Manitoba Liberal leader calls past welfare cuts by Tories and NDP "sadistic"

With an undersized war chest and scrambling to field a full slate of candidates, Dougald Lamont took to an interactive online forum to spread the Liberal Party platform - scarce as it is at this stage of the pre-campaign - to Manitoba voters for the September 10th election.

The St. Boniface MLA, leader of a 4 seat Liberal caucus, is hoping to make gains by coming up the middle with voters disaffected by the performance of the current Progressive Conservative government and the previous NDP administration. 

In an innovative gambit to engage voters at no cost, he held an 'AMA' - Ask Me Anything - on Reddit this week to field questions.

"Firstly, huge bonus points for doing an AMA on reddit. I don't even think Pallister knows what Reddit is." 

While staying for the mostpart in a centrist role and reiterating previous positions of his party on issues like education and healthcare cuts, Lamont only strayed from a statesmanlike tone once - when asked about Employment and Income Assistance.

"EIA, under the PCs and the NDP alike, has been sadistic to recipients."

"The PC cuts are only making it worse. Reforming EIA will be part of our anti-poverty plan. Stay tuned for more on this!" Lamont went on to say the HUB  community mobilization program in Brandon "does great work and we would ensure that programs that have positive results are being supported and expanded."

He restated the Liberal platform on addressing the meth epidemic and drug treatment programs, including supporting the establishment of "Drug Stabilization Units" and funding transitional housing for recovering addicts. 

Pointing to an upcoming announcement about a full community safety plan, he promoted his proposed Manitoba Provincial Police Force as a necessary enhancement to RCMP presence "because people in Manitoba are living with no police nearby and it's not safe."

A father of 4, Lamont also touched on the brain drain and connected it to a lack of  higher-end jobs, in part caused by "an incredible lack of capital for Manitoba entrepreneurs". He is proposing "a Manitoba Business Development bank (that) would provide patient money to Manitoba entrepreneurs."

In the world of reddit/w, comments are voted on for popularity or approval, and the highest score Lamont achieved was a +21 about provincial pot policy. 
He vowed to review the legalization framework of the PC government, wise-cracking "there have been chronic issues ... I don't know what Pallister's been smoking if he thinks his plan will reduce illegal pot sales." 

That apparently earned him at least one vote.
*************
Independent journalists have an important role to play in covering issues and stories for the pending Manitoba election call - and the federal election that will follow in October. 

Do you trust the diminishing field of MSM reporters to identify issues important to you and ask questions you'd want politicians seeking your vote to answer? 

So far a dozen donors, at $50 and more, have responded to the funding drive to ensure The Great Canadian Talk Show and citizen journalism will have a role in being a watchdog for the public interest in Winnipeg and Manitoba. 

Those donations meant we could research and prepare a 3 part video series about Morberg House and its successful residential meth recovery program, and how it's helping reduce crime and public disorder in St. Boniface.

And if it wasn't for our extensive review about the deceptions of Sherman Kreiner, a blowjob from his longtime allies at the Winnipeg Free Press would stand as the sole retrospective after his demise. 

Thousands of Manitobans who got fleeced by the Crocus Fund deserved better reporting than "Crocus fundleader' creative and hard-working"- and we gave it to them!

Your support means the world to me and I fight every day for you and for people without a voice. 

Go to this story about our return to active blogging and chip in today --  keep the news we have going - and believe me, we have some exclusives coming. 

Bonus Video: Meth Program And Homeless Outreach Makes St. Boniface Safer This Summer

In the last 3 years as meth addiction ramped up, the peaceful quiet of St. Boniface became noticeably disrupted. 

The Norwood Grove Biz warned City Hall "As the downtown core took steps, we saw an influx of bridge community. Business owners didn't know what to do and hadn't seen it before." 

Issues surrounding homelessness, panhandling and street-involvement become a growing concern to the community "which saw endless customer harassment, vehicle break-ins, vandalism and more." 

The wake-up call was when the washroom at Tim Hortons was set ablaze and shortly after, the staff walked out due to threats. This past winter, the ScotiaBank had to lock its ATM Lobby overnight due to incidents.

https://www.manitobapost.com/winnipeg-news/safety-keeps-slippin-away-on-wrong-side-of-st-boniface-117020

This summer, the area is noticeably - visibly- calmer.  

Marion Willis of Morberg House confirmed that's the case.

A StreetLinks bike patrol and a robust outreach program are helping guide addicts and the homeless towards support and recovery services and out of trouble. With a reduced homeless population she identifies panhandling and meth camps as the current challenges. 

In this bonus video segment she describes the work they are doing to make Winnipeg safer and lauds the Winnipeg Police and Mayor Brian Bowman for supporting their role in crime prevention through social development.

Part 1 of our interview with Marion Willis: 

https://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/despite-67-success-rate-with-meth.html

Part 2: https://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/more-with-marion-willis-and-morberg.html

   *  Our citizen journalism is unique and effective, honed at KICK-FM and on City Circus TV. 

* Details on why this work is important and how you can help us help the community  https://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/theres-2-elections-coming-up-so-were.html

Join the donors who are helping us pay the bills to cover city hall and the Manitoba and Federal elections. 

Unapologetic grifter Sherman Kreiner left a legacy of lies and distrust

The spin-doctors were out in force trying to control the narrative after the demise on July 1st of Sherman Kreiner, a Philadelphia lawyer who came to Manitoba and excelled at bellying up to the trough for decades as a model for the white wine socialists of his era. 

It is natural that former colleagues of Kreiner, most recently Managing Director of the University of Winnipeg Renewal Corporation, would stoke  his memory with accolades for being "a doggedly committed advocate for social and economic justice." 

But if there's one thing Kreiner avoided in his time in Winnipeg, it was being on the receiving end of justice or a public inquiry for his deception as CEO in the mismanagement of the Crocus Fund, where he used investments from duped investors to underwrite absolutely stupid money-losing enterprises that advanced his socialist and glory-seeking agenda. 

Under the vision of Mr. "Multiple Bottom Lines", Crocus Fund investors were going to save democracy from capitalism, and pay him handsomely to manage it. 

A Labour-sponsored venture capital fund, it was supposed to grow small to mid-sized Manitoba businesses. What actually grew, was the influence and wallets of Kreiner and his team.

*  In March of 2007 we dedicated a special week to the contents of a leaked briefing memo that had Premier Gary Doer scrambling off a plane from Washington to try to save his ass before the provincial election. The briefing note, signed by then Finance Minister Greg Selinger in 2000, was conveniently never provided to the provincial auditor for his report - and the RCMP could not confirm thay had gotten it for their investigation either. 

In an on-air interview on 92.9 KICK-FM that week Liberal MLA Kevin Lamoreaux told our audience that he had no doubt the NDP was hiding even more information, and that Selinger had lied to the House when confronted with questions about Crocus in the past. The NDP outvoted a motion for Legislative Committee evidence to be sworn and moved that the Opposition Leaders apologize to Selinger. 

The Cabinet memo proves that back in 2000, the government knew that new investors' money was actually going to be used to pay out those investors who in essence, bailed before 34,000 people lost millions. Questionable investments touted by Kreiner included pouring endless sums into entertainment industry failures like Westsun ($21 million) all the way down to Blye Brothers ($1 million, zero films produced). 

Exhorbitant expenses were being rung up before an illegal loan from the Solidarity Fond in Quebec in 2002 was described as an "investment" and then used to cook the Crocus books and give it the illusion of stability and liquidity.  

*  The big dollars he had the Crocus Fund throw at media outlets made him feel he was above scrutiny as the ponzi scheme he captained was slowly decending into a death spiral. Shortly after the injection of Quebec capital, a critical letter from a shareholder circulated around the Legislature and media. 

We reported in January 2008 that when CBC reporter Krista Erickson asked Crocus about the reasons for the deal with the Fond , Kreiner wrote back , “As for the inference to liquidity raised by .... it is simply false.” 

However documents put into court in a shareholder lawsuit included the letter to the Fond requesting the money. The first reason Kreiner listed was “We presently face a short term liquidity challenge”. 

So he had no problem lying to CBC, especially when the letter had clearly told the truth- that regular investors got no guaranteed rate of return, so the Quebec money was not an "investment" but a high-cost short term loan. 

He also had no problem breaking the law, to conceal that Crocus was in deep trouble.

In that same correspondence begging for the bail-out, Kreiner vowed to repay the $10 million plus 7 % interest after 18 months, "even if the consequences of the redemption would place us offside our regulatory requirements regarding Reserve Funds" - in other words even if the Crocus Fund broke the law to do so.

(In fact, Crocus eventually committed to pay 10% interest, not 7%, to get the "investment".)

* Even the protective shield of the Crocus-friendly Winnipeg Free Press began to buckle, as editor Nick Hirst acted as a nervous canary in the coalmine after leaking the letter from the disgrunteled investor to his pal Shermy.  

Saying he had already found it "difficult to keep such letters out of the newspaper”, Hirst warned Kreiner “This letter become insidious if followed by others. 
It suggests there really is something wrong ... (This is) an example of one of the many letters we are receiving about your fund.” It was also an example of the many letters Hirst did not publish to protect his friend from scrutiny. 

* So friendly, in fact, that a Fund sponsor upstaged the 2005 hearing at which the Securities Commission had asked the court to appoint a receiver to manage Crocus's affairs.

The Manitoba Federation of Labour brought forward a group of "volunteers" suggesting that they were in a better position to run Crocus than a professional receiver. One was Nicholas Hirst, months after leaving the newspaper to "write tv scripts".

For a timeline of the Crocus collapse click here

* Here's how the Flin Flon Reminder described the Auditor's report into Kreiner's term heading up Crocus:

"Apparently no one was minding the store, such the C.E.O. Sherman Kreiner who Singleton said 
- had no investment management background, 
- did nothing about management problems, and 
- did not properly inform the Directors. 

Kreiner was forced out in early December, shortly before Crocus stopped trading and devalued by $46 million. 

He remains hostile to the Auditor-General's report even though he can't explain how a $10 million loan from Quebec was reported as an asset. 

Apparently Kreiner's biggest failure was his inability to control the wild spending of his Chief Investment Officer James Umlah, who among other things spent $1.1 million on expenses.

* Shortly after the NDP helped the University of Winnipeg with a little pension shortfall, Kreiner was hired there in what was called "a far cry from his glory days with Crocus when he paraded around town as a Prince of the City, thuggishly threatening and intimidating anyone who dared challenge his command of the Crocus Fund and its many socialist offshoots." 

His benefactor, former U of W president Lloyd Axworthy, remembers the late Kreiner for "turning the university’s food services from an unpopular, greasy canteen to a social enterprise focused on organic and fresh food". Here is how it was described at the time: 

"The architects of this food services delivery model are two Winnipeg based organizations, The University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation (UWCRC) and SEED Winnipeg." 

What Axworthy doesn't want you to remember, is that when the press release quoted Kreiner and SEED's Executive Director Cindy Coker, the University was careful not to reveal the two were actually married, and had been for a long time.  

* Axworthy also doesn't want anyone remembering how under Kreiner's direction, the U of W lied to conceal their manifest destiny vision of expanding the University footprint to adjacent streets in the west end. 

According to the Social Justice Committee of  Blessed Kateri Tekawitha Aboriginal Catholic Parish " Jennifer Rattray said, “The University of Winnipeg would never buy the buildings on Langside or Young and displace the people. It would be terrible PR.” 

"We were told there were never any discussions about buying these buildings or using them for students or kicking people out. Jennifer Rattray was very adamant that we were just stirring up the residents for nothing."  

But the day after the meeting "(we found) a document quoting a July 5^th meeting of Spence Neighborhood Association representatives, Maggie Friesen, Cyril Keeper, Don Miedema and Kate Sjoberg with Sherman Kriener (sic) spokesperson of the University of Winnipeg, states the specific details of such a take over of MHRC buildings. They "...specifically discussed the displacement issue and recognized that it was one (they) would need to address very carefully." 

(Well, Shermy was consistent, he'd lie to anyone in the west end, whether it was a CBC reporter or the neighborhood church).


* The day after the NDP was re-elected under Selinger in 2011, 8 of the 10 Crocus directors who had nominally been responsible for Kreiner made a whitewash deal with the highly compromised Manitoba Securities Commission to save their skin. The Order allowed them 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. 

The Order included dirty details of stalled Valuation approvals and details of backroom infighting between parties unnamed in the documentation - but who were Kreiner and new executives Chief Operating Officer Laurie Goldberg and Chief Investment Officer John Pelton, who blew the whistle to authorities when they found the Fund was collapsing. 

* Axworthy told the Free Press that Kreiner was working on a book  "about social enterprises, and how to get more conscious businesses into the market." 

"I’m hoping that book comes to publication, because the parts he read out to me were just brilliant. Let’s just say: we’re still going to hear from Sherman Kreiner."

If and when you do, read this brief retrospective again and compare Kreiner's actual record in the community from the fiction he was no doubt compiling to cover himself in glory.  

When Winnipeg loses experienced journalists, it loses institutional memory. There are fewer reporters in the city than EVER. The deep researched coverage we gave to the Crocus Fund scandal on KICK-FM helped establish citizen journalism in this town.

The public deserves more than the spin put out there about divisive characters like Sherman Kreiner. 

In the next few months I want to make sure that there is added coverage of city hall, the Manitoba election and the federal election too, as well as stories like this. 

Your donation helps me make a difference in the community. 

Go to the home page and check our most recent stories about meth use in this city and some possible solutions, and join the readers who have already helped us get over 10% of our target of 100 donors at $50 each. 

Read more about the donor drive here:

http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/theres-2-elections-coming-up-so-were.html

More With Marion Willis and Morberg House, Treating Meth Addiction

Marion Willis took a few minutes while hosting a get-to-know-ya lunchtime barbeque with the neighbours at No Frills on Goulet Ave. to tell us about Morberg House and St. Boniface StreetLinks. All the funding for the residential program at Morberg House is privately funded.

In the first part of our interview she told of the 67% success rate of their program for meth addicted men, but that the Pallister government doesn't seem to want to learn more about the program's basis of high-support congregant living. The other side of the service is the multi-disciplinary team at StreetLinks which deals with not only the physical issues, but the mental health of the street-involved people they help.

To close the interview, Marion gives the contact information for their website or phone 204-294-7637. She invited everyone to come directly to see their work. 

"We love visitors, we like people coming to 311 Provencher Blvd, to see Morberg House, it's staffed 24 -7. Come and learn about the meth epidemic from people trying to recover, come and see a model that working extremely well, learn about our a  2 year continuum of service that's seamless." 

She concluded, "You want to meet the guys who live there. You want to learn from them how to address the meth crisis in this city, Too bad they weren't the Task Force." 

(Marion also showed the camera a before and after picture of one young man in recovery, and the improvement in 4 months is remarkable as you'll see.)

After Canada Day, there will be a bonus segment with Marion Willis posted about safety and crime in St. Boniface.
*******
                                    HAPPY CANADA DAY

HERE'S HOW WE USED TO CELEBRATE IN OSBORNE VILLAGE AT THE 'TURN OF THE CENTURY'

THE STAFF AT THE ZOO WOULD ASK US TO PLEASE NOT WRECK THE FURNITURE. oh well...

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

IF THIS VIDEO REPORT ABOUT THE WORK OF MORBERG HOUSE, OR OUR TRIP DOWN CANADA DAY WRESTLING MEMORY LANE, CAUGHT YOUR EYE, PLEASE JOIN OUR DONATION DRIVE TO KEEP US GOING STRONG INTO THE FEDERAL ELECTION. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT OUR APPROACH TO REPORTING AND SEE HOW TO DONATE:  http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/theres-2-elections-coming-up-so-were.html

Despite 67% success rate with meth addicts, Manitoba government won't talk to Morberg House

The publication of the Illicit Drug Task Force report on a Friday before the first long weekend of the summer, was designed to stifle review and discussion of the document. 

That's what government-connected committees -  in this case to all 3 levels - will do when they know there's trouble brewing. That way, there is no ability for critical viewpoints and alternative approaches to gather momentum in response. 

I had barely glanced at the report, noting it was like finding a needle in the haystack to figure out which parts would address or rectify the serious deficiencies I identifed in the meth/used needle problems in and around Manitoba Housing properties. Instead, I set it aside for the weekend, and went to buy some groceries. 

And lo and behold, I walked into a little free lunchtime barbeque set up outside of the No Frill store in St. Boniface, and finally met Marion Willis.

Marion runs Morberg House, the flagship program of St. Boniface Street Links. I am not the biggest fan of the "harm reduction" philosophy and practices of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and other agencies. That policy direction was reinforced by the Task Force report. Having said that, I am a fan of results, especially if it is reducing meth use and addiction that has overrun our city. 

So imagine my surprise when in the course of interviewing Marion, I learned not only of the valuable partnership with No Frills helping feed men enrolled in their nationally recognized program, but of a success rate - SIXTY SEVEN PERCENT - in the last 3 years, which dwarfs the typical rate of other programs.

More surprising, was when I asked Marion about their funding, and she told me that not only does the province not contribute one thin dime to Morberg House, not a single cabinet minister in the Pallister government has responded to emails asking for a meeting to discuss their program - or discuss how it can be expanded to help more addicts in Manitoba get clean. 

Watch and share Part 1 of my interview, more to follow in the next few days. 

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

Have you heard about this issue from mainstream media? No?
Think it's important for this type of news to get revealed?

Then please click on this post about our work, our plan to hold politicians accountable in the upcoming provincial and federal elections, and donate to keep our work in the community going strong! 

Our goal is 100 donors at $50.00 each, to make sure there's news coverage from Winnipeg beyond what MSM puts out there.

One reason why: 

* Today is the 20th anniversary of the last local talk show heard on TalkRadio1290 in Winnipeg before the format was abandoned. ( Guest canceled for the next day: Angelo Mosca.) 

* No commercial station has tried a talk format since. 

* Winnipeg radio listeners are not well served by CRTC policy. 

Drug Task Force Heard Five Ideas To Fix Manitoba Housing Used Needle Policy

With the tri-government Illicit Drug Task Force set to release its 30 page report, it will be interesting to see whether important details I brought to light about free needle programs and the handling of unsafe used needles dumped around Winnipeg are incorporated into the findings and recommendations. 

They should be, since everytime I turned around, some official or other (including city councilors, MLA's and provincial health officials) were stunned at what I was uncovering about the trail meth users were leaving and lack of data being collected.

[WE ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT FROM 100 READERS WHO THINK INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM MATTERS. OUR WORK MAKES A DIFFERENCE. YOUR $50 CAN HELP KEEP THIS WORK GOING  DETAILS BELOW THE STORY] 

In a series of columns published by Manitoba Post starting last March, I revealed that the provincial public housing authority – after some prodding by a well-placed contact involved in health care policy – elaborated on some murky answers they gave me when I began investigating the Free Needle Exchange Program and the overall scourge of discarded rigs in Winnipeg neighborhoods.  

Manitoba Housing produced a spreadsheet of their properties that has a used needle container on-site.

The total was 81. And that's just locations, not the total number of sharp bins.  

By comparison - and not disconnected to my ongoing investigation - the City has finally gotten up to about 20.

I've never heard that comparison reported in mainstream media, have you? 

My findings led me to ask Is Manitoba Housing Ground Zero of Winnipeg Meth Epidemic?  

In the course of my research, I have corresponded with Manitoba Housing, the WRHA, concerned medical professionals, business and property owners, residents, and working people employed within the community at large. 

Some of that earlier research was reflected in my story Marty Gold Puts Meth-Ematics of WRHA Free Needle Program Under the Microscope

I reported in a follow-up column about Manitoba Housing that they told me when someone calls 311, the City of Winnipeg provides people a referral to deal with used needles they found on their private property. 

I discovered that was 100% false, the City doesn't direct callers to any help with needle pick-up: 

Marty Gold Asks - Why does 311 keep this a secret?

(The City had other secrets it didn't want told, a story for another day. But it's the need to get this story and others like it out, that proves why our comeback to blogging and podcasting was needed. 

To read more and donate https://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/theres-2-elections-coming-up-so-were.html )

My reports stirred the public. On the Manitoba Post Facebook page, a reader said “You don't need an Excel spreadsheet. All Winnipeg Housing and Manitoba Housing properties have a Meth issue. “ 

Another reader said she was taking the column to the advisory board for Central Neighborhoods Winnipeg and confirmed “There is no signage in MB housing buildings on who to contact in regards of finding needles.”

In March, I compiled a list of 5 recommendations that my health policy contact funneled to the Task Force. I was assured at least 3 members of the Meth Task Force have reviewed my submission.

So, here's what I came up with to enhance public safety.

I proposed that Manitoba Housing assist in collecting data about used needles, where they're found, and how many, which is required to inform good health policy. I also laid out steps to rectify deficiencies in Manitoba Housing health and safety practices and enshrine some transparency.

1)  Provide collection/disposal containers at all managed properties.

2)  Post signage directing staff, residents and visitors to where the collection containers are located. There is signage about how to dispose of sharps into the bins but it's directed only to employees. 

3) Signage should instruct tenants and visitors to contact a designated person to report discarded needles left on the property. That signage should include an email address, a phone number, and if possible directions to an on-site written notification deposit box that will be be emptied/reviewed daily.

4) Ensure any agreement with Street Connections (or any other agency) for needle pick-up EXPLICITLY REQUIRES that needles removed from its properties are counted / estimated by weight. That figure must be reported to MH and the WRHA, AND made available for public review WITHOUT requiring a FIPPA application.

5) Proactively develop and implement an action plan to mitigate the potential and actual danger and damage to the general community adjacent to its properties being caused by their tenants and guests discarding needles onto public (ie City of Winnipeg) and private property.

I will be glad to discuss my research and concerns with anyone who is involved in this field, especially with all members of the Meth Task Force, co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Health Karen Herd and Winnipeg Chief Corporate Services Officer Michael Jack.

Manitoba Housing was not represented on the Task Force, which in light of my findings about the depth of their involvement in needle collection and disposal in Winnipeg was a staggering omission.

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

... Now, about that drive to find 100 donors -

IT'S A SIMPLE IDEA - THERE MUST BE 100 TAXPAYERS, ACTIVISTS, NEWS CONSUMERS, WHO WANT THESE SCOOPS AND UNIQUE ANALYSIS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC IN WINNIPEG AND THINK IT'S WORTH 50 BUCKS. 
DON'T YOU?  

• A $50 DONATION funds basic costs for equipment, internet, parking and gas, etc. and helps keep the lights on 
• MORE reporting on town halls 
• MORE asking direct questions of policy and decision makers 
• MORE issues important to you - like dirty needles all over the place - get put on the table

Join the folks who already took a stand for OUR citizen journalism. 
BEFORE CANADA DAY, YOU CAN JOIN THE 100 CLUB:

PayPal  https://www.paypal.me/MartyGoldMedia
Email TGCTS1@gmail.com for other payment options including etransfer or a personal visit for pick up

On the fence? 
Ask yourself- Did a single newsroom report what was going on with used needles at public housing locations? 
NO? 
That's why citizen journalism exists. That's why Winnipeg needs it.

*************
COMING NEXT: THE MARION FREEWAY HANGOVER HITS CITY HALL HARD

There's 2 elections coming up, so we're coming back.

Consider the following:

A) The City of Winnipeg needs more independent news and public affairs media coverage, not less. 

B) Same with Manitoba, and Western Canada. 

C) There's needles all over our streets and parks, taxes and fees are squeezing our wallets, and voters have deep concerns about energy policy, health care, and overall government priorities. 
*************
If you agree with that premise, The Great Canadian Talk Show has a few questions for you to consider:

• Is it important for governments and power brokers to hear voices that MSM doesn't listen to?
• Is it important for you to get reporting and analysis that isn't under a corporate umbrella? 
• Is it important for the community to have stories told that don't chase the usual and expected narratives

Lastly, do you trust the existing media outlets to provide  coverage you can trust of the provincial and federal elections and give fair play to the issues important to you this fall?

If you were a fan of The Great Canadian Talk Show on KICK-FM, or of City Circus on Shaw TV, you'll like what we are trying to do with citizen journalism in 2019. 

This plan needs your support to get it off the ground. 

The mathematics are, with 100 fans and supporters donating $50 each, we're in the news game in a big way right in time for the elections. BUT EVERY DONATION COUNTS.

(As this was first being written, the first supporter stepped forward with their $50.00 after seeing this idea on our Facebook group. What a great start.)

Our region has been stripped of too many community media outlets by radio and TV executives making decisions about community programming. 

Ultimately, they don't want anything that challenges their hold on the audience and on advertisers, or puts their pals in positions of power on the hot seat. The CRTC doesn't stop them. 

Your donation can fund our basic costs for equipment, internet, parking and gas, etc. and ensure energetic, motivated coverage and analysis of Winnipeg and Manitoba politics through the federal election campaign in October. 

Commentary, analysis, and election coverage is what The Great Canadian Talk Show did best, and the biggest reason why it's needed as much as it ever was.

As Mayor Sam Katz said to Coun. Gerbasi about me interviewing politicians: "First you get grilled, then you get cross-examined." But he still shook my hand.

There's lots of ways to explain why supporting my reporting is helps arm the community with an experienced, proven and effective media outlet again at this crucial time.

Yes, I will come see you in person , shake your hand, take a photo and add you to our builders list (or not, cause I know some of you want to keep it private), provide a receipt for the donation, etc. If you want to sponsor podcasts or videos, I'd love to talk about that idea too. 

We post stories on this blog and at the Facebook-friendly Winnipeg Watchdog Report, we have TGCTS video on YouTube  -- AND Spirited Kenny's channel has content at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7UhfO0tJi5jxHZ4XOd857A ) - and that's not all!

That's MORE reporting on town halls, MORE asking candidates direct questions, MORE issues important to you put on the table in the Manitoba and Federal elections this fall. That is my commitment to the community. 

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. 

Thank you, 
Marty Gold