Third NDP Candidate Added To "Wage Garnisheed To Pay Overdue Court Fine" List

Based on what we know thus far from the public record, either 
A) Highway Traffic Act tickets and penalties are priced too high, or
B) NDP candidates aren't diligent about obligations to the courts.

Considering the combined wage of the first two NDP candidates identified in last week's story were earning over $100,000 at the University of Winnipeg (Wab Kinew in 2015) and over $94,000 as a Member of the Legislature (Nahanni Fontaine in 2017), pleading poverty seems an unlikely option.

I have learned the NDP Leader and his Deputy Leader aren't alone in the category of NDP candidates who had a garnishee order executed to satisfy overdue Provincial Court fines. 

And since Southdale hopeful Karen Myshkowsky was a school teacher in the Louis Riel School Division at the time, it seems unlikely that her wage was an issue in affording to pay the ticket, before the sheriff visited her employer with a Notice of Garnishment. 

Myshkowsky is a first-time campaigner set up in a former Liquor Mart in the constituency. She started full-time at Glenlawn Collegiate with high risk and special needs students in January 2015, after a couple of years as an on-call substitute. Before the end of the year, $343.80 had been redirected from her December paycheque.  And it wasn't the last time, either. 

In March of 2018, another Certificate of Default was entered, and the Sheriff made sure the school division coughed up an even higher fine - $439.00 - off Myshkowsky's wages to the courts. 

Like Kinew, Myshkowsky was a private citizen employed in  education, both times her wages were seized by the court. 

Like Fontaine in St. Johns, the garnishment of the NDP candidate in Southdale was apparently not previously reported in the media or self-disclosed. Voters would have no idea. 

Last week I raised the Fontaine matter with Liberal leader Dougald Lamont and asked if Bill 240 should include the public's  right to know if at the very least, elected officials (as Fontaine was) seeking re-election, went offside with the courts. His answer seems to encompass the Myshkowsky case too, saying a political party should be upfront about these issues (assuming their vetting process even looks for garnishment orders involving candidates). 

"I think offences against democracy should be considered just as much as other kinds of offences especially when you are talking about people who are politicians."  Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont

(Lamont also slid in that Brian Pallister kept having "bozo explosions" from within the PC Caucus, refering to last week's discovery that MLA Rick Wowchuk was allowed to run for re-election after complaints of problematic behaviors towards staff.) 

When I investigated that maybe new disclosure laws for candidates didn't go quite far enough, people hadn't thought about it at all. Their thinking mostly stopped at how the legislation was largely designed by the PC government to embarass Wab Kinew. 
But when I gave the example of voters in St. Johns not being told the wages of their MLA were garnisheed to pay a court fine - and it had to sink in a bit - Lamont echoed the feedback I got from readers: "Ya, I think it's in the public interest". 

It isn't known right now if there are even more candidates in the Manitoba election, for the NDP or for other parties, whose employer got a visit from the Sheriff. 
*********

The Manitoba NDP is running at least 3 (professionally-paid) candidates who forced the sheriff's office to serve legal notice on their employer to collect an outstanding court fine. How did that escape the attention of the mainstream media in Winnipeg? 

Or as Lamont put it "Who's going to be the watchdog?" 

Well... the Myshkowsky candidacy has another controversy in play that more directly points to the media and its selective approach to applying the microscope to candidates. 

In 2014, the Gord Steeves campaign for mayor of Winnipeg was KO'd after the MSM insisted he account for comments his wife had made - years before on Facebook - about drunken aboriginal panhandlers downtown making her feel unsafe. When those comments were originally posted, one of the people who endorsed those views was the husband of Myshkowsky. 

"I  love your post" he wrote, a post so controversial one local outlet said it "derailed her husband's campaign". 

Why wasn't the NDP candidate in Southdale grilled and hounded for her spouses comments the way a PC-affiliated mayoral candidate was? Was she asked about it even once?

Surely, not a double standard from MSM.

(It should be noted that less than a year ago Global News actually asked Jay Myshkowsky about this when he ran for school trustee in LRSD Ward 4 - and he apologized.) 
*********

Look over these 4 endorsements for the Manitoba election coverage we have produced. If you agree we make a difference, will you help chip in towards the costs so it can continue?

You can donate in a few different ways. 

The easiest way is by PayPal 
https://www.paypal.me/MartyGoldMedia
or email TGCTS1@gmail.com for other options such as etransfer or to meet up. 

Read more about why this mission deserves your support:http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/theres-2-elections-coming-up-so-were.html

Two charities may have to cancel Christmas dinners; plus a Lesson in Journalism

JUNE 24 2019 ADDED NOTE: 
ALL POSTS PRIOR TO THIS DATE ARE ARCHIVED FROM 2011 AND EARLIER - AND WILL NOT HAVE WORKING LINKS TO THE PODCASTS 


Essential listening to understand what's going on in Winnipeg? You betcha.

Start with contrasting the state of the subjects on Winnipeg radio to our hyperlocal, relevant, informed content and style; how you'll be able to get involved with TGCTS thru our new website; then we enumerate our latest dozen followers (@TGCTS, it's booming!) on Twitter including United Way Winnipeg, Ottawa radio show The Album Drop, Cash Mob Winnipeg and Pulitzer Prize nominee, sportswriter Dave Kindred.

It's fascinating to watch the scope of awareness about our work spread across the continent, which sets up...

A Lesson in Journalism.

We examine the Twitterchat about the Jets licence plates, the Metro News story about Osborne House and their wish list and the issue of donor fatigue. How it relates to the CTV Late night news is part two.

Perhaps suffering from compartmentalization they missed a key point in their TV stories - with the Salvation Army and Indian Metis Friendship Centre being a combined $35,000 off the required donation pace for annual Christmas meals and gifts for the less fortunate, this issue of donor fatigue is now the elephant in the room in our city after the pet projects of millionaires sucked obscene amounts of dollars out of our community. (Remember, your favorite Museum is still panhandling for another $20 million. )

Also we reveal that Osborne House CEO Barb Judt is marching down to city hall later this week with a few messages for the Mayor and council.

In the crime report, we make a brief mention of the Grant Avenue Speed trap, the work of Colin Craig of the CTF and Tom Brodbeck of the Sun, as a Facebook member tries to find the good side of the fiasco; and a blogger discovers the city will issue an order on a derelict building, they just won't ENFORCE the order.

How Seinfeldian. Bizzaro Manitoba. Send this episode to everyone you know, here's the link:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/12/13/two-charities-may-have-to-cancel-christmas-dinners-plus-a-lesson-in-journalism/

Winnipeg blogosphere backlash against Free Press hypocrisy

Today, Graham Hnatiuk blogged about a war of words started over on the Free Press website, after columnist Dan Lett didn't take kindly to being called out for ignoring allegations of election irregularities in the vote that resulted in Kevin Chief winning the Point Douglas seat at the legislature.

http://progressivewinnipeg.blogspot.com/2011/11/dan-lett-and-ivory-cafe.html

Hnatiuk raised serious issues about the derisive attitude of the Winnipeg Free Press towards citizen journalists, at the same time as they have joined forces with Red River College to administer a $400,000 program via the Winnipeg Foundation to "train" them.

I want to make clear that in no way do I think, or have I ever thought, that Dan Lett had anything to do with the "keep this confidential" backroom gang - style 'hit' of my reputation and my community radio program by pro-censorship elitists aligned with "people whose opinions we care about".

http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2011/02/winnipeg-free-press-opposes-censorship.html

However, the following email from a listener about today's blog post demonstrates that even one year later, the actions of Free Press and Red River College officials and of their corporate radio "partners" masquerading as community representatives on the radio station board of directors, continues to cause deep mistrust in this community towards the MSM and Red River College - and has backfired on FP editor Margo Goodhand, her bossman Bob Cox, and RRC president Stephanie Forsyth.

Hi Graham and Marty,

Graham, your post today was very well written and highlights the arrogance and hypocrisy of some MSM members.

Folks like Mr. Lett are not used to being challenged and as a result instead of engaging the public, resort to ad hominum attacks.

Whether teddybaxter is right on his/her facts or not - he/she is actually a customer of Lett.

All Lett had to do was place his evidence forward and invite teddybaxter to do the same - while keeping his professionalism.

Instead the public is treated to "Behold the wonder of citizen journalism" and accusations of being "birthers" and 911 conspiracy folks.

This is an insult to every single "citizen journalist" and every single person who reads/listens to them (like me).

The MSM is losing the trust of the people that they supposedly serve. As a result those folks are increasingly looking for alternatives.

This scares the MSM because they are losing that exalted space that used to be theirs.

When backed into a corner they lash out.

I'm glad that you reiterated the cancellation of TGCTS. This has dire consequences for all community radio in this city.

If commercial/"elite" interests can get away with it at KICK, you can bet your ass they'll try it again somewhere else. What happened to TGCTS should not be forgotten. These jokers might not like something on your own radio program and all of a sudden there's no room at the inn at UMFM.

This past year has been one hell of an education for myself (and it's not over yet).

"Citizen Journalism" and the "Alternative Media" have never been needed more.

All the best as you continue your work

John

(Next podcast is a Tuesday special about Crime in Winnipeg. )

Live at King's Head - City Hall, the Bike Lobby and 'Rapid' Transit; reel-to-reel & 80's Winnipeg VHS tapes wanted; special guests

Thanks to the wonders of our Facebook group, a live edition of TGCTS broke out at the King's Head on Wednesday night and was it fun (if perhaps recorded at a too-quiet setting, live and learn ) !

Notwithstanding the absence of a wireless signal, a fast-paced and wide-ranging discussion ensued with shout-outs to all sorts of Twitterists, guest commentators including Graham Hnatiuk of Progressive Winnipeg, and a rave review of Dr Pepper Barbeque sauce is but a fraction of the fun.


Oh, and the answer to the question from our last Podcast - how many callers did I hang up on at Kick-FM?

Lots of opinions, information, naming names galore (Rosemary Vodrey??), and discussion about Winnipeg past and present, and especially plugging Jim Jaworski's work to preserve historic video of this city (lil_zebra@truwinnipeg.org if you have any to contribute), at http://www.youtube.com/user/jaworskij

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE LIVE ON LOCATION PODCAST: http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/11/10/live-at-kings-head-city-hall-the-bike-lobby-and-rapid-transit-reel-to-reel-80s-vhs-wanted/

PS - If you would like to book a live edition of The Great Canadian Talk Show to generate discussion with your group or organization, as a fundraiser, or for your own entertainment, we'd be happy to oblige.

REMEMBER THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOM.

Feedback on Occupy Winnipeg, Downtown Biz and safety, poverty, Crocus; plus FLM nominations open

In lieu of a Podcast today, we are going to take some extra time to prepare a special Tuesday episode marking the one year anniversary of the betrayal of radio listeners (and their own Cre-Comm students) by the anti-citizen journalism, anti-free speech bosses at Red River College.

One of the reasons the media oligarchy, as Scott Price of CKUW describes it, had to find a way to silence the community platform offered to TGCTS by CKIC station manager Rick Baverstock, was our mandate to circulate other sources of opinion and information and to reflect the comments by listeners and readers in our community about the issues and how they are reported on by the mainstream media.

Can you imagine if last November, heading into a provincial election, the public had learned on drive-time campus radio that the largest shelter in Manitoba was rife with mould and needed $1/2 million in repairs, while the Selinger priority was to devote over $30 million to polar bear projects and $40 million for a museum about "human rights" ?

Which media outlet do you think would have asked Greg Selinger why his government underfunded Osborne House and endangered its clients health? Because TGCTS would have.

Then again, we derived not a dime from his government.

The execution of TGCTS on radio wasn't about silencing us in the studio - it was about silencing ALL of you who were being given a voice at a time of day when people would actually be able to listen to their radio, and would want to participate in a professional format that engaged the audience to take action and challenge elected officials for funding the pet projects of millionaires to the hilt while they ignored the daily needs of vulnerable human beings in our community.

We are sure the brown tower bullies at RRC and their loyal "partners" in mainstream radio will want to listen tomorrow to the story told by Barb Judt of Osborne House about domestic violence in this community and the demand for the services her agency provides.

After all, it is the story that they themselves silenced one year ago at Kick-FM because they cared more about their corporate agendas then they did about homeless women and children in Winnipeg and the precarious financial situation of the shelter.

In the meantime, here is a sampling of recent public affairs coverage in the alternative media and feedback we get via email and social media from believers in You Have the Power.

**********
Firstly a message posted on our Facebook group from Kristaps:

"Whether you are for, against, curious, or have no idea about the Occupied movement in this city, please come down and talk to us! We are a diverse group of people of various races, religions, educations, careers and views on the the movement. You are always welcome to come sit around the fire and share your opinions, and hear ours. If any of you have been thinking of joining the movement do not procrastinate. Yes the weather is getting cold, but we are preparing for the winter. I am a full time student at U of W, and I hold down a part-time job while still camping out every night. We have food, extra sleeping bags and a communal tent in case you do not have access to any of the materials to get started. Please come and talk!"

To which a listener responded:

"Thursday's podcast was good. Kenny and yourself have good chemistry and you're at your best with someone acting as a foil.

I was really impressed with the way you have treated those on the facebook group supporting "Occupy Winnipeg". It shows your commitment to community engagement

Personally I have no issues with the occupiers as long as they clean up after themselves and leave the park as they found it. At least they are engaging each other and if they are sincere are willing to openly engage anyone who wants to hike down there.

Perhaps members of our government and city council should go and talk around the firepit as well. They may get more accomplished."

And we heard more from our Facebook group after we spread word that an Exchange District business, Ragpickers Anti-Fashion Emporium, was re-structuring for the future:

Kristen wrote:

"CBC french radio was by today, with their film cameras - and the shop was filled with French speaking Victorian Dressed frolickers, from other continents, on their way to party! We live in our own time zone here...its multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-dimensional, and filled with uni-bio-philia!!"

**********

An earlier public event, well and deservedly panned by the alternative media, was the CEO Sleepover PR stunt at 201 Portage by the Downtown Biz.

For those who think we were alone in hammering the hypocrites, check out these two pieces from the College press:

http://uniter.ca/view/6586/

http://uniter.ca/view/6572/

And this blogger had some valid observations:

"A quick Google search on the subject reveals that most of the conversation regarding the CEO Sleepout is of the chest-beating, back-slapping, self-congratulatory variety. Participants in the Human Library have been far more self-critical"

http://writingpartners.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/

and there was also this view:

"As I think about that event now, it’s kind of corny: rich and powerful people pose as those in solidarity with those most desperate among us."

http://www.geezmagazine.org/blogs/entry/day-1-on-four-dollars-of-food-per-day/

***************

A lot of the recent criticisms about the Downtown Biz stem from the unrealistic statements on downtown safety coming from their office and public officials after the Air Canada memo was made public.

My column in the Jewish Post about the controversy

http://www.jewishpostandnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=431%3Atelling-it-like-it-is-about-winnipegs-downtown&catid=34%3Ademo-articles&Itemid=78

garnered the following response:

"I finally just had the chance to read the Jewish post article about downtown and it was fabulous man. Well done. Its completely unbelievable how air Canada is getting blasted and no one is actually talking about the real problem. J"

Plus this view from an eyewitness:

" In my last job, I used to be at work for about 5:30 a.m. Monday thru Friday. I would drive down Ellice and make a right at Garry Street. The first left you can make before Portage Avenue takes you down a small back lane. On Garry and down that back lane was a regular occurring show of sex (orgies included), drug deals and then the individuals who thought they had privacy masturbating in public. If you drove down there and startled one of them, you ran the chance of having someone urinate, throw feces or blow their load onto your vehicle.

I used to park in the underground lot at the TD Center. Because it was heated, individuals used to sneak in on occasion and have sex. There’s nothing like stumbling upon that at the end of the day!"

and we also got the following email from a former resident:

"Good article on the downtown. This is what happens when political correctness takes over."

EDIT: and finally, this quote from a documentarian and activist from Los Angeles; his speech this past summer at CDI College was not deemed worthy of attendance by Winnipeg's CEO's for lack of a ribbon to cut or other similar PR trade-off, I presume.

"every person working in homeless services should spend at least 4 hours (1/2 day) each month on the "front lines". They need to "feel" the real pain of homelessness to better understand people and find solutions to help"

Mark Horvath

*********

Inasmuch as poverty is a frequent issue raised in matters of homelessness and downtown crime, this blog analysis by Brian Gilchrist about how food banks are seeing more 'working poor'

http://bgilchrist.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/not-numbers-to-be-proud-of-a-clear-example-of-the-ndp-failing-the-working-poor/

led to this FB comment:

"I agree with two of his points...

Minimum Wage is part of the problem... Minimum wage went up 5.26% in October, which is over 2% mora than inflation. Minimum wage goes up, businesses that higher unskilled/minimum wage labour, such as those working at grocery stores, have to raise their prices to compensate above and beyond the usual 3% inflation.

Since we are on a variable rate taxation system, and that won't change for the forseeable future, I think the best thing they can do is make the personal tax exemption limit 25% less than minimum wage at full time, which would currently be $15,600, which means low income earners pay tax on just $5,200 per year. Now, I can predict now the socialists in the group will say, WAIT!!! They shouldn't pay tax at all! If they make minimum wage then they should keep all their money.

But, if that was the case, the take-home income for someone earning $30,000 per year would be $21,050, after tax, which is only $250 more than someone on minimum wage who got to keep everything. So everyone, even the lowest earners need to contribute to taxes to keep things fair."

************

One of the news stories we kept the spotlight on for years was the Crocus Fund rip-off. The wrist-slap deal made between the Securities Commission and 8 of the Directors - that ONLY TGCTS looked into the details of - fed public cynicism about what justice means under the NDP:

"The sad thing is the people who are responsible won't get punished."

*******************

Lastly, you may want to occupy a few minutes of your time by taking part in the following process that recognizes true leaders in our community:

"Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues,

As many of you are aware over the past number of years I have been involved in the Future Leaders of Manitoba Council (FLMC). On Thursday, January 26th, 2012, the FLMC will be hosting the Fourth Annual Awards Gala, which honours young Manitoban’s aged 25-39 for their amazing achievements in the areas of Business, Community Service, and The Arts. We are always looking for new talent, and cannot wait to honour Manitoba’s finest once again this year.

If you know someone exceptional, please visit the FLMC website at www.flmc.mb.ca for more information on how to nominate. Each finalist and their nominators will be given 2 tickets to the event, to come and celebrate Manitoba.

Nominations are due on Saturday, December 10th, 2011. All nominators will be entered into a draw to receive 2 tickets to the Winnipeg Jets vs. Anaheim Ducks December 17^th hockey game courtesy of FLMC Media sponsor, HOT 103.

Thank you in advance for taking some time out of your day, to honour your friends, family and colleagues by nominating them for one of the exciting and prestigious Future Leaders of Manitoba Awards.

If you have any questions about nominations please feel free to reach me by email at jfarber@qualico.com."

**************

NEXT PODCAST IS TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8TH

Follow us on Twitter @TGCTS

Tuesday podcast: Ethnic gangs focus of both weekend homicides; Gordo wants bureaucrats not crime fighters

On the Tuesday podcast, we find there was nothing innocent about either of the weekend homicides.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/shootings-linked-to-drugs-gangs-death-in-the-city-homicide-numbers-according-to-winnipeg-police-and-statistics-canada-132980823.html

Victim #33 was linked to a "Vietnamese" drug crew, but no media outlet seems to have looked for the details of their failed foray into the US crime market. We did:

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/canadian-pleads-to-cocaine-charges/article_102c671a-ee49-11e0-b900-001cc4c03286.html

Victim #34 was not alone when he was shot, with a 17 year old also getting blasted in the face (remember what we said about "reported" shootings this weekend?), rushed to hospital while his African Mafia pal was left for dead on the Lincoln Hotel pavement.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2011/11/01/gang-ties-in-lincoln-motor-hotel-shooting-police

Media reporting about this shooting was less than optimal, with CBC continuing not to identify racial ID's - (the suspect in the SUV was black in appearance and, as police spinners put it "STALKY"), while Sun TV's Krista Erickson and Nicole Dube both unaware the gang, a Mad Cowz spin off, has been terrorizing Winnipeggers since 2005.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2010/01/21/f-man-african-mafia-intelligence.html

Let alone anyone in MSM asking, what was a 17 year old doing out at 4.40 AM getting shot and did he have a social worker ?

Meanwhile, Gordo outdoes himself by using an unrelated Sunday afternoon mugging of a 17 year old girl by 2 chicks on Watt St. in EK for her IPod, to backstop egghead Rick Linden's fund-more-bureaucrats agenda in Monday's Free Press. The ink-stained wretch and Professor Immobilizer want to heap more dough at "root causes" - like that's gonna stop gangbangers from jacking other teens for their stuff.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/we-need-a-better-plan-to-fight-violent-crime-132980873.html

Listen in to hear how quality journalism like Gordo's has been greeted by readers ... that's the sound of thousands of people not buying the newspaper anymore according to the official audit.

There was also some confusing contradictions between CBC and the police statement, but apparently there were 2 bear spray-induced robberies of pedestrians by a group of thugs around Osborne St in the Village. The root cause being simply - THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT, GORDO.

Today is also time for a round-up of:
* Ambassador Gary Doer's visit to the home of NDP-pleasing censorship, Red River College's Creative Communications crew;
* the disgraceful attitude of Health Minister Theresa Oswald in Question Period - who cares about 361 cancelled surgeries in 5 months when Gary Filmon can be blamed?; * Kevin Chief being turned into a prop so Erin Selby can act all Ministerial instead of doing what he was elected to do, stick up for the people of Point Douglas and ask real questions in the House.

Lastly, the issues of Occupy Winnipeg seems to befuddle Mayor Katz, who wonders what these people occupying Memorial Park are about.

http://www.metronews.ca/winnipeg/local/article/1011962--mayor-mystified-by-occupy-winnipeg

Well, the best reason to Occupy anything in the city, was seen at Ozzy's last Friday night.


HERE IS THE LINK TO THE TUESDAY PODCAST:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/11/01/tuesday-podcast-ethnic-gangs-focus-of-both-weekend-homicides-gordo-wants-bureaucrats-not-cops/

NEXT TGCTS PODCAST WILL BE ON THURSDAY. PS: Two other links of interest, a weekly round-up of local stories at http://slurpeesandmurder.blogspot.com/2011/11/manitoba-links-weekly-always-so-good.html and the 18 year old son of a former NFL quarterback drinks himself to death http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/California-QB-a-son-of-former-NFL-star-found-d?urn=highschool-wp7940

Shots ring out all weekend long in Murderpeg as Crimestat under fire

If anyone complains to you, that CTV is a US style 'crime/violence/fear' TV newscast, well you can tell them the station doesn't do a very good job of it.

For instance at 6 PM Sunday, the anchor said Winnipeg had our 34th homicide tying the record, but didn't point out we have 2 months to go.

And the victim number 33, whose family declined to speak to CTV but who did talk to Richard Cloutier on CJOB radio, seems to have been a straight-laced Asian young adult of 20 who was in the passenger seat - the passenger seat mind you - of a car after going out Friday night, presumably to an Exchange District bar, for -- Halloween.

And the news script concluded, that police explained, "it's hard to predict who may have firearms and when they might be used".

How comforting, for parents whose kid go out trick or treating or to community parties, let alone their older kids who go to bars and socials. Just in time for the cops to admit, they have lost control of the streets of this city. Lovely.

It is notable how many of the killings and stabbings this year have been open-air, rather than inside dingy apartments or 1 star hotel rooms on Main Street.

CTV also, on this quite violent weekend after last years' pre-Halloween shooting and killing spree- split the crime reports up on the newscast. It separated the Lincoln Hotel shooting - which wasn't identified by either CTV or the Free Press as the second north end shooting location in 12 hours - from a stabbing at Aura nightclub on Portage Avenue one block from the University of Winnipeg (and showed the blood on the sidewalk).

Instead CTV did a 180, following the Exchange District murder with a glowing upbeat cheerleader piece about the opening of the new airport, mentioning that "problems with the underground pipes" led to a one year delay , but not connecting the delay to any increase in cost -- although the cost had been mentioned too.

Getting back to the crime aspect, the police department has to completely rethink the way it deals with the press and public. This week former deputy chief Menno Zacharias carved the sanctimonious piety of Crimestat upholders into little bits, stemming from Stefano Grande's recent comments and opinions on Twitter, blogs and, well, maybe some radio but not radio where the questions to the Downtown Biz director would be guaranteed in the Zacharias realm --- challenging Grande's fantasy that downtown is safe.

Zacharias showed that only the most serious of crimes- such as, oh, people being shot - made the daily press releases.

"In September 2011 the Winnipeg Police Service issued 26 News Releases. In those 26 news releases, however, the Service made reference to only 10 of the 787 offences reported on Crimestat during September... During the month of September, 59 of the 111 muggings reported city-wide were committed in District 1, which encompasses the downtown area. "

http://mennozacharias.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/crimes-committed-vs-crimes-reported/

North end blogger Rae Butcher, who has fought tooth and nail for accountability and proper information about her own street, noted how important measures of public safety such as stabbings are under-reported as robberies on Crimestat and arsons are not calculated into Crimestat at all.

"What is the actual purpose of the CrimeStat map on the WPS website? Is it to arm citizens with valuable information on crimes being committed throughout Winnipeg? Or is it designed to create illusions of Winnipeg as City Hall sees fit?"

http://adayinthehood.blogspot.com/2011/10/crime-stat-vrs-police-releases.html

She also enumerated recent PR and non-emergency bulletins issued by police email last Friday which the number of which dwarfed the real news. (Not to mention what Tom Brodbeck of the Sun has to say about the real news downtown and Mayor Katz.)

The time has come for the revival of placing someone the press and public can trust to meaningful compile press releases and reports with some basic comprehension that the idea is to report on crimes, not to promote Chief McCaskill's social work agenda and manipulative style (like when drinking parties turn bad, and the official lingo is " they were socializing".)

The time has come for a civilian spokesman who understands what the public needs to and wants to know, and to assign the officers to what we paid to train them to do - be cops and deal with crime and criminals , not with keyboards and microphones.

As of CTV, the segue to the weather was "I don't want to say we dodged a bullet yesterday - but we did"

You'd think on a weekend when 2 men are gunned down and a 14 year old gets dropped in broad daylight on Selkirk Avenue and barely survives, CTV would have thought thru how their "happy-chat" clever-word quotient would be expressed under the circumstances.

And you'd hope someone in the MSM will ask, what role the police chopper played in the response to any of the 3 (known) shootings this weekend. If any.

Happy Halloween.

(Next podcast is on Monday, this was a stand-alone blog piece. )

Inside the Crocus "settlement" - 8 directors lined up to agree starting the day after NDP re-elected

None of the mainstream media outlets took a moment to actually look into the details of the Manitoba Securities Commission decision allowing 8 Crocus Fund Directors to walk away without being held accountable or expressing any remorse for allowing inflated shares in the labour fund to be sold without the required checks and balances being followed by the Board, that would have protected trusting Manitobans from being fleeced.

How did the MSC think that suspending their ability to do anything like it again -- for a year -- is any kind of sanction or protects the public?

We took the time to read it over.

Since not one newsroom seems to have actually named the Directors - can they be called guilty? I think they can because they admitted to breaching the Act by not adhering to the Prospectus - TGCTS will name names:

Charles Curtis, Peter Olfert, Waldron (Wally) Fox-Decent, Lea Baturin, Albert Beal, Diane Beresford, Sylvia Farley and Robert Hilliard.

It is a sickening reminder of how under the NDP white-collar crime that would result in a stint in the penitentary in the US is absolved in Manitobastan by compliant regulators after hearing pleas that 'the lawyers advised us' and 'the accounting firm said it was ok'. (Ever heard of Enron, any of you ?)

The "Reasons for Decision" is ONE WHOLE PARAGRAPH.
http://www.msc.gov.mb.ca/legal_docs/investigation/reasons/crocus.pdf

Wait till you hear excerpts from the Order, which includes:

- the dirty details of stalled Valuation approvals;

- backroom infighting between parties unnamed in the documentation (but who were longtime Crocus CEO Sherman Kreiner and new executives Chief Operating Officer Laurie Goldberg and Chief Investment Officer John Pelton - please note I mis-guessed the CIO in this narrative on this podcast as being Albert Black which will be corrected on the next podcast);

- and the pathetic excuses of the 8 directors subject to the Order whom, although all promoters of the Fund and highly educated professionals, were seemingly out of their depth on how to discharge their responsibilities properly when it came to actually running the Fund as Directors of the Board.

(Two remaining Directors, Ron Waugh and Robert Ziegler, will appear at a hearing at 1 PM on Wednesday, November 2 at the MSC offices.)

http://www.msc.gov.mb.ca/legal_docs/orders/6414_crocus.pdf

Listen to our walk-thru of the details, and in particular the discovery of a glaring irregularity in the documentation. And I mean glaring.

Also on the agenda today:
* The Simkin Centre pulled an Olga Fuga and declared the Annual General Meeting over when the tough questions about the abuse of the elderly and a closed-shop Board nomination process started piling up. This was a shameful way for a Jewish organization to abandon their duty to the community.

* The City of Winnipeg 311 Service, try though it might, cannot cover-up for the bloated bureaucracy, which has taken 6 weeks to figure out who is supposed to remove two discarded toilets ( left there in mid-August) from the lane behind Home Street in the west end.

* Don't forget tomorrow's special episode, focusing on the Air Canada memo fall-out and the relationship between the Downtown Biz and its critics, featuring a special interview with a citizen journalist who pulls no punches in describing the sad state of civic "debate" in Winnipeg and the dismissive attitude of the Biz to the community.

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE THURSDAY PODCAST:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/10/27/inside-the-crocus-settlement-8-directors-lined-up-to-agree-starting-the-day-after-ndp-re-elected/

email: tgcts1@gmail.com
@tgcts on Twitter

Metro News Publisher Steve Shrout details their positive Winnipeg experience/ Election vote count surprise

Right off the top of the program today, TGCTS features a lengthy interview with Steve Shrout, recorded at the Metro News office at Portage and Main.

He tells about how the paper had to overcome resistance to their free distribution plan before it could launch; his dealings with Mayor Sam Katz and city hall; why the tabloid has found acceptance among consumers and advertisers locally; social media as part of their self-promotion; and why he is a big booster of this city. It's a fast-paced informative exchange and so good it just had to lead today's edition. Thank you Steve.

Newswise, we have more analysis of the failure of the PC's to translate their support into enough added votes at the polls to win, more MSM stories and listener comments about the Air Canada and downtown safety issue, and some Jets history round out the show, and the week as we will be taking tomorrow off for the Yom Kippur holy day.

Here is the link to the Thursday podcast:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/10/06/metro-news-publisher-steve-shrout-details-their-positive-winnipeg-experience-election-vote-count/

Podcasting resumes on Tuesday with an exclusive news story courtesy of a listener - or as Brad Oswald would say "citizen journalist" - that will - ! surprise ! - NOT be about the Jets home opener.

Hint: Why were all those bikes on parade in a Winnipeg neighbourhood overnight ?

GO JETS GO !
Twitter: @TGCTS

McFadyen: Selinger's lowest - price utility guarantee has "zero credibility", supports PUB role as consumer watchdog

In an exclusive interview with TGCTS, Progressive Conservative leader Hugh McFadyen dismissed the Joe Namath-like guarantee of Greg Selinger to fix utility costs at the lowest in the country as a "phony promise" and added that, given the NDP record from the 2007 campaign on hallway medicine and the return of the Jets, "these are people who have zero credibility on anything they say during election campaigns."

McFadyen also pledged to uphold the independent authority of the Public Utility Board which he lauded as a safeguard for Manitoba consumers. Listen to the full Q and A on today's podcast.

The Free Press elicited a response from former PC premier Gary Filmon about being used as a strawman to "fairly or unfairly" attack McFadyen for what he "might" do to Crown Corporations in new NDP attack ads. While editor Margo Goodhand mocks the notion the election is heating up as a lie, candidates in Westman struggle to get their message out because of a lack of a local TV outlet. And we point listeners to a new website www.manitobaelection.ca as a handy resource for candidates, events, and aggregated news coverage.

Some questions arose about the future of Bob Wilson's campaign for a judicial review of his conviction after Ian 'Whitey' Macdonald made a deathbed plea bargain implicating the former MLA in a 31 year old pot ring; and we close off the show with a description of a powerful blog post "Reality Check" by a Dallas woman whose job brought her face to face with the family of a hockey player killed in yesterdays Lokomotiv plane crash. http://achicksperspective.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/reality-check/

Here's is the link to the Thursday Podcast:

http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/08/tgcts-thursday-sept-8-2011-mcfadyen-says-selinger-guarantee-phiny-promise-supports-role-of-pub/