Isn't It Fun watching the mainstream media play catch-up...
For weeks on the Great Canadian Talk Show, Scott Taylor and I have been talking about the three groups or individuals involved in the alleged purchase of the Phoenix Coyotes: Chicago’s Jerry Reinsdorf (who is too smart to buy that dog and leave it in Phoenix), the under-financed dreamers from Ice Edge Holdings (who were looking for a bargain-basement price and nothing else) and the Mark Chipman-David Thomson duo (who really have become the apple of the NHL’s eye).
Now one of the local mainstream outlets determined that yes, indeed, Chipman was the third buyer on the scene.
Wow! Nice scoop, FP. Glad the Globe found a "document" for you. What ever happened to real reporting and the old adage, "get it first and get it right."
At the Great Canadian Talk Show we always seem to get it first and once again, we get it right.
Nice to see the local broadsheet caught up to the 'lesser media'.
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On the other hand, the broadsheet hit paydirt with a Freedom of Information request that forced the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority to fork over the internal documentation about almost 900 "critical care" incidents in 2007 and 2008.
The WRHA tried every trick imaginable once they realized that Fortress Postl was not immune from FIPPA legislation. They tried
- the 30 day delay
- charging a fee in lieu of ruling that releasing the information was a public interest issue.
- stalled for 3 weeks after the $225 fee was paid
- attempted to claim there were problems with processing the request (whatever could THAT mean?) and offered to refund the fee, and refused to explain what was the problem until the Ombudsman was called
- claimed the "information contained in the privileged data application does not contain a complete account of the facts of what actually occurred with respect to the critical incident." (does this mean the WRHA was compiling incomplete accounts?)
- Ten Weeks AFTER "the Ombudsman found that the WRHA did not comply with the requirements for responding under FIPPA.", snottily replied they would do it -- just this once.
The reasons for the desperate attempt to sidestep the application was made obvious by the great work of reporter Jen Skerritt on the file.She forced the WRHA to admit they had NOT REVIEWED the data and take steps to correct errors or systemic flaws that led to preventable deaths, such as 27 emergency room patients died because of delays in ER treatment, misdiagnosis of a brain bleed (shades of Gail Glesby), and bed shortages in ICU. Another 94 died due to equipment failure, diagnosis and medication errors and post-surgical complications.
The Free Press has asked for the 2009 data and was told that for the one year, the WRHA would charge $16, 905.
How could it only cost $225 for two years worth of data, but now it's almost $17,000 for a single year?
Well now... the blatant disregard for the rights of the applicant, the delays, the stalling, the ignoring requests for clarification, the demand for exorbitant fees, and the willfull violation of the Act?
THAT is the legacy of former Chief Executive Officer and, by coincidence, former Chief Privacy Officer ! -- Dr. Brian Postl.
The same man that is guiding the instruction of the doctors (and doctors who become administrators) of tomorrow at the University of Manitoba.
The same man who told CJOB that Skerritt's reporting into the Brown Envelope program was 'laughable'.
So funny, in fact, that the Provincial Auditor decided to investigate based on her story even though Postl claimed he had called the Auditor asking for a review of the policy - (Now THAT'S comical).
It appears this decision about whether to release information under FIPPA was based on paranoia that the region would be unfairly criticized, and the stability of their political benefactors (ie Health Minister Theresa Oswald who called Postl "courageous" in defence of his Brown Envelope scandal behavior) would suffer as a result.
Perhaps if the Act had teeth-- like criminal charges for obstructing access to public interest documents and reports like, say, how many people were DYING perhaps unnecessarily in hospitals on Postl's watch - the bureaucracies of this province such as the WRHA would show some respect for the people's right to know, instead of contempt.
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Here is the Sherbrook Street bike lane update we broadcast this week:
From: Belinda Squance, Ellice Cafe
Subject: Update
To: "'Marty"
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 3:46 PM
Sigh.
I met with Harvey Smith and Kevin Nixon yesterday. I am slightly more frustrated than before the meeting.
One piece of information I did get out of Kevin was the purpose of this proposed route. Apparently the AT route is being planned for Sherbrook for the sake of HSC staff. The hope is to get them out of cars and on to bikes.
I told him I have not met a single cyclist who supports this plan. The ‘true’ cyclists say bike lanes make cycling more dangerous. Most say they are either fine with Sherbrook as it is or they won’t start riding on Sherbrook if the bike lane is put in place.
Kevin also said he has photos over the course of two weeks showing that not all parking is taken up on the east side of Sherbrook. I said the west side is full by 7 am when I walk to work.
He suggested maybe putting in meters and having two hour paid parking to ease that problem.
When I went around to businesses in the area yesterday they are ALL against this plan. I also have some regular customers who own apartments/rooming houses on Sherbrook between Ellice and Sargent.
One only heard about this plan when I told him yesterday.
I have phoned and left a message with Glen Laubenstein as well. I have yet to hear back from his office about when we can meet.
Harvey is going to try and get us on the agenda to speak at a Public Works meeting May 25. This is our first avenue (according to Kevin) to put a halt to this part of the project.
He said he can not change any of the plan and Sherbrook has to go ahead with the rest of the whole AT plan.
We suggested they use Langside instead as it has controlled crossings at Portage and Ellice already. The City would just have to put in a cross walk at Sargent. He seemed unmoveable on the whole issue. He did not believe removing parking would have any negative impact on the area. He didn’t come into the meeting with a bike helmet. I am guessing he drove. I could be wrong but he does not seem like the guy to be heading this project.
I will keep you posted.
Thanks!
A very tired,
Belinda
******************* Last week we held another Live Remote from CDI College at 280 Main Street and we were joined by Barrett Fraser of 360Winnipeg.ca for his Tuesday "New Media Perspectives" commentary. The staff and students are always so welcoming when we visit and we are proud to be sponsored by CDI.
With Graduation coming up on June 5th at Know United Church, we'll have Campus Director Tahl East on the show again that week to tell us about the preparations for the ceremony -- which will include an address to the gathering by Mayor Sam Katz.
* This past Thursday night we watched the end of the wrestling career of Priceless Chad Tatum of Brandon, who gave it his all in a challenge to the PCW champion, the World's Own Kenny Omega at Highway to Hell. The crowd at Dylan's on Pembina thrilled at the battle with the international star until a series of german suplexes rendered Tatum hors de combat.
Tatum was part of a crop of rural athletes, including his former partner Rawskillz and the master of the midriff clamp Mike Angels, who broke into the game in 1999 and drove the long miles from Western Manitoba to prove themselves ring-worthy. They were the next generation of beyond-the-perimeter warriors, sweating and straining to learn and hone their craft as had Chi Chi Cruz and Eddie Watts in the 1980's.
Outside of the ring, Chad is a soft-spoken and good-natured man who has a wonderful career in teaching, a beautiful girlfriend and a baby on the way. Best of luck to Chad as he follows Average Joe Dixon into the roll call of past PCW competitors.
* Blogs to read this long weekend include:
1) All about the state of Downtown and the Exchange District with special emphasis on parking issues and some illuminating pictures, http://progressivewinnipeg.blogspot.com/2010/05/may-two-four-weekender-special.html
2) More about downtown with the emphasis on the Downtown Biz' failed spin about their safety poll, and the failure of Portage Place with some neat video : http://slurpeesandmurder.blogspot.com/2010/05/portage-place-coming-alive-but-not.html
3) Why, contrary to what Judge Ray Wyant says, the media is not the cause of public dissatisfaction with the court system, it's his fellow gavel-bangers:
http://blackrod.blogspot.com/2010/05/case-to-elect-judges-exhibit.html
4) And of course, Rick the Boss' favorite photographic archive by the fabulous Bryan Scott
http://www.winnipeglovehate.com/
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VICTORIA DAY MONDAY REPLAY: THE RETURN OF JOHN COLLISON from April 12th
TGCTS is back with live broadcasts Tuesday, May 25 at 4 PM!
