Harold Buchwald, QC, longtime Winnipeg lawyer and community leader, passed away this morning at the age of 81.
A renowned tax lawyer, he was an original partner in the firm Buchwald Asper Henteleff, which is now known as Pitblado LLB. Named a member of the Order of Canada in 1993, his support for the State of Israel was unwavering and most recently he was a leader of the campaign to create a historical site at the Upper Fort Garry gate in downtown Winnipeg.
When reached by The Great Canadian Talk Show, National Post columnist Scott Taylor was saddened by the loss of his friend.
" I had a lot of wonderful discussions with Harold and he was always pleasant . The great thing about Harold was, if you disagreed the discussion was always civil. He was a great sports fan and a great supporter of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and his support of the arts created so many lasting friendships. He was ultimately a fine fine man."
Canadian Friends of Hebrew University Director Ron East echoed Taylor's comments, noting that Buchwald's recent op-ed columns in the Winnipeg Free Press had brought him a new audience for "his unique ability to argue a position as well as give constructive criticism of the state of affairs in Winnipeg, Canada and Israel."
East also revealed that Buchwald followed the stories broadcast on The Great Canadian Talk Show and discussed them with Ron and others in the community.
We have learned the funeral is at 3 PM on Tuesday April 22nd, at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue at Wellington Cres. and Academy Road.
Our deepest condolences to the Buchwald family, and to his many friends and associates around the world.
We will have more about Harold Buchwald's passing with his longtime friend Yoram East today on our show at 4.05 PM.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The Right To Remain Hidden- watch it here !
This is Young Josh's documentary on the proposal to install public surveillance cameras in Winnipeg, focusing on the situation in the revitalized North Point Douglas area (which has numerous private citizen cameras) and the North End's William Whyte neighbourhood (which wants cameras in the wake of 4 gang related murders). Startling footage of the realities on the streets.
Starring Mayor Sam Katz, Councillor Scott Fielding, and a cast of, um, a half-dozen or so. Feedback welcome at talk@kick.fm.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Spirited Kenny for official audio content deliverer for Starcraft.
My fellow citizens;
I come to you today as a man asking for your help. For far too long the Starcraft community has remained voiceless. Sure, there are games, books, and even stadiums where players battle each other while their fans cheer them on.
But there is no voice.
Well, on Friday April 4th 2008, live on The Great Canadian talk show I tossed my hat down and declared my intention on becoming the official audio content deliverer for Startcraft.
I understand that the thought of having only one voice for an entire cultural phenomenon can be scary, but trust me. When I’m appointed with this great honour, not only will your wildest dreams come true, but they will come true with such force that your brain will have no time to adjust to the new reality of pleasure that it has now been forced into.
Just go to:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/kennyforstarcraft/index.html
and sign the online petition. It’s that easy to make your dreams come true. Not only will I bring the integrity to this honoured position that it deservers, but I will also bring the dry cool wit that is needed to keep this position as celebrated as it should be.
Spirited Kenny for official audio content deliverer for Starcraft.
When you hear the name Spirited Kenny, think
Honesty,
Good looks and,
StarCraft.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Carnage in the big city
This weekend saw the city emergency response teams stretched to the limit with over a dozen prone bodies laying in need of help- and for some it was already too late.
Late night partyers were in the McDonalds drive-through at 3.30 AM Sunday when an enourmous crash echoed. One of them left behind his Big Mac to see what happened. Minutes later, when he hadn't returned, his friend walked onto Portage and headed west to see the carnage of a destroyed taxicab, and his buddy holding the cabbies head saying, don't die, man.
Nearby, the driver of a stolen SUV, that had rammed the taxi after running a red light at Maryland, had been run over by yet another car, which had itself sped away and is suspected to have also been a stolen vehicle.
Imagine, two stolen cars were speeding towards each in opposite directions, and would have passed each other on Portage Avenue at the same minute -- after a Saturday night in Winnipeg.
Only twenty minutes later, more emergency responders were sent to 1398 Alexander, where 2 men and a woman had been shot dead and 2 other men and yet another woman, were bleeding profusely from gunshots. Six people in one house had been shot, and neighbours had heard the owner screaming at the top of her lungs for help.
This had been a week of shootings, with 3 drive-by's on 3 straight days, in the cities' North End. The incidents barely made the mainstream headlines, and Stacey Ashley of CTV said in an interview on our Wedensday show, that the police did not consider this unusual. The Free Press reported that in hindsight, the drive-bys may have been a warning sign about gang war in the making.
Taxi companies will not dispatch cabs to many West Alexander addresses and drivers are warned to get cash in advance, and is described as being as dangerous as Magnus Avenue and the Lord Selkirk Developments. That may also have been a warning sign.
Police say they have no suspects and no motive for the shooting, but you can bet it won't be long before you hear the word CRACK.
More on the weekend violence, the Friends of Upper Fort Garry muscling City Hall, and a special Wrestlemania 24 report with Frank the Italian Barber and Shane Madison, beginning Monday at 4 PM.
Call 780-5425 or email talk@kick.fm and join Winnipeg's only drive-home call-in show.
Late night partyers were in the McDonalds drive-through at 3.30 AM Sunday when an enourmous crash echoed. One of them left behind his Big Mac to see what happened. Minutes later, when he hadn't returned, his friend walked onto Portage and headed west to see the carnage of a destroyed taxicab, and his buddy holding the cabbies head saying, don't die, man.
Nearby, the driver of a stolen SUV, that had rammed the taxi after running a red light at Maryland, had been run over by yet another car, which had itself sped away and is suspected to have also been a stolen vehicle.
Imagine, two stolen cars were speeding towards each in opposite directions, and would have passed each other on Portage Avenue at the same minute -- after a Saturday night in Winnipeg.
Only twenty minutes later, more emergency responders were sent to 1398 Alexander, where 2 men and a woman had been shot dead and 2 other men and yet another woman, were bleeding profusely from gunshots. Six people in one house had been shot, and neighbours had heard the owner screaming at the top of her lungs for help.
This had been a week of shootings, with 3 drive-by's on 3 straight days, in the cities' North End. The incidents barely made the mainstream headlines, and Stacey Ashley of CTV said in an interview on our Wedensday show, that the police did not consider this unusual. The Free Press reported that in hindsight, the drive-bys may have been a warning sign about gang war in the making.
Taxi companies will not dispatch cabs to many West Alexander addresses and drivers are warned to get cash in advance, and is described as being as dangerous as Magnus Avenue and the Lord Selkirk Developments. That may also have been a warning sign.
Police say they have no suspects and no motive for the shooting, but you can bet it won't be long before you hear the word CRACK.
More on the weekend violence, the Friends of Upper Fort Garry muscling City Hall, and a special Wrestlemania 24 report with Frank the Italian Barber and Shane Madison, beginning Monday at 4 PM.
Call 780-5425 or email talk@kick.fm and join Winnipeg's only drive-home call-in show.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Bulletin: Mayor Katz depicted as Hitler by budget protester
Handout photo
One of the estimated 80 people at a rally to protest the city budget was photographed with a sign that depicted Sam Katz as Adolph Hitler, complete with mustache and Nazi officer's hat.
The rally was a joint effort of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and a group called Winnipeg is Not for Sale. A spokesperson for the group claimed they had no idea who the protester was and disavowed his placard.
However it appears no one took any effort to stop or confront him, as a picture from City Hall shows he was standing with the offensive sign chatting with fellow dissidents.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Free Press silent about the Million Dollar Week
After months of shoving the millionaires' agenda down the throats of Winnipeg, the Free Press uttered NOT A PEEP about two $500,000 contributions late last week which, in theory, put the Friends of Upper Fort Garry over their private fundraising goal.
HUH??
This is very odd as normally, the donations would be front page news, and be accompanied by another Gordo Sinclair attack on Mayor Katz http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/columnists/top3/story/4134492p-4726741c.html
or any councillor opposed to giving the Manitoba Club-dominated "grassroots" group their desired time extension to pry millions more of your tax dollars out of Premier Doer and Treasury Board honcho Vic Toews.
So while the Free Press, CJOB, CBC, and other mainstream media outlets wait for the next phony press conference and stage-managed photo ops, prepared to help the rich and powerful send a "positive" message to councillors who are thinking of following in the footsteps of 'Flip-Flop' Russ Wyatt, here is a review of the orchestrated week that was.
1) The week started with a mystery.
"Bob Cunningham, Chair of the Capital Campaign says the group has had a fantastic week. Adds Cunningham, “Our week began with a $250,000 donation from an anonymous source..."
2) On Wednesday, while Friends spokesman Jerry Gray was telling Executive Policy Committee http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4141864p-4732916c.html
they really, really needed more time, wouldn't reach their goal by the deadline, and wouldn't compromise a single inch over the free land they insist on being handed, the board of the Winnipeg Foundation voted to step up to the plate. Quel surprise.
3) Two of the leaders of the Foundation are members of the Friends.
4) That donation is actually spread out over 5 years. This leads to the question, how much actual money have the Friends raised, and how much is labeled as "promised", with the non-existant donations being wielded as proof they have met the required conditions ?
5) Oh and their press release http://www.wpgfdn.org/news_20080312_1.php
helpfully mentions that the "grassroots" is actually about 700 other donors.
6) Recently the Foundation decided they couldn't spare anything for aboriginal sports programs. They prefer funding monuments to ghosts, rather than helping the needy of our inner-city.
7) As a follow-up Thursday morning, CJOB embarrased themselves by staging a one-sided analysis of the Friends campaign with Gray. After host Richard Cloutier whined about why the city can't compromise, Coun. Gord Steeves was ambushed during his explanation, by Cloutier's allegation that since Steeves wanted to respect the private (in-camera) details of the contract with Crystal Developers and not talk specifics, he and the other intransigient councillors must be the take.
8) Speaking of which, conflict of interest cuts both ways. But neither CJOB or the Free Press have come clean about how much they have been paid for Friends ads, or how much money they earn every year from the companies associated with the Friends. Such as: CanWest Broadcasting, Great West Life, furniture companies, universities, Pollard Banknote, law firms, even the Winnipeg Foundation itself.
9) Late Thursday Gray announced on CBC radio that another $500,000 had come from an another unnamed benefactor, putting them over their goal of $3.5 million.
10) Not a word was mentioned of this donation in the newspapers, or even on CBC's website. Incredibly CBC got scooped by - who else- CJOB radio, at 12.20 PM on Friday, when they also revealed who it was, that boosted the Friends over the top.
A Mr. and Mrs. John Buhler.
11) CJOB did not mention that Buhler is also a member of the Friends. Neither does the official Friends press release: http://www.upperfortgarry.com/resource/File/MediaRelease-3.pdf
********************
So there you have it.
- Members of the Friends come forward at the last minute committing a million dollars,
- No one reports they are actually members of the organization and not benevolent outsiders,
- and aside from a small brief on CJOB's website, no one all weekend long reports the group claims to have now reached their goal.
Which tells you the shameless manipulation of the public by the rich and their media partners is alive and well and will continue unabated resuming Monday.
We use the term "claims" because it turns out, someone at Council can find out.
From:
http://www.wpgfdn.org/news_20080312_1.php
"All donations will be held in trust by Heritage Winnipeg until March 31, 2008 and tax receipts will be issued."
HOWEVER... since tax receipts cannot be issued for charitable donations pledged but not contributed, ANY COUNCILLOR can ask the Friends for the exact amount Heritage Winnipeg has issued receipts for. And, to whom --so unless the "anonymous" $250,000 donor is publicity and write-off shy ...
WHICH COUNCILLOR WILL ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS THIS WEDNESDAY ?
From the scattered public record, we have calculated that of the $3.5 million claimed to have been raised, $2,575,000 or over 71%, has come from 6 donors directly connected to the Friends. Another $250k comes from an unnamed source. That leaves only $675,000 from the actual "grassroots" of 700.
Meanwhile, a faint, dissonant voice in the mainstream media was heard.
Buried in the Saturday Detour section of the Free Press- that's the section 80% of subscribers don't read - was this column by globetrotting environmental/civics reporter Bartley Kives. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/detour/story/4143704p-4733963c.html
Word has it that some of the Friends were frantic upon seeing the story, complaining how Bob Silver can't control the message at his own newspaper!
However the Friends can rest easy knowing that Silver still has enough control to keep his own name out of the stories about Upper Fort Garry -- since their fellow Friend has been unnamed in FP stories about the campaign (based on our search) since last November 16th.
Wonder if Silver has made any "unnamed" donations....
HUH??
This is very odd as normally, the donations would be front page news, and be accompanied by another Gordo Sinclair attack on Mayor Katz http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/columnists/top3/story/4134492p-4726741c.html
or any councillor opposed to giving the Manitoba Club-dominated "grassroots" group their desired time extension to pry millions more of your tax dollars out of Premier Doer and Treasury Board honcho Vic Toews.
So while the Free Press, CJOB, CBC, and other mainstream media outlets wait for the next phony press conference and stage-managed photo ops, prepared to help the rich and powerful send a "positive" message to councillors who are thinking of following in the footsteps of 'Flip-Flop' Russ Wyatt, here is a review of the orchestrated week that was.
1) The week started with a mystery.
"Bob Cunningham, Chair of the Capital Campaign says the group has had a fantastic week. Adds Cunningham, “Our week began with a $250,000 donation from an anonymous source..."
2) On Wednesday, while Friends spokesman Jerry Gray was telling Executive Policy Committee http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4141864p-4732916c.html
they really, really needed more time, wouldn't reach their goal by the deadline, and wouldn't compromise a single inch over the free land they insist on being handed, the board of the Winnipeg Foundation voted to step up to the plate. Quel surprise.
3) Two of the leaders of the Foundation are members of the Friends.
4) That donation is actually spread out over 5 years. This leads to the question, how much actual money have the Friends raised, and how much is labeled as "promised", with the non-existant donations being wielded as proof they have met the required conditions ?
5) Oh and their press release http://www.wpgfdn.org/news_20080312_1.php
helpfully mentions that the "grassroots" is actually about 700 other donors.
6) Recently the Foundation decided they couldn't spare anything for aboriginal sports programs. They prefer funding monuments to ghosts, rather than helping the needy of our inner-city.
7) As a follow-up Thursday morning, CJOB embarrased themselves by staging a one-sided analysis of the Friends campaign with Gray. After host Richard Cloutier whined about why the city can't compromise, Coun. Gord Steeves was ambushed during his explanation, by Cloutier's allegation that since Steeves wanted to respect the private (in-camera) details of the contract with Crystal Developers and not talk specifics, he and the other intransigient councillors must be the take.
8) Speaking of which, conflict of interest cuts both ways. But neither CJOB or the Free Press have come clean about how much they have been paid for Friends ads, or how much money they earn every year from the companies associated with the Friends. Such as: CanWest Broadcasting, Great West Life, furniture companies, universities, Pollard Banknote, law firms, even the Winnipeg Foundation itself.
9) Late Thursday Gray announced on CBC radio that another $500,000 had come from an another unnamed benefactor, putting them over their goal of $3.5 million.
10) Not a word was mentioned of this donation in the newspapers, or even on CBC's website. Incredibly CBC got scooped by - who else- CJOB radio, at 12.20 PM on Friday, when they also revealed who it was, that boosted the Friends over the top.
A Mr. and Mrs. John Buhler.
11) CJOB did not mention that Buhler is also a member of the Friends. Neither does the official Friends press release: http://www.upperfortgarry.com/resource/File/MediaRelease-3.pdf
********************
So there you have it.
- Members of the Friends come forward at the last minute committing a million dollars,
- No one reports they are actually members of the organization and not benevolent outsiders,
- and aside from a small brief on CJOB's website, no one all weekend long reports the group claims to have now reached their goal.
Which tells you the shameless manipulation of the public by the rich and their media partners is alive and well and will continue unabated resuming Monday.
We use the term "claims" because it turns out, someone at Council can find out.
From:
http://www.wpgfdn.org/news_20080312_1.php
"All donations will be held in trust by Heritage Winnipeg until March 31, 2008 and tax receipts will be issued."
HOWEVER... since tax receipts cannot be issued for charitable donations pledged but not contributed, ANY COUNCILLOR can ask the Friends for the exact amount Heritage Winnipeg has issued receipts for. And, to whom --so unless the "anonymous" $250,000 donor is publicity and write-off shy ...
WHICH COUNCILLOR WILL ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS THIS WEDNESDAY ?
From the scattered public record, we have calculated that of the $3.5 million claimed to have been raised, $2,575,000 or over 71%, has come from 6 donors directly connected to the Friends. Another $250k comes from an unnamed source. That leaves only $675,000 from the actual "grassroots" of 700.
Meanwhile, a faint, dissonant voice in the mainstream media was heard.
Buried in the Saturday Detour section of the Free Press- that's the section 80% of subscribers don't read - was this column by globetrotting environmental/civics reporter Bartley Kives. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/detour/story/4143704p-4733963c.html
Word has it that some of the Friends were frantic upon seeing the story, complaining how Bob Silver can't control the message at his own newspaper!
However the Friends can rest easy knowing that Silver still has enough control to keep his own name out of the stories about Upper Fort Garry -- since their fellow Friend has been unnamed in FP stories about the campaign (based on our search) since last November 16th.
Wonder if Silver has made any "unnamed" donations....
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Blogosphere lights up with TGCTS stories
Our coverage of many important local issues has been getting mentioned on local blogs (in some cases we picked the stories up from bloggers first and then advanced them).
Here is a short listing of those blog posts for your reading pleasure:
* Winnipeg Free Press conceal their bias for Friends of Upper Fort Garry and refuse to report the developers' side of the story:
http://progressivewinnipeg.blogspot.com/2008/02/fuck-friends-of-upper-fort-garry.html
http://www.kevinghill.com/?p=243
http://anybody-want-a-peanut.blogspot.com/2008/02/wanted-gordon-sinclairs-fingers.html
http://riseandsprawl.blogspot.com/
* The useless Transit diamond lane on Osborne in front of Great West Life:
http://www.truwinnipeg.org/2008/03/08/osborne-st-diamond-lane-doesnt-make-a-difference/
* Free Press editing of a story was so twisted the reporter felt compelled to apologize five days before the paper even issued a "correction":
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/02/smoking-gun-bowtie-joe-apologies-or.html
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/02/bowtie-joe-redux.html
http://www.truwinnipeg.org/2008/03/04/fallout-from-paraskevas-piece-hits-truwinnipegorg/
* Lack of government planning for public emergencies aka "CanAlert" may have disastrous consequences for Waverly West residents;
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/03/waverley-west-and-tornadoes.html
* Mayor Sam Katz had no idea about a proposed expansion of suburban Charleswood, spurred by the Waverly West expansion:
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/02/mayor-sams-confession.html
* (Former) Free Press editor Nick Hirst spiked LTE's
complaining about Crocus Fund viability, and complained to Crocus honcho Sherman Kreiner it was becoming difficult to mute the critics:
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/02/end-of-balance-in-winnipeg-media.html
* Mainstream media wants you to ignore blogs that point out their factual errors and selective reporting:
http://www.winnipegfreepress2.com/blogs/lett/?p=80
* The lobby for for former Blue Bomber quarterback Chuck Ealey to be elected to the NCAA College Football Hall of Fame:
http://rusirius.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/pigskin-ponderings/
* And as a bonus, a website with some great photography of many of many of the city landmarks and neighbourhoods we discuss on the show:
http://winnipeglovehate.blogspot.com/
Here is a short listing of those blog posts for your reading pleasure:
* Winnipeg Free Press conceal their bias for Friends of Upper Fort Garry and refuse to report the developers' side of the story:
http://progressivewinnipeg.blogspot.com/2008/02/fuck-friends-of-upper-fort-garry.html
http://www.kevinghill.com/?p=243
http://anybody-want-a-peanut.blogspot.com/2008/02/wanted-gordon-sinclairs-fingers.html
http://riseandsprawl.blogspot.com/
* The useless Transit diamond lane on Osborne in front of Great West Life:
http://www.truwinnipeg.org/2008/03/08/osborne-st-diamond-lane-doesnt-make-a-difference/
* Free Press editing of a story was so twisted the reporter felt compelled to apologize five days before the paper even issued a "correction":
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/02/smoking-gun-bowtie-joe-apologies-or.html
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/02/bowtie-joe-redux.html
http://www.truwinnipeg.org/2008/03/04/fallout-from-paraskevas-piece-hits-truwinnipegorg/
* Lack of government planning for public emergencies aka "CanAlert" may have disastrous consequences for Waverly West residents;
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/03/waverley-west-and-tornadoes.html
* Mayor Sam Katz had no idea about a proposed expansion of suburban Charleswood, spurred by the Waverly West expansion:
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/02/mayor-sams-confession.html
* (Former) Free Press editor Nick Hirst spiked LTE's
complaining about Crocus Fund viability, and complained to Crocus honcho Sherman Kreiner it was becoming difficult to mute the critics:
http://waverleywest.blogspot.com/2008/02/end-of-balance-in-winnipeg-media.html
* Mainstream media wants you to ignore blogs that point out their factual errors and selective reporting:
http://www.winnipegfreepress2.com/blogs/lett/?p=80
* The lobby for for former Blue Bomber quarterback Chuck Ealey to be elected to the NCAA College Football Hall of Fame:
http://rusirius.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/pigskin-ponderings/
* And as a bonus, a website with some great photography of many of many of the city landmarks and neighbourhoods we discuss on the show:
http://winnipeglovehate.blogspot.com/
Friday, February 29, 2008
Free Press story reports truth about Asper/Richardson fundraising stunt, replaces it with propaganda
The Winnipeg Free Press, the leading MSM source of news in Manitoba, is learning a hard lesson about modern technology.
Their flirtation with the internet is bringing them nothing but grief, as their manipulations of the news are being exposed by their own website postings.
Yesterday on the show we read aloud from the post on the WFP website about the fundraising stunt by the Friends of Upper Fort Garry. In conjunction with CJOB, two famous millionaires pretended to spontaeneously add $500,000 each to the Friends campaign to raise $3.5 M to "save" the Fort (though no one has explained what it is being saved from). The Freep's first story exposed the stage-managed donations.
Within minutes of reading that story on the air, a new version appeared online which wiped out all references to what really happened on CJOB and tried to wrap the Friends in the flag of protecting Manitoba's history against rapacious land developers.
But thanks to the magic of cut and paste, we have both versions for your reading enjoyment (emphasis mine).
ORIGINAL posted at 1.04 PM
Asper, Richardson donate $1 M to fort
Updated: February 28, 2008 at 01:04 PM CST
Print Article
E-mail Article
The Richardson and Asper families gave a million-dollar boost today to a campaign to save Upper Fort Garry, the site of a former historic fort in downtown Winnipeg.
Hartley Richardson and David Asper each donated $500,000 from their family foundations in calls they made in person to a live radio show staged today to help the Friends of Upper Fort Garry.
The friends is a loose network of business groups, historians, and politicians, working together to save money to preserve the site which played centre stage in Manitoba’s entry into confederation. The target is to raise $3.5 million by the end of March.
The group hired a publicist who set up CJOB radio as the selected venue to prime public donations. Then the city’s two most generous patrons agreed to make their donations public in live calls.
The announcements have not been made official in separate statements to the public yet. Spokespeople are expected to be offer comments later in the day.
Now the seriously amended version posted at 4.43 PM
Breaking News
$1-M boost for campaign to save Upper Fort Garry
By: Alexandra Paul
Updated: February 28, 2008 at 04:43 PM CST
Two prominent Winnipeg families, the Richardsons and the Aspers, made a $1 million donation today to boost a campaign to save Upper Fort Garry, the historic site in downtown Winnipeg.
And in response, ordinary Winnipeggers called a local radio station and may have added as much as $600,000 in a single morning of pledges once they heard about the million, the campaign's chairman said. The number is a preliminary figure and will be confirmed at a later time, said Jerry Gray, chair of Friends of Upper Fort Garry.
Hartley Richardson and David Asper each donated $500,000 from their family foundations.
"I feel great. We have to raise $3.5 million in a month so when you get two pledges for $500,000 each, it's a great step forward to our goal. And it's great publicity," said Gray.
The Friends is a network of business groups, historians, civic and aboriginal politicians.
The city has said the Friends must raise $12.5 million by the end of March and get control of a privately-owned curling club on the site. Only then will the city kick in its share, the land itself valued at $2 million.
The battle between history and profit is turning into a contest of loyalty for city councillors and it's raising the profile of history in the hearts and minds of ordinary Winnipeggers.
In addition to $3.5 million in private funds, the group wants $4.5 million each from federal and provincial levels of government.
The March 31 deadline is looming, unless the group wins an extension which is something they're working on.
alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
*************
Today the Winnipeg Sun reported the Million Dollar Phone Call (tm CJOB) was "already included in the Friends' $2.5-million capital campaign total" and "The group received approximately $75,000."
On today's show we will try to get answers about the $525,000 discrepancy.
Their flirtation with the internet is bringing them nothing but grief, as their manipulations of the news are being exposed by their own website postings.
Yesterday on the show we read aloud from the post on the WFP website about the fundraising stunt by the Friends of Upper Fort Garry. In conjunction with CJOB, two famous millionaires pretended to spontaeneously add $500,000 each to the Friends campaign to raise $3.5 M to "save" the Fort (though no one has explained what it is being saved from). The Freep's first story exposed the stage-managed donations.
Within minutes of reading that story on the air, a new version appeared online which wiped out all references to what really happened on CJOB and tried to wrap the Friends in the flag of protecting Manitoba's history against rapacious land developers.
But thanks to the magic of cut and paste, we have both versions for your reading enjoyment (emphasis mine).
ORIGINAL posted at 1.04 PM
Asper, Richardson donate $1 M to fort
Updated: February 28, 2008 at 01:04 PM CST
Print Article
E-mail Article
The Richardson and Asper families gave a million-dollar boost today to a campaign to save Upper Fort Garry, the site of a former historic fort in downtown Winnipeg.
Hartley Richardson and David Asper each donated $500,000 from their family foundations in calls they made in person to a live radio show staged today to help the Friends of Upper Fort Garry.
The friends is a loose network of business groups, historians, and politicians, working together to save money to preserve the site which played centre stage in Manitoba’s entry into confederation. The target is to raise $3.5 million by the end of March.
The group hired a publicist who set up CJOB radio as the selected venue to prime public donations. Then the city’s two most generous patrons agreed to make their donations public in live calls.
The announcements have not been made official in separate statements to the public yet. Spokespeople are expected to be offer comments later in the day.
Now the seriously amended version posted at 4.43 PM
Breaking News
$1-M boost for campaign to save Upper Fort Garry
By: Alexandra Paul
Updated: February 28, 2008 at 04:43 PM CST
Two prominent Winnipeg families, the Richardsons and the Aspers, made a $1 million donation today to boost a campaign to save Upper Fort Garry, the historic site in downtown Winnipeg.
And in response, ordinary Winnipeggers called a local radio station and may have added as much as $600,000 in a single morning of pledges once they heard about the million, the campaign's chairman said. The number is a preliminary figure and will be confirmed at a later time, said Jerry Gray, chair of Friends of Upper Fort Garry.
Hartley Richardson and David Asper each donated $500,000 from their family foundations.
"I feel great. We have to raise $3.5 million in a month so when you get two pledges for $500,000 each, it's a great step forward to our goal. And it's great publicity," said Gray.
The Friends is a network of business groups, historians, civic and aboriginal politicians.
The city has said the Friends must raise $12.5 million by the end of March and get control of a privately-owned curling club on the site. Only then will the city kick in its share, the land itself valued at $2 million.
The battle between history and profit is turning into a contest of loyalty for city councillors and it's raising the profile of history in the hearts and minds of ordinary Winnipeggers.
In addition to $3.5 million in private funds, the group wants $4.5 million each from federal and provincial levels of government.
The March 31 deadline is looming, unless the group wins an extension which is something they're working on.
alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
*************
Today the Winnipeg Sun reported the Million Dollar Phone Call (tm CJOB) was "already included in the Friends' $2.5-million capital campaign total" and "The group received approximately $75,000."
On today's show we will try to get answers about the $525,000 discrepancy.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Mainstream Vs Alternative: Crime can suck this.
Lets get this badge out and polish it up… there we go.
Here is a link to the offending blogpost.
I’m not trying to pick on Dan Lett, but the things he says really angers up the blood, and before I know it my fingers are a-typing away. Now this ‘kinda white liberal’ news paper columnist starts out with very harsh words towards the latest Conservative campaign of direct mail to voters, accusing the current NDP government of being soft on crime. Well, Mister Doer and his government sure aren’t tough on crime. I can point out various cases where the public was sure given a disservice by our justice system.
The case that sticks out in my mind, when I first realized something was wrong with our justice system, occurred in 2001. A 15-year-old punk killed a 21-year-old refugee from Iraq with an 8-Ball in a sock. Justice Ron Meyers pronounced sentence - only 1 day in a juvenile detention center (Homie don’t play that game indeed), and 15 months of supervision after spending 108 days in pre-trial custody. This was upheld 7-0 by the Supreme Court of Canada because they decided general deterrence has no place under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Where else can we look to see that our justice system is failing us?
Look at all the ‘Level 4’ MPI offenders: stealing hordes of cars, young car thieves ramming police with the stolen vehicles, police just recently being shot at, the murder of an 8-month pregnant woman, and the lack of justice for the Crystal Taman family as a few examples. If hearing about stories such as these don’t shock and anger up the blood something is wrong.
Now when I first read Dan Lett’s blog, it was a jaw dropping experience. His whole attitude left a bad taste in my mouth. But then I got to thinking about how most of the crime that happens in Winnipeg happens in low-income areas: Magnus, Spence, Logan. I’m not saying everyone who lives there are criminals, I’m just saying more often then not, the crime stat dot is going to land around one of these streets.
So now, go and re-read Mr Lett’s blog and replace the word crime, with the word poverty…Lindor Reynolds would be all over that like South Park’s homeless on some spare change, at the notion we should accept the degree of poverty here in Winnipeg because it's way worse in Vancouver's east side or on some far-flung reserve near James Bay.
Back to Dan Lett’s blog, He brings up six examples of horrific crime that have happened in other provinces. Then he states this:
“The Tories may think it’s not safe anywhere in Manitoba, but I think most people in Manitoba and throughout the country realize they are not in immediate danger. Yes, crime sucks. But so does fear mongering.”
I think what he left out was something like “Me and my family and friends are safe in our ivory towers. Since most of the crime that is happening in my city and across the country doesn’t affect me, well it just doesn’t matter.”
Take the blue pill Dan. This whole attitude of ‘crime is happening everywhere else so it’s OK for it to happen here’ is bullshit. We all can see that crime is a problem and we all want it to stop.
It is this attitude of complacency that has spread throughout our city that has lead it to deteriorate to the state it is in now. We are not good enough to have a NHL team, we are not good enough to have a world-class stadium, our roads are good enough, crime happens every else, so why not here.
Again I bring up the business example, if Winnipeg was a business and we had a re- occurring problem with employees getting injured by the equipment we use, would we:
A) Ignore it
B) Try to fix it.
No world-class successful company has every picked A. So why are we settling for it now? There may be crime coast to coast, but that doesn’t mean it’s alright. We, as a community, should start working together and try to become country leaders in crime prevention, and crime solutions.
Oh, and just a few days after his blog post, the Winnipeg Free Press posted a story stating that Winnipeg in 2006 was the second most 'crime with violence' city in Canada, second only to Vancouver with their asian/african/biker and other gangs.
Yes, complacency sucks, and I’m trying to rock people out of their little ruts.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thanks to Senator Frank Mahovlich/Tim Horton Day
I was thrilled beyond belief to have a special guest on the show Thursday. Hockey and Canadian Sports Hall of Fame member "The Big M", Senator Frank Mahovlich, joined us from Nunavet to take part in our special program.
To so many, Tim Horton is a name associated with a commercial enterprise. The true greatness and longevity of his NHL career- 6 time All Star, second only to Bobby Orr in All Star voting as a defenseman in 1967-68 and 68-69, 4 Stanley Cups, second rearguard to tally 100 career goals - is virtually unknown. His death in a car crash after a Buffalo loss at Maple Leaf Gardens, at age 44, was a shock and his loss is felt to this day. We decided that in his honour, we would observe the anniversary of his passing as Tim Horton Day, and set out to find the best possible expert on the subject.
Mahovlich, the legendary left winger on 6 Stanley Cup winners, told about watching Horton get clobbered by Ranger defenceman Bill Gadsby in March 1955 and the horrible spiral break of Tim's leg, while at the same time having his jaw shattered in the collision, dual injuries that almost ended his career; being a rookie two years later and finding out his roommate was Horton; winning 4 Cups with Horton, 3 in a row from 62-64 and finally the 1967 Centennial year win over Montreal Canadiens, his generous nature, a loving father, a good husband.
The human side of the hockey giant, Mahovlich said, was as inspiring a role model as his accomplishments on the ice. And that, hockey fans, is why on this day, we should all take a moment to remember his life and his legacy.
We extend our deepest appreciation to Senator Frank Mahovlich for taking the time to bring us his remembrance of his friend and my childhood hero, Tim Horton.
To so many, Tim Horton is a name associated with a commercial enterprise. The true greatness and longevity of his NHL career- 6 time All Star, second only to Bobby Orr in All Star voting as a defenseman in 1967-68 and 68-69, 4 Stanley Cups, second rearguard to tally 100 career goals - is virtually unknown. His death in a car crash after a Buffalo loss at Maple Leaf Gardens, at age 44, was a shock and his loss is felt to this day. We decided that in his honour, we would observe the anniversary of his passing as Tim Horton Day, and set out to find the best possible expert on the subject.
Mahovlich, the legendary left winger on 6 Stanley Cup winners, told about watching Horton get clobbered by Ranger defenceman Bill Gadsby in March 1955 and the horrible spiral break of Tim's leg, while at the same time having his jaw shattered in the collision, dual injuries that almost ended his career; being a rookie two years later and finding out his roommate was Horton; winning 4 Cups with Horton, 3 in a row from 62-64 and finally the 1967 Centennial year win over Montreal Canadiens, his generous nature, a loving father, a good husband.
The human side of the hockey giant, Mahovlich said, was as inspiring a role model as his accomplishments on the ice. And that, hockey fans, is why on this day, we should all take a moment to remember his life and his legacy.
We extend our deepest appreciation to Senator Frank Mahovlich for taking the time to bring us his remembrance of his friend and my childhood hero, Tim Horton.
Monday, February 11, 2008
RIP CanAlert.. Hello Mister National Public Alerting System.
AKA: Lets get some safety already!
Let’s not break out the Half Pints yet - there is still a lot of work to do. But if we have a national public alerting system in place by 2010, I will take Chuck Sanderson out for a Half Pints at the King’s Head Pub.
CanAlert is no more; it is now the National Public Alerting System. But let’s not be fooled, industry Canada was still given the project of creating a national warning system in 1995. So if the system is established by 2010, it will have taken 15 years to get this up and running.
Back in 1995, things like cell phones, and blackberries were not as prevalent as they are now, if not just concepts on a drawing board. It would have been pretty expensive to have a public alerting system that would notify you on your cell phone, and even then how many people would it reach? Not very much. The other option is TV and radio, and for that to happen legally, they would need to change their licenses.
Fast forward to now.
Everyone and their dog has a cell phone (except for those few holdouts like me) and broadcasters are voluntarily changing their licenses so they would be in compliance when they are broadcasting warnings. This is good, as the Feds have asked them to change it by 2009, or else… I don’t know, most likely fines. As far as the warnings you currently see, it’s only been out of the goodness of our broadcaster’s hearts that they broadcast any weather warnings. And lets face it, if you know CKY warns the public of a emergency and some other station doesn’t, you are more likely to watch CKY when the skies darken.
What, in theory, is going to happen when there is an emergency such as tornadoes, floods or chemical spills, is you will get notified on your cell phone. Hopefully it will be like an alarm that will keep chirping and chirping until you turn it off. This service should be coast to coast to coast. Then it breaks down to what the individual municipalities think they need. Trained people will be working across the country 24/7 to ensure that when a warning is needed, it will be provided.
There will also be an Internet service to alert people. You’ll be able to sign up to get warnings sent to your email.
But this doesn’t help low income families. Families that don’t have cell phones or black berries, What about these people? What about anybody at 3 AM, your cell phone, if you have one, has died and you are charging it while it’s off. Living in a major municipality how are you going to get warned of that midnight tornado? Maybe air sirens? A reverse 911 system? These are the important little details that need to get address by the municipalities.
And now that you have been warned, what do you do? Does your four-year-old child know what to do in an emergency? Chances are you have a good idea what to do in case of a fire, or flooding. We already teach our kids in schools what to do in case of fire, flood, or extreme cold. Now all we need to start teaching them what to do in case of tornados.
We have two years to create the system and train the people and standardize the messages that get broadcasted to cell phones. Two years to teach our kids what to do in case these warning pop up one day while they are out playing a pick of game of soccer in the park. Two years, and its only taken us 13 years to cross the starting line.
The cost should be around 16 million. That will be split 50/50 between the fed and provinces and territories. Then the 8 million will be split among the provinces on a per capita basis. Leaving Manitoba to pay somewhere around $350,000. A price tag I think we are all too happy to pay.
Just remember that this is a story that affects all of us. And it is a Great Canadian Talk Show exclusive! No other news outlet, mainstream or alternative has had the drive and determination to jump through every hoop. Go back and forth between the feds and provincial government, for months over and over again. No one else has tried to get opinions from other provinces and territories. No one else feels that a common sense public alerting system is needed, or is worth any space on any page in any newspaper. CanAlert, just another story the mainstream media chooses to ignore in favor of the most recent pictures of Britney Spears.
I plan to keep in contact with the EMO, and Chuck Sanderson to find out what the progress is. If I find out that some one is dragging their heals on this one, I will be calling attention too it. We have the momentum to change things for the better, to make our kid’s Canada a much safer one.
Just reminder, the reply to Dan Lett’s ‘On going debate’ has been posted up at Spirited Kenny the blog
Friday, February 8, 2008
HELP INDUCT CHUCK EALEY TO THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
What a fabulous interview yesterday with former CFL quarterback Chuck Ealey.
His frank reminicences of his rookie days in Hamilton and playing under coach Bud Riley in Winnipeg in 74-75 were a facinating retrospective of an era where being the wrong colour meant athletes like Chuck couldn't even get drafted by the NFL if they weren't willing to switch positions. Ealey was the first black quarterback to win a professional championship when he led the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to the Grey Cup in 1972.
His story and the struggles of other black quarterbacks who found their way into the CFL, is told in John Danakis' new book Choice of Colours -- at McNally Robinson bookstores and it's a great gift for kids 8 and up.
We also learned that despite winning 3 Tangerine Bowls and leading the University of Toledo to a 35-0 record, Chuck is not in the College Football Hall of Fame. The bogus reasoning is that even though Chuck was First Team All-American in 1971's The Football News selections, the NCAA's nomination process didn't recognize TFN selections until 1993.
In other words, Chuck is qualified for nomination to the HOF as a former All American, but not based on the rules in effect in his day.
How dumb is that.
Chuck Ealey was one of the great college QB's of the era - think Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning, Joe Theismann, Rex Kern, Pat Sullivan, Terry Bradshaw - and deserves his place with the immortals of NCAA College Football.
To correct this injustice, alumni of Toledo have started a website to anchor the campaign. There is also an upcoming documentary about Ealey which we will try to screen in Winnipeg in the future.
Take the time to review the pictures and stories about Chuck online and join the movement to get him into the HOF.
http://www.inductchuck.com/
His frank reminicences of his rookie days in Hamilton and playing under coach Bud Riley in Winnipeg in 74-75 were a facinating retrospective of an era where being the wrong colour meant athletes like Chuck couldn't even get drafted by the NFL if they weren't willing to switch positions. Ealey was the first black quarterback to win a professional championship when he led the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to the Grey Cup in 1972.
His story and the struggles of other black quarterbacks who found their way into the CFL, is told in John Danakis' new book Choice of Colours -- at McNally Robinson bookstores and it's a great gift for kids 8 and up.
We also learned that despite winning 3 Tangerine Bowls and leading the University of Toledo to a 35-0 record, Chuck is not in the College Football Hall of Fame. The bogus reasoning is that even though Chuck was First Team All-American in 1971's The Football News selections, the NCAA's nomination process didn't recognize TFN selections until 1993.
In other words, Chuck is qualified for nomination to the HOF as a former All American, but not based on the rules in effect in his day.
How dumb is that.
Chuck Ealey was one of the great college QB's of the era - think Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning, Joe Theismann, Rex Kern, Pat Sullivan, Terry Bradshaw - and deserves his place with the immortals of NCAA College Football.
To correct this injustice, alumni of Toledo have started a website to anchor the campaign. There is also an upcoming documentary about Ealey which we will try to screen in Winnipeg in the future.
Take the time to review the pictures and stories about Chuck online and join the movement to get him into the HOF.
http://www.inductchuck.com/
Monday, February 4, 2008
More on the Crocus scandal, a special interview with a CFL legend and more: TGCTS this week
More this week on the Crocus insider emails from 2003 - the story no one else will report.
Correpondence from former CEO Sherman Kreiner and Former VP Bob Jones show how far Fund managers would go to keep the truth about their precarious finances from unsuspecting investors - such as mislead and intimidate reporter Krista Erickson, and hint at legal action against the Free Press (which led then-editor Nick Hirst to send a sample of the "many letters" of complaint he received about Crocus to Kreiner). On Tuesday Paul Sveinson, a shareholder/analyst, will again join the show to review the material and look deeper into which companies got free money without proper Board oversight.
This weeks lineup:
Monday : Frank the Italian Barber will shock the world with his story of how a guy from Corydon could win a bet on a team from New York. With 97.5 million viewers, the big game stands as the second-most watched show in US TV history.
And for those of you who are interested, here is a link to a New York Times review of the Super Bowl ads:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/business/media/04adcol.html?th&emc=th
and here is a link to the ads:
http://youtube.com/adblitz
Tuesday: Paul Sveinson with more of the inside story about the collapse of the Crocus Fund, direct from the Receivers report to the court - details the MSM cannot bring itself to report on; and from Los Angeles, Dan Denton of Frozen Pond Productions with the latest on the writers strike and his perspective on the Giants upset of the Patriots.
Wednesday: CTV's Crimewatch reporter Kelly Dehn is always engaging and informative on his weekly segment with us. And the returning Shannah-Lee will be providing a special report on an art program that provides quality rehabilitation for medical patients suffering depression.
Thursday: Around 4.20 PM, an exclusive interview with former CFL great, QB Chuck Ealey, the focus of a fabulous new book 'Choice of Colours' by John Danakis of the University of Manitoba. The launch event will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Prairie Ink Restaurant at the McNally Robinson Grant Park store on Thursday, February 7th.
For further information on Choice of Colours click on the following
link: http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/winnipeg-events
Also every Thursday we give away a large 2-topping pizza from Atlantic Pizza, call 257-2443 and tell 'em you listen to Kick-FM!
Friday: Between our ongoing coverage of CanAlert, the SuperBylaw, the derelict buildings enforcement issues, and reviewing the transcript of our interview a few weeks back with Coun. Gord Steeves, we'll have lots to work with, along with your calls.
Correpondence from former CEO Sherman Kreiner and Former VP Bob Jones show how far Fund managers would go to keep the truth about their precarious finances from unsuspecting investors - such as mislead and intimidate reporter Krista Erickson, and hint at legal action against the Free Press (which led then-editor Nick Hirst to send a sample of the "many letters" of complaint he received about Crocus to Kreiner). On Tuesday Paul Sveinson, a shareholder/analyst, will again join the show to review the material and look deeper into which companies got free money without proper Board oversight.
This weeks lineup:
Monday : Frank the Italian Barber will shock the world with his story of how a guy from Corydon could win a bet on a team from New York. With 97.5 million viewers, the big game stands as the second-most watched show in US TV history.
And for those of you who are interested, here is a link to a New York Times review of the Super Bowl ads:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/business/media/04adcol.html?th&emc=th
and here is a link to the ads:
http://youtube.com/adblitz
Tuesday: Paul Sveinson with more of the inside story about the collapse of the Crocus Fund, direct from the Receivers report to the court - details the MSM cannot bring itself to report on; and from Los Angeles, Dan Denton of Frozen Pond Productions with the latest on the writers strike and his perspective on the Giants upset of the Patriots.
Wednesday: CTV's Crimewatch reporter Kelly Dehn is always engaging and informative on his weekly segment with us. And the returning Shannah-Lee will be providing a special report on an art program that provides quality rehabilitation for medical patients suffering depression.
Thursday: Around 4.20 PM, an exclusive interview with former CFL great, QB Chuck Ealey, the focus of a fabulous new book 'Choice of Colours' by John Danakis of the University of Manitoba. The launch event will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Prairie Ink Restaurant at the McNally Robinson Grant Park store on Thursday, February 7th.
For further information on Choice of Colours click on the following
link: http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/winnipeg-events
Also every Thursday we give away a large 2-topping pizza from Atlantic Pizza, call 257-2443 and tell 'em you listen to Kick-FM!
Friday: Between our ongoing coverage of CanAlert, the SuperBylaw, the derelict buildings enforcement issues, and reviewing the transcript of our interview a few weeks back with Coun. Gord Steeves, we'll have lots to work with, along with your calls.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)