"Watchdog Clears Lemieux"
"Elections Commissioner Bill Bowles said Lemieux, who is running for re-election in Dawson Trail, was acting as an MLA, not a candidate, when he presented a $15,000 cheque for a playground in Landmark ...
"In his ruling, Bowles said the cheque presentation was only semi-public. Lemieux did not speak at the formal playground dedication ceremony and did not publicize his attendance. He waited until after the ceremony to give the cheque to the playground committee. A reporter from the Steinbach Carillon happened to tag along.
Bowles also said he could find no fault with a blog-style article Lemieux published a few days later on a local news site, where he touted the playground grant and posted a photo of the cheque presentation."
Listen to the podcast to hear us dissect the intellectual dishonesty of Elections Manitoba creating the new concept of a "semi-public" appearance by a cabinet minister wielding a government cheque, and then absolving him for writing as a "candidate" about his actions as a Minister, replete with a photo that just "happened". (What is "blog-style", anyways?)
More importantly, a source shared information with TGCTS about the timing aspect, which seems to have escaped scrutiny.
When was the Community Places grant cheque cut? What is the normal protocol for getting the money to the organization? What decisions did Lemieux have the option of making ? You can decide, is Elections Manitoba part of the supplicant society as described by Prof. Bryan Schwartz?
And that's not the only campaign dirty trick discussed, as while recording the show, we received confirmation of a major brouhaha over voter ID at an inner city polling station that had (has?) lawyers involved.
Two bloggers provide great insight into the Air Canada crew layover controversy.
Kevin dug up an insiders' explanation of a recent violent incident downtown that appears to have spurred the move; while the other asked why people cannot discuss the obvious connection of downtown disorder with a down-and-out and often homeless element in the aboriginal community without being labeled a racist.
Speaking of homelessness, DJ Monkey took time away from upgrading the desktop in the studio to provide some colour commentary about pictures we have acquired of the Downtown Biz CEO sleepover that illustrate how out of touch the Biz and corporate honchos are, focused more on public relations than true compassion and understanding of the homeless in the city.
For instance, whereas this was supposed to be an "outdoor" sleepover, it doesn't mean the CEO's slept under the stars.
They slept under canvas.
No staying warm under newspapers for this pretend-homeless person, with her 4 layers of clothing and a hairstyle so perfect Mary Agnes Welch is sure to endorse her for political office one day.
Nothing says "at one with the homeless" than a $600 Canada Goose insulated parka and fur-lined hood. Way to go, Brain, er, em, Brian.
In addition to the access to indoor washrooms, bright Las Vegas style lighting, and 20 security guards obstructing photographs and demanding that even visiting senior executives from Alberta show identification, the Downtown Biz couldn't very well have the high and mighty of Winnipeg experience the indignity of suffering any actual, you know, hunger, before the formal breakfast with an imported speaker last Friday.(Wait till you hear what DJ Monkey said about what the real homeless have for dessert.)
As our picture-provider said:
"They wanted to talk the talk of homeless people but they sure didn't walk the walk."
Here is the link to the Election Day podcast:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/10/04/election-day-the-missing-details-of-lemieux-cheque-complaint-pics-of-homeless-wear-of-the-rich/
