded a surprising result.
Neighborhood Living publisher Uncle Bob Axford also wanted to get an interview with Blaikie for his byelection eve edition. When we jointly attended the office, we were told that no, Blaikie does not come to the office first thing in the morning but was out door-knocking; he was very very busy; and even when we explained the interview could be recorded anytime this week and replayed on the show to allow us to fit his schedule, Blaikie's 'peeps' would call us back.
Barely 30 seconds later, as we stood deciding where to go for breakfast ( Ham n' Eggs Grill on Princess St.), a big truck carrying a big man came zooming into the lot of the former River Rouge dock. The candidate who wasn't expected at HQ anytime soon had evidentally changed his plans for the morning - and we were there.
After explaining to him the repeated requests, Blaikie said in a level tone:
"Oh yeah, yeah well I'll talk to Linda and we'll get back to you."
When assured it could be recorded ahead of broadcast time as a convenience, Blaikie told us,
"Ok! Well I think we've probably got your number if you've been in touch, so ... ok, all right, sorry you had to stake me out (laughs)..." .
So it is apparent that Blaikie had no idea we had been trying to get in touch with him. As our listeners heard Axford say, "I don't think they're talking to him at all... hey Marty I don't think they can avoid ya now!"
An Elmwood voter called and felt that with Blaikie moving from permanent opposition status in Ottawa to "coming into this where he's going to end up in a government, where what he says and how he says it, everything about him is now going to matter. (and now) he got handlers ... he's in a different world and ... I really don't think he knew what he was getting himself into ... he doesn't realize now he's got a staff that was appointed to him by who else - the guys who are in government who are controlling everything! - and they probably said, Bill will only talk to these media outlets, do not let him talk to anyone else. I bet he doesn't realize what's going on."
The caller ended by reminding that the face of Gary Doer, and not Blaikie, is on the orange NDP election signs and "a lot of people are not very happy in our riding".
It appears that to at least that listener, the goal of becoming part of 'Big Government' has shackled the longtime 'people's man' persona of Bill Blaikie.
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After 5 PM, Geoff Currier, defeated in his quest to become River-Heights/Fort Garry councillor by John Orlikow, said he was astonished "the first few weeks of the campaign that particularly in Linden Woods, how many people out there did not know that their city councillor (Brenda Leipsic) had died. The lack of awareness was stunning. I found it very disturbing. "
He believed that his campaign fell short in getting those suburban young-to- middle-aged families involved, as "life is pretty good for these folks , they aren't politically engaged."
The CJOB talk show host observed "There wasn't a ton of mainstream media coverage", since those outlets don't tend to cover byelections.
"We cover a fire in the North End that affects the family that lives there and maybe their neighbours, but we won't cover a byelection that affects 75,000 people". As a result, Orlikow was elected by 13% "if that" of the electorate.
"The most disturbing thing is that about 80% of the people (in the ward)don't care who their city councillor is ... I can handle a loss but what really disturbed me is that they chose to not get engaged. Was I rejected by the voters? No, we (he and Orlikow) were ignored by the voters," even though municipal goverment "has the most direct impact on the quality of our day to day lives.
One way the public could have been engaged was to "do a negative thing", Currier agreed.
"Maybe we should have gone after Mr. Orlikow on his record. Maybe we should have gone after him on the number of flip-flops he pulled during the campaign" including accepting union endorsements such as CUPE, which represents city workers.
And as for the Free Press and CBC reports today of Orlikow claiming he was not left-leaning because "it depends how you define left", Currier told us that the Firefighters Union endorsed him "because they thought Mr. Orlikow was too far to the left... if he was too far to the left for that union, what does that tell you? If he doesn't (consider himself left of centre) he's the only one ... Declare what you are and who you are, and don't try to bamboozle people".
Currier also explained that he was not going back to the NightHawk talk slot on CJOB immediately but would be doing other things for the station for awhile, and told the Kick-FM audience "It's a pleasure, I'm gonna miss doing The Great Canadian Talk Show cause it's always a lot of fun"; we invited Geoff to return to the show anytime, especially to talk sports, which is how he first rose to public attention.
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Finally on the show, yesterday a listener sent us an excerpt of the Parking Bylaw and questioned the new WPA plan to sue cameras to heklp issue tickets. So we sent it along and asked the Mayor's office:
Can you confirm that the current city bylaw does not permit any digital methods for determining overtime parking, and the use of chalk only.
"Below is an excerpt from the bylaw covering this issue. It makes it clear that the digital method of ticketing your vehicle is illegal.
http://www.winnipeg.ca/CLKDMIS/DocExt/ViewDoc.asp?DocumentTypeId=1&DocId=344By-law 1573/77"
POLICE MARKING PARKED VEHICLES
22. A Peace Officer for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this by-law, or of any other by-law or regulation of the City of Winnipeg respecting the parking of vehicles, may make or place a mark upon a vehicle which is parked upon a street.
23. No person shall remove, alter, obliterate or deface a mark made or placed upon a vehicle by a Peace Officer as provided in Section (22) until the vehicle has been moved through the nearest intersection."
Our inquiry to the Mayor's Office was directed to Winnipeg Parking Authority honcho Dave Hill, who sent us the following:
Marty, thanks for the note.
The by-law is self explanatory, it empowers a peace officer to put a mark on a vehicle if necessary to enforce the law. It does not preclude any other means of marking a vehicle to measure parking time.
WPA has done electronic chalking based on valve stem location for the past year and the courts have supported the process. It is very common in other cities.
I hope this addresses your concerns.
David C. Hill MA CD Certified Administrator of Public Parking
This led us to ask for any details/decisions from the Court that suppported electronic alternatives to chalk and foot patrol enforcement, and got this reply:
We don’t receive copies of the written decisions, we just receive information regarding the outcome of the case. We have been using electronic observations for over a year and have not been advised of any acquittals based on the use of this format.
TGCTS will continue to follow up with Hill and his political masters.
One aspect of this new practice that is troubling, is that surveillance cameras to protect the public from drive-by shootings and gang activity and hooliganism takes years of meetings and hearings at a cost of millions; but when the WPA suddenly needs to generate revenue from misdemeanours, they resort to using camera technology meant to protect us from reckless car thieves, without a minute of public consultation or debate.
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Item last: The Winnipeg Free Press, champion of the arts and theatre, emailed the following preview of the Thursday paper in Margo Goodhand's Editor's Bulletin to readers:
Mystery head injury
Whatever did we do to Natasha Richardson? The actress got hurt on the bunny hill at Mount Tremblant, Que. Today, news outlets are atwitter as the actress languishes in a New York hospital. Stay tuned.
An offended reader emailed it to us with their reaction:
"Got hurt on the Bunny hill. real funny. Richardson is brain dead. What a laugh. way to go Freep."
The beloved wife, mother, and daughter of the Redgrave/Richardson stage and screen dynasty was allowed to expire peacefully tonight, surrounded by grieving family.
Free Press subscribers and readers who read about Richardson's death tomorrow, might draw their own conclusions about Margo Goodhand's flippant treatment of this tragedy this afternoon.
