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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
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.
Spirited Kenny finally rejoins the TGCTS microphone today!
He contributes a horde of opinions about crime, cops, courts, homicides #33 and 34, gangs, the CFS system, Gordo, his alma mater Red River College, and of course Gary Doer, who, as he points out, at least had charm -- unlike his successor Greg "where's my glass of milk?" Selinger. And city plans for garbage and transit hikes gets a schmeissing as well.
We also discuss upcoming improvements to the TGCTS platforms. It was good to have Kenny in the co-pilot seat again !
Among our shout outs today are to new Twitter followers: @larrystefaniuk and @WHY_music, and to a couple of participants in the Occupy Winnipeg movement who wanted to get messages across to the community.
First this from Kristap to our Facebook group:
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!
And our friend Kristen Andrews wanted us to pass along the following information about a meeting on November 15th to transform Exchange District mainstay Ragpickers Anti-Fashion Emporium into a co-op retailer. http://www.leifnorman.net/ragpickers-anti-fashion-emporium-nov-2-2011/
( Next Podcast will be on Monday but we expect to drop something fresh to read on the blog over the weekend.)
- exactly what Judge Fred Sandhu said about alcoholism fueling social disorder with no solutions from government in sight (H/T James Turner who ran the transcript here),
- how $40 million of provincial tax dollars earmarked for the CMHR could be used to make our community safer instead of pumping up the pet project of millionaires
plus a recap of a violent weekend in the 100 block of Main Street, including a midnight firearm-backed sexual assault and a broad daylight stabbing of a Good Samaritan.
(Off the top of the show we shout-out to our new Twitter followers, we end with our favorite story about a Game 1 Jets fan and a challenge to Gordo, and for those CFL and wrestling fans, here is a link to my book review of Angelo Mosca's biographyhttp://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Reviews/2011/09/29/18759781.html )
Winnipeg's premiere podcast tells you the story of a remarkable dirty trick played in the election, from a north end riding no less. It's quite clever although highly unethical and shows someone is scared of someone else gaining ground.
In civics, Gordo's column about a proposed Waterfront Drive development in the FP this weekend was so obnoxious that blogger Cherenkov was compelled to make sure everyone knew the history of Sinclair distorting the plans at Upper Fort Garry to generate support for the Manitoba Club members engineering the kaiboshing of a much-needed apartment block to preserve their back yard view. Since Gary Filmon is involved in some way with the Waterfront deal, I set the record straight that this was a ploy by Gordo to use his bully pulpit to demonize the Tories, even tangientally, yet again. We review the facts of how the bike lobby and their enablers inflated attendance figures at past Ciclovia events for political purposes, and in the crime report, two weekend stabbings lend rise to a 6 letter word no one dares utter to protect our youth from each other - curfew.
For the first time in over a decade, returning to the drive-time Winnipeg radio airwaves, at 4 PM former CFRW host John Collison will dissect the deal made by your unelected premier Greg Selinger to fund a David Asper-built stadium;
plus, Bob Axford with more on Miss Whistle and Manitoba Hydro, straight from the NDP convention;
Free Press readers say Gordo jumped the shark with his bedroom confession on Saturday;
and an email from a very upset resident of soon-to-be-bike pathed Berry Street.
Then at 5.25, Spirited Kenny and Frank the Italian barber handicap the Stanley Cup playoffs!
Last Thursday on TGCTS, a Metis researcher told of the significant areas of the Forks which had served as a burial ground for aboriginals for a century, and his attempts to get the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to acknowledge this.
Museum champion, Gail Asper did not return David Carriere's call, delegating the task of blowing him off to a flunky.
"Elders" had assured the Museum millionaires that their location was not a burial ground as " we would not have buried so close to the banks of the river".
CMHR head cheerleader Gordon Sinclair of the Free Press also brushed off the concerns, based on assurances from the museum's handpicked aboriginal "experts" that enabled the pet project of millionaires to proceed unabated.
Carriere explained, because of the significant financial support of FN organizations such as the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Manitoba Metis Federation, if there was any notion that the construction was disturbing a native boneyard, there would be an uproar.
The truth about the bones beneath the floor was an inconvenient truth, for the human rights crowd of Manitoba.
Armed with extensive historical clippings and academic studies of the region, Carriere took his case to the vaunted Round Table consultations at the Forks in January, when CMHR officials ostensibly were asking for citizens to come forward with their ideas of which human rights stories the museum should tell.
As he described it, "THEIR JAWS WERE ON THE TABLE".
Carriere is not asking for construction of the Museum to stop.
He is not asking for existing structures to be torn down.
All he is asking for is a cairn, a plaque, a memorial, to allow visitors to the Forks and the CMHR to give pause and remember the exploitation of a native burial ground by land developers.
Apparently, for the Gail Asper's of the world, such an act would require too much time away from high-society hobnobbing and panhandling for donations from gullible school children and photo-op craving Premiers.
Carriere has yet to hear back about his suggestion from anyone connected to the Museum. Here is the letter he presented at the public session:
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to propose that the CanadianHumanRightsMuseum consider the destruction and exploitation of the Aboriginal graveyard of “The Winnipeg Forks Region” as an important story of human rights violation.
The existence of the Aboriginal graveyard at The Forks was consistently described by early visitors to the area as “unusually large”.This was attributed to the smallpox epidemics of 1781-1782.During this time half of the areas aboriginal population died.
This area was used for burial from ancient times till at least 1874 (see photo dated 1874).During this time the number of burials would have been enormous.At times, the Red River flooded.During these floods, much of the surface evidence of the graveyard would be destroyed.Still, the significance of the graveyard as a landmark is evidence by the Selkirk settlers.
For example; On September 15th, 1817, the “Indian tombs” ½ miles south of FortDouglas was described as the Southern boundary of their new constable’s jurisdiction (the north boundary being “7 Oaks”).It is likely though that most of the surface “tombs” were destroyed during the enormous flood of 1826.During this time it is said that very few surface structures (from within miles of the Red River) survived.This flood destroyed the fort at the forks which was later relocated to higher ground.Still, aboriginal people continued to bury their dead in this traditional graveyard.
After, Manitoba entered Confederation (1870); there became a huge emigration to Winnipeg.The cost of land in “down town” Winnipeg shot through the roof.Enormous profits could be made off land on main thoroughfares.The land South of Main Street and Portage Ave. was seen as too valuable to leave as an “Indian Burial Ground”.So, even areas that were recognized by all on lookers as an Aboriginal graveyard were “converted to other purposes”.
During this land development boom, a great number of aboriginal skeletons were unearthed.The citizens of Winnipeg were under no delusions.These remains were from “The Indian Burial Ground”.It was openly acknowledged in the newspapers of the time.
But, by then, the descendants of the buried were far away suffering on reservations.Some claimed that the aboriginals had abandoned the graveyard.And that gave them the right to use it as they saw fit.But, the separation of Canadian Aboriginals from their ancestor’s final resting place has historically been involuntary.
Some land within the old C.N. railyard is believed to be within the old graveyard.Some of these areas are not built upon.But, it is probably still the same story.The land is seen as too valuable to respect the Aboriginal dead.
Thanks to all of our listeners and the followers of this blog, for making 2009 so rewarding for everyone at The Great Canadian Talk Show.
We kicked off 2009 by breaking the real story behind the actions of News Years Eve partiers rescuing a mother and her infant from a drunken carjacker on Horace Avenue, and that momentum carried on through :
- the amazing "meth caller" after a druggie suicide in a cop chase, - our coverage of the lies by Health Minister Theresa Oswald and WRHA officials about the preventable Emergency Room death of Brian Sinclair, - our exclusive interview with MP turned MLA Bill Blaikie, - "breaking news story of the year" about the cover-up of the hospital negligence that contributed to the 2004 death of Gail Glesby at Health Sciences Centre, - the whistleblower-driven expose of the 1999 NDP Election Finance scam, - The Parking Authority and Transit's Diamond Lane policies running roughshod over Winnipeg drivers, businesses and neighbourhoods - the very valid reasons why the Hydro Whistleblower should be protected from attacks by the likes of Bob Brennan and have a proper airing of her complaint of financial and risk mismanagement - Did someone mention Climategate?
************ The Winnipeg Free Press 2009 misadventures in journalism,such as inventing "Aurtarlia", the exploitation of Faron Hall, and the overall arrogance, bad reporting, and slanted writings as typified by the shameless cheerleading for the Pet Projects of Millionaires and elitists (the Friends of Upper Fort Garry, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the Point Douglas Provincial Park) resultedinour "News Analysis Story of the Year": the downfall of the Free Press as the 'newspaper of record'.
It is already apparent that on Monday, January 4th, we will be following up on the same theme, as Gordon Sinclair Jr. soon will be bragging about treating his homeless hero buddy Faron Hall to some Taco Time on Tuesday. ( Has Faron ever been invited to dinner at Chez Gordo in Lindenwoods, or are 'parkers' preventing turnover at the Sinclair table?)
Today, the broadsheet on Mountain Avenue that brags about their 4 legislature reporters completely failed to report on the sudden "retirement" of Elections Manitoba chief Richard Balasko.
Is Tricky Dickie trying to duck a legislative committee in January, loaded with questions about his role in the shady 2003 deal with the NDP and former Premier Gary Doer that saw Balasko hide news of the agreed "settlement" of possible criminal charges against the NDP until 7 months after the 2003 election?
We will have LOTS to say about this on Monday.
(Only one other mainstream media outlet reported by 5 PM on Balasko's sudden departure -- with nary a hint that he is dogged by the scandal and facing an Opposition grilling in January. Shame on the MSM.
Even more shame on the NDP government which for some unknown reason, couldn't spare a typist to produce a press release on the subject today... it couldn't have had anything to do with wanting to keep the majority of newsrooms and the general public in the dark, would it?)
************* Meanwhile, FP vice-editrix Julie Carl tried to entice subscribers this afternoon with the following "news":
" Looking ahead We often look back wistfully at the year behind us the last week of December, but the Free Press looks ahead in tomorrow’s paper. We asked three of Winnipeg’s brightest commentators 10 questions about 2010. Think of it as a program for the new year. And you know what they say: you’re lost without a program. "
Even though we were not on the air, Canada's smartest radio audience sent us a flurry of predictions as to the FP's chosen troika.
Here is a sample:
" Richard Cloutier, Lloyd Axworthy and David Northcott ;-)"
(from a blogger:) " Not me. If any bloggers at all, I'm thinking either (Liberal pollster) Curtis Brown or Policy Frog will be among them. Rounding out the roster will be some old Trotskyite eggheads in academia. Not because they are currently among the brightest commentators, but because they are still on the rolodexes of a tired, unimaginative MSM."
"Guesses?
Faron Hall Nahanni Fontaine Dave Hill.
Because she just wants you to get happy".
:) **************
Don't forget our theme for Year 4: "YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE CHANGE!"
That is what TGCTS in 2010 will be all about.
(That, and a few visits to the dentist.)
****************** A special thanks to our regular visitors and contributors this year, including:
Tahl East of CDI College, Darryl Walsh of Triallo Communication Media, RRC J-student Jess Chapman, Jon Waldman of Slam! Sports, the King of Corydon Avenue Frank the Italian Barber, NFL expert Brad Harrison, This Week in History with Professor Levinski, the boys from Illegal Curve, and a true friend, Kelly Dehn of CTV.
***********
The sponsors of the show were enthusiastic and showed great faith in our program and the role of alternative media in Winnipeg.
To: Unicity Taxi, the Winnipeg Police Association, CDI College, The Focal Point Optician on the U of Manitoba campus, Atlantic Pizza, TJ Bratt, Phil's Barber Shop, CanadaSheli.com, Curb-Ease, Brad Gross, the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association, Triallo Communication Media and Steven Hanks Premier Massage Group, thank you for supporting TGCTS and 92.9 Kick-FM in 2009. ***************
There would be no broadcasts without the hard work of our volunteer producers.
Many thanks are in order to Shannah-Lee, Spirited Kenny, Kick-FM News Director Awesome Adam Toy, Deniz of Humber College, Brad of the peanut gallery, RRC's Danielle and Stacia, and Kiirsten May and Josh Grummett, both now of CJOB68.
And hey, Senior Producer Captain Audio, take a bow as well.
*************************
November and December guests:
Coun. Jenny Gerbasi Brian Smiley, Manitoba Public Insurance Kevin Lamoureaux, Liberal MLA Hugh McFadyen, Manitobas Conservative leader Greg Oliver, Slam! Wrestling editor Scott Taylor, CITI-FM sports director Coun. Jeff Browaty Mike Sutherland, Winnipeg Police Association Ezra Ginzburg, Drew Mindell, and Richard Pollock, Illegalcurve.com Tony Condello, Ultimate Cage Wars/Kerry Brown Tribute Show Sean Crawford, MacDonald Youth Services Coun. John Orlikow Colin Butler and Mike Wolchuk, Pollock's Hardware Co-op Mayor Sam Katz Melanie Pitcher, Walk4Darfur Alex Morrison, scientist Coun. Harvey Smith Bart Jose, Artists Emporium Dr. Tim Ball, Climategate expert The BEAT DJ's -- Indierawker and Mod Marty Larry Stefaniuk, WiseUp Winnipeg Coun. Scott Fielding Dan Lett, Winnipeg Free Press David Faurschou, Conservative MLA Colin Craig, Canadian Taxpayers Federation JOHN K of VJ's Drive -Inn
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR AND DON'T FORGET TO LISTEN TO ALL-STAR SUNDAY AT 7 PM. PS:Rest in Peace, former NCAA and professional wrestling champion Steve "Dr. Death" Williams. A protege of Cowboy Bill Watts and an unbelievably physical competitor, Steve died yesterday of throat cancer at age 49.
First of all, thanks for correcting the misinformation in last Tuesday's Editor's Bulletin, even if it took my unacknowledged email to get you to admit, 2 days late, that it was wrong of you to assert to your subscribers that the Manitoba Conservatives had proposed a plastic bag ban.
If only the woes of your newspaper were limited to such trivial details.
For it is also wrong for you to publish a column entitled "A question of transparency and trust for charity" on Saturday, and expect to get away with it.
This is not my message; it is the message clearly stated in the online comments from your own readers about Gordon Sinclair's innuendo-laden lecture, based on the departure of John Mohan from the helm of Siloam Mission.
December 12, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Journalism sure has changed over the years.
Reporters knew then what was on or off limits, and based on this article, you forgot that. The paper falls down another peg. What a classless thing to do.
You could learn a thing or two about compassion from this organization Mr. Sinclair. It's a private matter and let's leave it as such.
and
Posted by: Rural Roots
December 12, 2009 at 12:08 PM Gord, does this mean that, given how the public puts their trust in journalists like yourself to inform us about the "news" of the day, that you will from here on in ensure that your personal issues and those of all your colleagues that may in some direct or indirect (why were you grumpy in your column today, should I start guessing publicly?) your work will now be noted at the bottom of each column or in a press release?!?
and this
Posted by: Grubfoot
December 13, 2009 at 2:25 AM "In other words, it's personal. But if what I hear from a source inside Siloam is true, there was also a highly uncomfortable professional aspect that should have made it Siloam's story to tell, too."
What made it your story to tell? There's a highly uncomfortable professional aspect to your infringing on John Mohan's right to privacy. It's more newsworthy that bleeding heart liberals are stabbing the charitable-hearted in the back.
Speaking of which, I am sure you took note of this comment:
Posted by: Jason Wayne
December 12, 2009 at 3:11 PM Two words.......Pork Gate.
Let's compare the two stories.
Reported: John Mohan leaves his job after evidentally separating from his wife, who is still employed at the Mission.
Mohan and his wife split over something. That's personal. It has nothing to do with their jobs or the public that supports Siloam Mission. It is not "news".
Unreported: Somebody steals food from Winnipeg Harvest and gives it to Free Press employees.
Not to mention theft is a crime. And the FP covered it up even after the City of Winnipeg issued a health warning about consuming thawing meat handed out by an unknown distributor from the back of a truck.
Tell us all, when a half-ton of stolen food meant for the truly hungry and poor ended up in your employees freezers, did you give them this lecture about "accountability and trust"?
The Winnipeg Free Press has no moral authority to lecture any other organization about accountability and transparency, or about ethical obligations to the public to 'come clean'.
The FP raises money from the public for Harvest every year. There's a direct connection. And your newspaper pretended nothing happened.
Siloam Mission could have used the unspoiled portions of pork to feed the poor, but instead some of your well-paid employees, accepted the pilfered, taxpayer-subsidized gift.
And now, one of your employees is criticizing Siloam for protecting the privacy of a couple in their employ? Your newspaper has been protecting the privacy of the thief and those who accepted stolen food for over a year now.
This same employee has ceaselessly been an unapologetic cheerleader for Harvest honcho David Northcott and has never asked why Northcott gave up his "investigation" rather than find the thief.
Margo, the attack on Siloam Mission exposes the selective commitment Gordo and the Free Press has to reporting on "A transparency issue for a charity that relies on the public for its funding."
And, it calls into question whether you agree with his observation "Transparency being the currency of trust."
If you do, Gordo will reveal what he knows about Porkgate.
Until you address this double standard, the great divide between the public and the newspaper of record will continue to grow wider and wider, and you will continue to scratch your head at the abandonment of readers and subscribers from the Free Press.
This has been a very busy 3 months and we want to thanks all our listeners who have contributed with an avalanche of emails and calls that kept the shows moving at a rapid fire pace throughout.
January Top Stories: - Exclusive: The truth about the Horace Avenue carjacker and the "vigilante hate crime beating" that wasn't - Free Press publisher Bob Cox ignores a complaint that Dan Lett personally insulted a reader because apparently, emailers are not allowed to be "anonymous" - Chief McCaskill tells James Turner " we never thought much of it...we missed the boat on crack" - Bus union wants driver shields - Exclusive: FP "Ask the City Editor" online feature ignores questions about Porkgate - Exclusive: Details of U of M anti-Semitic incident and of Pro-Israel rally confrontation (and how the FP hid the photo) - The Monday Manifesto: This year, it's about "the untouchables"- Government appointees such as judges, government funded boards and universities, - Exclusive: Caller explains the life and death of meth addict DJ Vanden Bosch who committed suicide when surrounded by cops in the west end - 16 year old Alexander Avenue home invasion/stabber gets easy sentence, FP ignores his membership in Native Syndicate street gang - Murder victim Shawn Beauchamp, member of Bloodz gang, worked for Free Press, chased, bear sprayed, shot, police claim not a gang crime - The 3-1-1 with Spirited Kenny, predicting inquiry phone line disaster - Exclusive: a dozen Somalian street gang members bust up all ages party at Exchange Event Centre. - FP Raccoon Carney story- 1 paragraph, 2 sentences, 3 mistakes, 0 corrections - Two Tier Justice: "no break in, no injuries, no weapon" accused gets more time (56 months) for attack on Crown attorney's house, than Native Syndicate punk did for nearly killing Alexander Avenue resident in home invasion (21 months) - Hydro backs down on Exchange District block-busting plan - Listeners complaint to Kick-FM refuted - Exclusive: Inside the Free Press job sharing proposal/intenral union conflict - Van stolen from VJ's Drive-In kills 2 university students - Lanzellotti "laughing girl" denied bail
January Guests: Scott Taylor on Sports Stacey Ashley of CTV on Montana drug pleas by 2 Winnipeg men Ron East explained the truth about Israeli 'atrocities" in Gaza Chris Jericho on being a Red River College Cre-Comm legend and his wrestling comeback CTV's Kelly Dehn with Crimewatch City Councillor Jeff Browaty on Disraeli reconstruction and area issues Bryan Danielson, pro wrestler of the year 07-08 Kelly Holmes, Resource Assistance for Youth (RAY), on the meth problem in Winnipeg Colin Craig, CTF, on federal budget Mike Sutherland, Winnipeg Police Association, on changes in major unit assignment limits Slam Sports' Jon Waldman CJOB talk show host-turned council candidate Geoff Currier Joan Wilson, Unicity Taxi Andrew Allentuck about his new book, "When Can I Retire" Ken Klassen, engineering technologist, critiqued the Ikea proposal Jon Waldman, Slam!Sports
*************** February Top Stories:
- Health Minister Theresa Oswald ducks CJOB as MSM heats up brown envelope scandal - Details of Brian Sinclair HSR Emergency room video revealed by exasperated Chief Medical Examiner Balachandra ahead of Judicial Inquest - HSC honcho Dr. Brock Wright finally decides to look at Sinclair video, changes story about triage desk role in death, WRHA invents 3 excuses of how and why video was (not) reviewed - Bloggers come of age: My Left Nut (with compilation of blogger and MSM reports), Policy Frog ("Oswald toast") , Progressive Winnipeg, and James Cotton, dissect WRHA excuses, NDP spin, and MSM coverage of Sinclair affair - WRHA press conference fails to control the spin on Sinclair, raises even more questions about who knew what when - CJOB's Vic Grant inexplicably defends HSC, attacks Balachandra and other critics as 'vigilantes' - EXCLUSIVE: CJOB General Manager sits on HSC Foundation board - Newspapers across continent start to waver and collapse, Canwest shares collapsing - Photo radar tickets tossed due to lack of actual construction workers in protected zone - FP bias showing- no mention of 300 homes at risk in HSC "Bio-Med City' expansion plan in West alexander neighbourhood - WRHA releases legal "opinion" preventing publication of Sinclair death internal review, as CJOB softballs Premier Doer and HSC mouthpiece Alan Fineblit, meanwhile a Free Press editorial demands Oswald apologize for misleading public and legislature - Paa Pii Wak, gang -run halfway house, closes after staff gets busted - Critics blast Judge Ray Wyant taking control of Sinclair inquest, demand outside arbiter - Tan Le, accused in Monty's bar shooting, outed as dating twin sisters, detail unreported in FP - "Aboriginal journalist" Colleen Simard supports Native chiefs whine that blogs be censored for "hate speech" - EXCLUSIVE: native online mag calls whites "The Scum Dogs of Europe", Simard et al silent - NDP ignored offer for private clinic to help relieve pressure on HSC ER; plan to open across from HSC in honour of Brian Sinclair announced by darin Jorgenson - Blogger James Cotton goes to city ER's, in 12 hours gets approached zero times about whether he is in need of care - Vancouver shooting/drive-by epidemic - Exclusive: Phil Walding plan for sensible Disraeli and Louise bridge reconstruction - Experts speak out in letters to the Free Press -- and reveal WRHA practice of having unqualified personnel operate Concordia Hospital EKG's risk patients lives contrary to assurances of WRHA officials - Katz win in ethics vote portrayed by FP as loss as smear campaign continues - 311 disasters emerge in emails from listeners - WRHA hires $125,000 consultant to improve 'communication' while they ignore media requests for information and interviews - Exclusive: details of stolen paramedic SUV chase through North End - Disraeli closure surprises NDP as top byelection concern - Concordia nighttime ER closure almost kills woman suffering ectopic miscarriage - MPI buys Citiplace, ratepayers outraged
February Guests: Conservative leader Hugh McFadyen on WRHA brown envelopes and the planned provincial audit; Doer and Oswald "misspoke" 13 times about how Brian Sinclair asked for HSC ER help Dr. Jon Gerrard demands firing of top WRHA and HSC officials Scott Taylor - how the Manitoba Boxing Commission almost got MMA fighter Dean Lewis killed by poor supervision CTV's Kelly Dehn Retha Dykes, general manager, Misty Lake Lodge, Gimli Councillor Grant Nordman defended his opposition toMMA bouts at Convention Centre Mayor Sam Katz brought light to Crocus Fund receiver motion that was dismissed by court, called Porkgate a "schande" Mike Sutherland, WPA on Crimestat information gaps Colin Fast, candidate for Wpg. School Division trustee Regan Woolfrom, Liberal candidate in Elmwood Exclusive: Brian Smiley of MPI, with all the answers about the Citiplace purchase Jon Waldman, Slam!Sports
***********
March Top Stories
- Canadian Museum of Human Rights fundraising flounders - Porkgate apologists and Free Press loyalists attack defenders of poor and hungry, as new details emerge from Winnipeg Harvest insider about distribution and spoiled food issues that plague organization - Exclusive: music promoter Rob Hoskin, 54, loses battle with cancer - FP job movements and layoffs include crime reporter James Turner - More newspaper layoffs and closures across America - Rapid Transit corridor expropriations expedited - More bedbugs overrun Manitoba Housing complex - Ron Schuler to propose bill to allow 16-18 year olds the right to go to high school even if parents refuse to sign permission waivers - NDP begins to worry about Disraeli backlash in Elmwood byelection - FP book reviewer admits no evidence of Jim Walding getting bribe to defeat Pawley NDP budget in 1986 -- despite Gordon Sinclair insinuations - Bike lobby controls "consultations" on new bridges and traffic flow for Point Douglas, shuts out non-artists in neighborhood from group, opposes new Louise Bridge and wants gated community for "artists" - more shooting deaths in Vancouver as gun seizures in 'peg gun play on rise - FP Trust loses $5million after fall strike and buyouts - Shades of Porkgate: FP editorial on lemon car dealers says not naming them due to 'privacy' is like protecting identity of spoiled meat distributors! - Taxi study says no new cab plates except for winter season - IKEA plan gets sharp rebukes from bloggers and southend residents facing expropriation - Exclusive: Spirited Kenny hosts TGCTS in solo effort on March 13 - FP wastes 3 Sunday pages on new archive, a week after Gordon Sinclair plagiarizes his own 24 year old column in plug preview - Blind granny mugged in EK hate crime by 10 kids, First Nations leaders and human rights grandstanders silent - Hespeler residents suddenly facing expropriation despite no indication in original Disraeli reconstruction open-houses their land was needed - "left of centre" John Orlikow defeats Geoff Currier to rise to council seat - Exclusive: CBC and other newsrooms editing racial identification out of police crime descriptions - Exclusive: accidental head injury from fall that killed actress Natasha Richardson, mocked by Margo Goodhand in Free Press Editors Bulletin' to online readers - EXCLUSIVE: NDP Elmwood candidate Bill Blaikie answers questions about pension, promises more money to keep Disraeli open, supports WRHA honchos - Peguis members not on list, may have had treaty card, but still had to meet with chief and council before being allowed to vote - 93 year old woman forced out of HSC one hour after amputation of toes - Listeners critique Blaike interview and election result - Free Press scooped by Sun x 2 on convictions in deaths of Nathan Starr and Tannis Bird, respectively - Justice Minister Chomiak, in a budget chat with reporters, admits car theft mainly stopped by locking up the perps - 2 for 1 sentencing break exposes folly of 'holistic approach' - Exclusive: 311 tells District 6 cops to shovel their way out of snow storm to get cruisers to calls for help from public, can't provide number for plowing supervisor - Free Press blogger Brian Huycke dies of head injury in accidental fall; editor Goodhand keeps jokes to herself this time - CBC cuts amateur sports telecasts - FP story about 3 gangs involved in Tony Lanzellotti murder by stolen SUV crash into his taxi begs the question- why aren't gangs that recruit FASD kids charged with child abuse? - Young Josh and Dave Shorr leave TGCTS for new challenges; Silent Mitch returns from Lance Storm's Wrestling Academy in one piece - Unreported in mainstream media, 21 studies purporting that COX2 drugs such as Vioxx and Celebrex were safe, used faked or fudged data - Gordon Sinclair column rants about restaurant "etiquette" after long wait for table at a local eatery; he scalps a blog post by an anonymous waitress about 'campers' who don't pay their bill and leave quickly, but Gordo fails to link to, or credit the blogger. Take note how at the end, she says she doesn't mind all campers: http://tipsfromservers.blogspot.com/
AND a special postscript: one of the customers Sinclair was complaining about, left a comment online for him -- and beneath that are comments by others who have seen Gordo's act in person:
Posted by:ks123 April 1, 2009 at 12:16 PM Well, this is not the first time this columnist has irked me the wrong way. But it is the first time I have been the target. Thank you, Mr Sinclair, for tainting my day after reading that rubbish.
Since I was one of the two young ladies that "hogged" a table, I'd like to clarify a few things. First of all, I waitressed though university and am well aware of the 'camper' term. However, I do also understand that some times people need a venue to get out and talk, and guess what... sometimes that place is a restaurant! It just so happens that my girlfriend needed to talk about some very unfortunate events occurring in her homelife and couldn't exactly talk openly about the issues in her own home. I have 2 young children, so my home is not the most condusive site for such discussion. I thank badkat for recognizing that there is always more than meets the eye.
And for the record, we finished our lunch around 2, which I'm pretty sure is not peak hours, and I did tip the waitress well for our time, because I do recognize the issue. By well, I mean 50%.
So again, thank you for undertaking such compassionate, investigative journalism and getting all the facts. I am very sorry that you had to wait for a table - I have apparently not shown you the respect you think you deserve. But perhaps by writing this piece, you have not shown my friend and I any respect either.
Posted by:gohabsgo April 1, 2009 at 7:09 AM A restaurant is a business, and when your business is concluded, move on. If you do not order an item after a reasonable amount of time, your bill will be provided. The term I've heard friends in the business use often is 'entitlement'. People feel that the table is theirs to use as they please, be it a business meeting, viewing pictures of a trip, etc. I've seen a server return to a table every few minutes after billing to offer more products and services. The continual 'yappus interruptus' didn't do the trick, and the server grinned and bore it.
Mr. Sinclair declares he hasn't "seen them all", soI will offer one I have witnessed him use: the customer who refuses to sit at the table he was assigned. It's a table. They're all the same. Square, with chairs. The food comes from the same kitchen. Get over yourself. From our table, you looked like an arrogant spoiled brat. Acquire some restaurant etiquette before commenting on it.
Posted by:GFinn April 1, 2009 at 3:29 AM I've personally witnessed Gordon Sinclair linger in Fresh Cafe for over an hour AFTER finishing his meal. I arrived just after his server was clearing the table and bringing more coffee. He was in a group of 8+ people. Hypocritical.
Posted by:Statusquo March 31, 2009 at 11:52 PM For those who think this is a real issue worth all of the hand wringing...shut up or do something about it. If it's such a constant problem that apparently EVERYONE who waits tables has to deal with, restaurants would go belly up because of it. Just do something already and stop complaining because people are acting in a way that YOU don't like.
PS Gord...you must've REALLY wanted to eat at Fresh and only Fresh. Wanting to see and be seen? Can't believe you couldn't bear to go somewhere else if the wait was so excruciating that you had to go "investigate" and then creepily keep tabs on other people by timing their lives. Wonder how they would've felt if they knew? Like you couldn't have walked somewhere else as most people do when they don't want to wait. Posted by:Donovanf March 31, 2009 at 7:50 AM Seriously,Did they publish this in a newspaper? Breaking news, some people stay too long in restaurants!
People who have a subscription for the Free Press should feel insulted that they actually just paid to read this.
March guests: Adrien Schulz, PC candidate for Elmwood James O'Conner, Managing editor Brandon Sun, remembrances of Rob Hoskin Geoff Currier, River Heights/ Fort Garry council candidate Carlos James, WSD trustee candidate Susan Tymofichuk, CTV weeknight news anchor/reporter Regan Wolfram, Liberal party candidate in Elmwood Brian Glow, world-famous illusionist Jim Carr, Business Council of Manitoba president, provincial budget review Colin Craig, CTF, provincial budget review Kelly Dehn, CTV Crime watch Jon Waldman, Slam!Sports Coun. Jeff Browaty says 311 must be fixed immediately
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Wednesday: Kelly Dehn of CTV will make April Fool's Day extra-special; and we'll have an exclusive report about a lawsuit filed against the Province of Manitoba over the seizure of animals from a legal business. The seizure made the news, but the true story was obscured by the 'save the animals' mind-set of the MSM.
Thursday: An exclusive report into the botched treatment of a Winnipeg women by Health Sciences Centre Emergency staff - this was the red flag about HSC ER dysfunction YEARS before Brian Sinclair was ignored. When you hear this story, you'll understand why we say, what happened to Sinclair was predictable and avoidable. Her family came to TGCTS asking for our help, and the file review a doctor conducted for the show's use, will reveal the missteps and mistakes the family now wants an explanation and apology for from the HSC.
Friday: At 5.50 PM, a Wrestlemania 25 preview with our very special guest, the pre-eminent ring journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer and Jon Waldman of Slam!Sports and Spirited Kenny.