The college lawyer had just visited Rushton, concerned about a message carried by a former city hall employee now planted within RRC's administration.
The warning was from unidentified Active Transportation supporters that the College might be dragged into a courtroom if TGCTS persisted giving a voice to community concerns about the controversial bike lanes, and the messenger was "quite concerned about the effect this might have on our relationship with the City", which was spending $20 million on the projects.
http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2010/12/discovered-previous-failed-attempt-to.html
Rushton wrote she had "explained the station is a separate entity", so the lawyer felt better about the potential liability issue.
Rushton, who was also Treasurer of KICK FM, went on to say:
"But my question is why we continue to have this guy on the air. He isn't a student and we have had any number of complaints about him from people whose opinions we care about."
One of those people, she claimed, was the biggest name possible at City Hall.
"I know Sam Katz called Jeff [former president Dr. Jeff Zabudsky] a couple of years ago about Mr Gold's attacks ... I'm not big on censorship at all but I think the CKIC Board needs to talk about our relationship with him. I'm not sure why we allow him to use the station as his soap box ... Although we know the station isn't the College, the public perceives it as ours."
The next day, the College lawyer wrote about the veiled threat to station manager Rick Baverstock, who agreed with the lawyer that nothing defamatory or slanderous had been broadcast on TGCTS.
Baverstock warned that "some parties may be trying to intimidate the radio station by approaching certain members of the College administration directly."
Baverstock outlined a 4 step complaint process, modeled on the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council method, and emphasized to the RRC lawyer, Thomson, Partap, Rushton and College Director of External Relations Twylla Krueger that:
"I need to be the first person who receives and responds to any complaint."
Six weeks later, another Red River College vice-president was engaged in discussions about the possible need for a parkade, and had sought some input from the Winnipeg Parking Authority. An official wrote back:
"I tried to be helpful and I think that RRC and the City have some new opportunities as a result. Ironically, it was your college radio station that put an end to that and so I'm moving on tomorrow."
Perplexed by the comment, VP Rob Olson forwarded the September 30th email from Dave Hill to Rushton and their fellow vice-president, Ken Webb (the boss of Graham Thomson and Larry Partap).
Rushton, (who that week had stepped aside for new president Stephanie Forsyth), repeated the claim about complaints from Mayor Katz:
"Interesting -- It must have been something that that guy Marty Gold who does a talk show on KICK-FM said. He is always ragging on the city and we have received complaints from Sam about him in the past."
Rushton had at that point, told at least 4 senior officials at Red River College, including two directly involved with her in the sudden cancellation of The Great Canadian Talk Show 5 weeks later, that Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz had complained to Red River College about Marty Gold and his radio program.
As with everybody involved with killing the Great Canadian Talk Show, Cathy Rushton shares a big problem; there exists no trace of any of these alleged complaints about the show or Marty Gold.
Starting with the official record within RRC:
And then we double-checked with the former president:
From: Jeff Zabudsky
Subject: RE: my FOI application for your records about The Great Canadian Talk Show
To: "'Marty Goldstein'"
Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 10:22 AM
Hi Marty,
I can confirm for the record that I was never approached by Mayor Katz or anyone from his office about TGCTS.
Jeff
*******************
Jeff Zabudsky, PhD
President and CEO
Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
And to make sure, we went directly to the alleged source, Sam Katz, who said in a letter just this past Friday:
" ... I would like to inform you emphatically that any statement to that effect is patently false ...
I would reiterate that I never in any such manner made complaint to Red River College and find any such allusions to that effect very disappointing."
However, last fall, Cathy Rushton was not through badmouthing the radio show.
Coming next: Rushton's claim she was "not big on censorship" proves to be about as accurate as what she said about Sam Katz.
*******************
New: Link to my Winnipeg Sun tribute to Chuck Green
"The Zookeeper had left the building" Dated Feb 3/2011
http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/columnists/2011/02/02/17130561.html
Chuck Green, co-owner of the Osborne Village Inn aka "the Zoo/ Ozzies Lounge" passed away in his sleep on Friday, January 28th. He had battled diabetes for many years. Sad reaction from across Canada has been in evidence all over Facebook and emails.
Chuck was one of the biggest supporters of The Great Canadian Talk Show on 92.9 KICK FM, and of many of my other pursuits including providing a venue for our Canada Day Rough House Rasslin' events in 1994, 2004, 05 and 06 which were hugely successful.
He provided jobs and opportunities to many a musician, band promoter, wrestler, dancer, bouncer, and to my own children. He was the first person to send me an email affectionately calling me "Zaida" after my grandson was born.
As important as Yoram Hamizrachi was to my development in community activism and broadcasting in the 1980's, Chuck gave me a similar education in business and commerce in the 1990's, until I moved to the west coast to work as a documentary film producer and live event consultant. He was an expert chef, a shrewd businessman, and a wise mentor.
As the son of Holocaust survivors, his strong support for Israel and the Jewish people was a frequent subject of conversations and emails that often found their way onto my radio program.
I cannot begin to enumerate the lessons I learned from Chuck about the Osborne Village neighborhood and Biz, the history of the music scene in the 70's and 80's in Winnipeg, how businesses in this city are hamstrung by government rather than helped, and about the bar, hotel, and promotion industry. He frequently sent me an insiders' view of issues like the Parking Authority trying to muscle into Osborne Village with their bogus survey this summer, the MLCC pricing monopoly, the provincial government charging GST off the top of VLT revenues.
They never have enough. If you review the last 30 years you'll have no problem seeing why the bankruptcy and turn over rates have gone up 100 fold. Every change the various levels of government have made have always been in their favor with absolutely no regard for the well being of small business and the economy. They've made us tighten our belts over and over again while they give themselves raises and benefits again and again.
Working in the private sector doesn't come even close in comparison to working in the public sector. I would have been better off washing floors at the hospital for the past 30 years 5 days a week with every holiday either off or making double time. I'd be retiring far better off than the 30 years of working 7 days a week without counting the endless hours I've put in. The government has robbed us by changing the rules on an almost daily to their own benefit.
Chuck Green definitely believed in our manifesto 'YOU HAVE THE POWER':
"We need to do what they do in most third world countries. Have a revolution every 12 years or less and out with the old while in with the new. Not to say that the new are any better but at least the public have the opportunity to get even with the really bad ones".
Chuck's storytelling was legendary and so are the stories about him. I imitated him frequently on the air (and even more often off the air), and so did almost everyone who knew him.
He was able to connect with everyone from bikers to bankers, from rockers to punkers, and from cops to rounders. Chuck introduced me to many great people who became close and valued friends, including city Film Commissioner Kenny Boyce, Brandon Sun Managing Editor James O'Connor, and the late entertainment agent Rob Hoskin.
I am sure Hos and my Uncle Phil Cohen were there to greet him when he left this earth, asking if he brought some pickerel cheeks for the barbeque.
Chuck Green will be laid to rest on Tuesday morning at 10.30 AM, in a graveside service at the Rosh Pina Memorial Park, which is on North Main Street just past the Chief Peguis Bridge on the east side of the street.
****************
Following the huge crowds that came out in 2009 to see Derek Miller play at the Zoo on Canada Day, after I managed the unprecedented double-header of interviewing Derek on 2 radio stations in 1 day to promote his music (Kick FM and CJOB) Chuck sent me this note:
I just wanted to thank you sincerely for having stepped in to help as soon as you had the means. You and I have had a strange relationship over the years but your heart has always been in the right place. You're a good friend and if there's anything that I can do for you please don't hesitate to ask.
Thank you for everything you did for me and my family, Chuck.
Baruch Dayan Emet.
HERE IS THE LINK TO AN INTERVIEW THAT SPIRITED KENNY CONDUCTED WITH ME ON KICK-FM THIS PAST SUNDAY ABOUT CHUCK;
http://thekennyshow.podbean.com/mf/web/4gayhw/Marty-ChuckGreen.mp3
PS - this message from Barb Judt, Executive Director of Osborne House:
Barbara Judt commented on The Great Canadian Talk Show's Wall post.
Barbara wrote
"Chuck was a super guy and understood the importance of supporting the community. We always had a great time with him at the biz meetings when I sat on the board. Our deepest heartfelt condolences to Ruth and their two children, his father Mr. Ernie Green, brothers Coleman, David, Ricki and all members of their families.
Rest in peace my friend. Much love, Barbara and Richard"
"Chuck was a super guy and understood the importance of supporting the community. We always had a great time with him at the biz meetings when I sat on the board. Our deepest heartfelt condolences to Ruth and their two children, his father Mr. Ernie Green, brothers Coleman, David, Ricki and all members of their families.
Rest in peace my friend. Much love, Barbara and Richard"
