Two weeks ago TGCTS asked whether ethics and integrity were going to play into the consideration of Manitobans during the election campaign.
Now, after former senior executives revealed that Greg Selinger himself enacted a referendum requirement before Manitoba Hydro can be sold, with the spectre of possible criminal charges in the Brian Sinclair death at HSC in 2008 being reported yesterday, and the ongoing revelations about the NDP hiding loans and grants as 'assets' on the provincial books, the issue of honesty and integrity has gained traction in the media and in the minds of voters.
Reports about Selingers' "frustration" with opposition claims and election promises are contrasted on today's podcast with the NDP record on those 3 files and how whistleblowers and red-flag wavers (like Dr. Larry Reynolds and Miss Whistle) are treated by the government's bureaucracies and agencies.
While Free Press columnist Dan Lett portrays Hugh McFadyen's statements about the NDP misrepresenting the deficit as 'true but false', there is no doubt that voters who read the Freep online are now taking seriously the issue of NDP integrity and accountability. Potential hikes in Hydro and MPI rates to cover their spending tracks may lurk in the minds of the electorate before the campaign is through.
(Also check out the satirical Dos Equis -styled ad campaign of young Liberal Kevin Friedman running in Fort Garry - Riverview http://www.kevinfreedman.ca/media.html)
Todays' edition weaves emails and comments from our listeners into the narrative - follow us on Twitter @TGCTS
or join The Great Canadian Talk Show Facebook group
and get involved!
Here's the link to the podcast:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/15/tgcts-thurs-sept-15-2011-deficit-dishonesty-drives-ndps-integrity-onto-election-radar/
PS - I forgot to mention on the podcast today, that part two of my 3 part interview with former CFL Grey Cup winner/Wrestling champion/RCMP and CIA consulting psychologist Mike Webster is posted at Slam!Wresling, please look it over!
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2011/08/01/18495891.html
Showing posts with label MPI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MPI. Show all posts
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
McFadyen: Selinger's lowest - price utility guarantee has "zero credibility", supports PUB role as consumer watchdog
In an exclusive interview with TGCTS, Progressive Conservative leader Hugh McFadyen dismissed the Joe Namath-like guarantee of Greg Selinger to fix utility costs at the lowest in the country as a "phony promise" and added that, given the NDP record from the 2007 campaign on hallway medicine and the return of the Jets, "these are people who have zero credibility on anything they say during election campaigns."
McFadyen also pledged to uphold the independent authority of the Public Utility Board which he lauded as a safeguard for Manitoba consumers. Listen to the full Q and A on today's podcast.
The Free Press elicited a response from former PC premier Gary Filmon about being used as a strawman to "fairly or unfairly" attack McFadyen for what he "might" do to Crown Corporations in new NDP attack ads. While editor Margo Goodhand mocks the notion the election is heating up as a lie, candidates in Westman struggle to get their message out because of a lack of a local TV outlet. And we point listeners to a new website www.manitobaelection.ca as a handy resource for candidates, events, and aggregated news coverage.
Some questions arose about the future of Bob Wilson's campaign for a judicial review of his conviction after Ian 'Whitey' Macdonald made a deathbed plea bargain implicating the former MLA in a 31 year old pot ring; and we close off the show with a description of a powerful blog post "Reality Check" by a Dallas woman whose job brought her face to face with the family of a hockey player killed in yesterdays Lokomotiv plane crash. http://achicksperspective.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/reality-check/
Here's is the link to the Thursday Podcast:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/08/tgcts-thursday-sept-8-2011-mcfadyen-says-selinger-guarantee-phiny-promise-supports-role-of-pub/
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Podcast court report exclusive: 'Labradoodle' charges face motion to dismiss; Is Selinger end-running PUB with low-cost utilities pledge?
Among local media, only TGCTS was in court today to hear the testimony of witnesses in a case alleging a puppy breeder neglected dogs seized by the Manitoba government and sold under questionable circumstances by the Humane Society. And only TGCTS can report on the reaction in the courtroom today by the Crown Attorney, when defence lawyer Gene Zazalenchuk presented a motion to dismiss the charges immediately after the prosecution closed their case, citing a "fatal" flaw in the proceedings. Exclusive details in the CCPS Update today.
The front-end of the show takes a hard look at the Joe Namath-style 'guarantee' by Greg Selinger that electricity, home heating and auto insurance rates would always be the cheapest nationwide. This raised two issues: is Selinger planning to neuter the Public Utilities Board, which sets pricing rates and has repeatedly turned back rate hikes proposed by the Crown Corporations? And, is a 'rate stabilization fund' just another way of saying 'slush fund' ?
A Free Press opinion column - published in the guise of a news story - claiming that crime rates are falling and the provincial election pledges to deal with criminals here and now are somehow misguided and more hugs are what is needed. Oh, and that crime is only a 'perception' in the suburbs and not the new reality. A FP reader hit the nail on the head about the spin, and we give voice to those views. Another FP story where the details don't match the headline - you think a review that finds 30 pathology reports required a change in treatment isn't "major" ? Smart readers called out the broadsheet on that one today as well. Almost time to revive our "Lessons in Journalism" segments ?
A brief comment about the tragic plane crash involving the Lokomotiv hockey team and Brandon native Brad McCrimmon (the link has a team photo), and some upcoming events on the local pro wrestling schedule, round out today's podcast. Oh, and a plug for my story about former CFL lineman Mike Webster !
Listen to today's podcast here: http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/07/tgcts-sept-7-2011podcast-exclusive-labradoodle-case-dismissal-motion-ndp-utility-guarantee/
Twitter: @TGCTS
email: tgcts1@gmail.com
Join The Great Canadian Talk Show group on Facebook!
The front-end of the show takes a hard look at the Joe Namath-style 'guarantee' by Greg Selinger that electricity, home heating and auto insurance rates would always be the cheapest nationwide. This raised two issues: is Selinger planning to neuter the Public Utilities Board, which sets pricing rates and has repeatedly turned back rate hikes proposed by the Crown Corporations? And, is a 'rate stabilization fund' just another way of saying 'slush fund' ?
A Free Press opinion column - published in the guise of a news story - claiming that crime rates are falling and the provincial election pledges to deal with criminals here and now are somehow misguided and more hugs are what is needed. Oh, and that crime is only a 'perception' in the suburbs and not the new reality. A FP reader hit the nail on the head about the spin, and we give voice to those views. Another FP story where the details don't match the headline - you think a review that finds 30 pathology reports required a change in treatment isn't "major" ? Smart readers called out the broadsheet on that one today as well. Almost time to revive our "Lessons in Journalism" segments ?
A brief comment about the tragic plane crash involving the Lokomotiv hockey team and Brandon native Brad McCrimmon (the link has a team photo), and some upcoming events on the local pro wrestling schedule, round out today's podcast. Oh, and a plug for my story about former CFL lineman Mike Webster !
Listen to today's podcast here: http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/07/tgcts-sept-7-2011podcast-exclusive-labradoodle-case-dismissal-motion-ndp-utility-guarantee/
Twitter: @TGCTS
email: tgcts1@gmail.com
Join The Great Canadian Talk Show group on Facebook!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Episode 4: McFadyen goes on offense; the return of coach Brian Smiley
Three bloggers and a Free Press editorial paint an unflattering picture of the NDP stewardship of the province's finances, development and management, while PC leader Hugh McFadyen outright calls unelected premier Greg Selinger a liar for his claim he will pay down the budget deficit without raising taxes.
I tell of the drive through the easy side of town (Watt/Archibald version) and what it says about the NDP MLA's who represent those areas. Meanwhile, a dirty NDP trick to sidestep partisan advertising using the guise of a health facility announcement was so blatant, even Mary Agnes Welch had to call foul. That and more discussed in the first part of the show.
Then we're joined by an old ink-stained wretch of the news and sports variety, as MPI's Brian Smiley talks about Czeck hockey players, a famous check by a Leaf, and asks Brian Burke to please call him about that coaching vacancy. We also try to wrap our heads around why some drivers in this city are so terrible.
For more detail about Episode 4, and to download the show, click here:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/01/tgcts-thursday-sept-1-mcfadyen-starts-swinging-at-selinger-over-provincial-debt/
I tell of the drive through the easy side of town (Watt/Archibald version) and what it says about the NDP MLA's who represent those areas. Meanwhile, a dirty NDP trick to sidestep partisan advertising using the guise of a health facility announcement was so blatant, even Mary Agnes Welch had to call foul. That and more discussed in the first part of the show.
Then we're joined by an old ink-stained wretch of the news and sports variety, as MPI's Brian Smiley talks about Czeck hockey players, a famous check by a Leaf, and asks Brian Burke to please call him about that coaching vacancy. We also try to wrap our heads around why some drivers in this city are so terrible.
For more detail about Episode 4, and to download the show, click here:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/01/tgcts-thursday-sept-1-mcfadyen-starts-swinging-at-selinger-over-provincial-debt/
Friday, July 30, 2010
Free Press reports on half the MPI donation story, 3 weeks late
Today the mainstream media showed another example that they are in the history business rather than reporting news.
The Winnipeg Free Press not only took 3 weeks to even pretend to cover the MPI $1 million dollar giveaway under the guise it was a wise business decision, the newspaper of record tried to spin that it was no big deal.
But it didn't take long for outraged FP online readers - and TGCTS listeners - to assail the gatekeepers' trick of not reporting the true facts in the first place, and then say no one complained about what they read.
But it didn't take long for outraged FP online readers - and TGCTS listeners - to assail the gatekeepers' trick of not reporting the true facts in the first place, and then say no one complained about what they read.
MPI gets little flak over donation of building
"A decade ago, there was a public revolt against an NDP government plan to use $20 million from Autopac's profits to fund crumbling universities. Drivers flooded call-in shows and editorial pages and then-premier Gary Doer was forced to abandon the plan.
This time, no similar outrage materialized."
Oh ya? said one listener...Let's begin by confirming that Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata is an excellent organization that does fabulous work. My complaint is not with them, but rather with the Free Press coverage, its lack of investigative journalism and the perception of conflict of interest that arises when you look closely at the facts behind the donation.
There was:
No mention of the misleading press release, quoted verbatim by the Freep, which stated that the value was less than $100K.
No mention in the Freep that one of CLOUT's member agencies was the recipient of the donation or the possible conflict of interest that this may represent.
No mention in the Freep that MPI specifically targeted Aboriginal organizations for the donation (per Brian Smiley and MPI's comments to The Great Canadian Talk Show on 92.9 KICK FM), rather than offer the building to ALL service agencies in the area.
No mention in the Freep that the hand over was overseen/attended by elected provincial NDP officials in a city ward where the NDP is fielding candidates in the upcoming municipal election.
No mention in the Freep that The Great Canadian Talk Show on 92.9 KICK FM broke the real story about the value of the building.
No wonder there has been little public outcry. When you leave out the facts of the story, there is little to be critical of.
Other FP commenters reflected what we had heard on our show when we broke this story:
"In my opinion no crown corporation - MPI, MB Hydro, etc. should be doing anything but their core business. Thata a full time job. Do it and do it well. Being a "good corporate citizen" is something I don't expect from them and I don't want my money used for."
"Its doesnt matter how noble or worthy the cause; MPI is not a charity. Premiums are supposed to insure ratepayers in the event of an injury;(something they dont do by the way, but most wont figure that out until its too late) not save inner-city kids."
"There is no doubt that the Ma Mawi is a good organization and the building will be put to good use. My problem is with the mandate of MPI, where does it state that it should be donating buildings to local causes?
This is, in effect another tax on community involvement - one that I have no say, nor can elect or choose not to elect politicians for making these decisions. Who is to say that there wasn't other community groups wanting the same building, maybe it could have been sold and the proceeds given to another charity, or towards reducing our ridiculous insurance premiums (no they aren't even closest to the lowest in North America). "
"I don't agree with MPI giving anything away. It should have been sold. But realistically, who do you complain to? If you complain nowadays you're being racist, insensitive or intolerant. MPI's response is quite typical. Not too much flak, we must be doing okay.
An excellent example of today's "oversensitivity" is posting to this website. If you have anything that can be misconstrued or judgemental to the gov't the main stream media will ensure it never sees this board."
and our favorite:
" Well MPI should try reading the comments about them in the papers."
Monday, July 19, 2010
This week: the bike lane war heats up, more exclusives, and classic rock concert tickets
On Canada Day the public got information in plain English, about how Active Transportation in Osborne Village will endanger schoolchildren and seniors, and theatens private property This week TGCTS will continue to break the real story about the bullying of neighbourhoods in the name of "Active Transportation".
With powerful friends in the city bureaucracy, the bike lobby continues to hopscotch the niceties of things like proper consultations, proof of user volume, and neighborhood safety, and get their way. The flyer distributed in Osborne Village on Canada Day was met with a serious reaction; when Captain Audio followed up last week, he heard an earful from concerned and dissatisfied residents and businesses. As part of our follow up this week, we are planning to conduct an experiment and on Thursday examine the claims made by the bike lobby about bike traffic.
It won't take us till Thursday to follow -up on the bike lane double-cross of the good people of Sherbrook.
In an exclusive interview last Friday, Daniel MacIntyre councillor Harvey Smith said he is going to demand to meet with the city CAO Glen Laubenstein, with hard questions about the partisan conduct of AT Co-ordinator Kevin Nixon.
Nixon, you will recall, told TGCTS in a February broadcast, that if a councillor opposed a planned bike lane, it would not be implemented. That is, until a councillor actually did oppose a bike lane -- at which point the elected representative of the area had no say whatsoever and was ignored.
Not only did Nixon tell the Public Works committee a week ago that he didn't agree with any changes to the full-time, 12 hour a day, 7 day a week Bike Lane plan for Sherbrook north of Ellice, he appeared, according to Councillor Smith, to have withheld vital information from the councillors.
Like for instance, that Nixon had previously agreed to a compromise proposed by the West End Biz and other stakeholders, after being forced to do further consultations by Smith and the City Centre Community Committee.
Here is the summary of that June 18th consultation meeting published by the consulting group MMM, which is also now at the centre of controversy:
Notice how it says on page 2 "Attendees AGREED to the following:" and went on to itemize things like "establishing time of day and seasonal bike lane" and "ongoing monitoring of the use of the bike lane".
That means, Bike to the Future, one Green City, the Biz, and the Ellice Cafe, as well as the city -- represented by Nixon and his nominal boss Bill Woroby (who will also be getting a call from Smith) -- ALL agreed the 365 day a year, 12 hour a day bike lane was off the table.
That is NOT what the Public Works committee heard last week.
As Harvey Smith said, it appears that the city's representative Nixon reneged on his agreement for compromise with the people of Sherbrook and his colleagues on Public Works (O'Shaughnessy, Vandal and Gerbasi) based their decision on fraudulent information given by advocates for the greedy cycling lobby.
The dirty trick is that there is no built-in avenue of appeal of the Public Works green light for a Sherbrook bike lane -- despite the lack of on-the -record consultation - and as Smith told us, the enabler of this perversion of democracy immediately went on vacation.
Meanwhile, we have waited about 5 weeks for information about how the Berry Street bike lane was planned and rolled out without warning to unsuspecting residents, and 3 weeks for answers about when seniors and residents of Roslyn Road were told they would be forced to give up handicapped parking for a bike lane nobody was even told about.
We won't hold our breath this week expecting any city employee, especially ones on summer vacation, to care about answering the questions our listeners want answers to. After all, it's only their money.
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Other exclusive stories we will continue to discuss this week include;
- Value of MPI donation to insider community group now worth $1.4 million
- Teamsters play to win in attempt to swipe Lotteries union
- Trick process used to name Norquay CC park after Governor-General bypassed residents ('Consultation? we don' need no stinkin' consultation' )
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With 176 reader comments and counting, the biggest elephant in the Free Press newsroom is the smear against Mayor Sam Katz that has backfired all over the face of columnist Lindor Reynolds.
After being admonished by a TGCTS listener for trying to drag Katz' personal life into the civic election, Reynolds emailed him the following:
From: "Reynolds, Lindor"
To: xxxxx
You’re correct. I deeply regret the column.
Lindor Reynolds
Columnist
Winnipeg Free Press
Posted by: TimeForChange
July 15, 2010 at 2:25 PM
This is vile hypocritical writing. Presenting this subject and pretending to be above using it to criticize the mayor is a transparent ploy to continue the Free Press's smear campaign against Mister Katz. You should either admit what you're doing and come clean or quit prostituting yourself on behalf of your bosses.
Posted by: rider
July 15, 2010 at 5:21 PM
"Katz dating younger woman -- but that shouldn't matter"
Apparently it matters enough for you to write a column on this.
I'd like to know when the paper will change to tabloid style to fit the tabloid journalism that it is has been publishing for quite while now. This is no longer a paper, it's a rag. However, very good for lining the birdcage.
Posted by: Moi
July 15, 2010 at 7:32 PM
Lindor - you have to re-evaluate your, for lack of a better name, journalism.don't give us that "freedom of the press" crap. Lately you have been totally off the mark a few times - maybe back off for awhile and get your newsworthy ducks in a row. I agree with one emailer- this is the stuff the Enquirer is made of. You owe a lot of people a huge apology - and
Seven minutes after the email, Reynolds expanded her damage-control to her online readers - at least those that would bother to navigate the comments section:Posted by: null
July 15, 2010 at 7:47 PM
Folks:
The golfers out there will know what it means to take a mulligan. The rest of us call them do-overs.
I regret the column. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Mea culpa.
Lindor
Edit: Reynolds' column today is entitled "I Promise Not to Abuse Your Trust Again"
" I haven't been asked to write this column of apology by Free Press city editor Paul Samyn or editor Margo Goodhand."
Again, we won't hold our breath expecting the FP to do the right thing.
But, we will have LOTS to say about the plummeting credibility of the broadsheet which tried 2 smears on 'non-liberal' politicians last Thursday (Katz and Vic Toews) and got caught at it twice.
The regulation of newspapers has now become a legitimate issue among media consumers and print advertisers, who tell us they need protection from the abusive behavior of reporters and columnists just as much as their political targets.
**************
Lots of guests this week including:
- Kristine Sigurdson, executive director of the Gimli Film Festival Tuesday at 4.10 and Red River College student Breanna Bouchard of Assignment Saving Lives with Canadian Blood Services Thursday at 4.10 (both segments part of the New Media Perspectives feature with 360 Winnipeg.ca);
- St James city council candidate and Berry Street bike lane opponent Fred Morris comes into the studio Tuesday at 4.35;
- Real estate guru Brad Gross appears Wednesday at 4.10;
- Dan East of Winnipeg Dodge gives insight into the huge increase of new car sales in Manitoba on Wednesday at 5.25;
- and on Thursday at 4.55 we will give away tickets to the Silverados double bill of classic rockers Lee Aaron with special guest Headpins for the August 5th concert, courtesy of Canad Inns. Call in to win!!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Taxpayers Federation and a listener follow up on our MPI $1.2- em, $1.4, million donation story
http://www.taxpayer.com/blog/15-07-2010/mpi-should-have-sold-surplus-building
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MPI Should Have Sold Surplus Building
Two thumbs up to Marty Gold for doing some digging into MPI's recent announcement to sell its surplus building to Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre.
According to Marty Gold, the donation of MPI's surplus building on King St. was no small contribution - it reportedly has an assessed value of $1.2 million. Ideally, if MPI has a surplus asset, it should be sold off and the funds used to fulfill MPI's mandate - providing low-cost vehicle insurance to Manitobans.
Critics may argue that selling off the asset may have only reduced premiums by a couple dollars per vehicle, but that's not the point. Taxpayers should have the right to decide how their money is spent, not the government. Again, MPI's role is to provide low cost vehicle insurance, not to get into social policy and help the province appear to be doing good deeds (see Minister Andrew Swann's free publicity in the news release and at the press conference).
However, as we have seen in the past, the province clearly has a different view on the role of our 'beloved' crown corporation. Who could forget the Doer government's plan to use MPI's $20 million surplus for fixing up university buildings back in 2001 or the "secret donation" to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in 2008?
While some would defend those initiatives as well-intentioned, few would come to MPI's rescue and defend its $10,000 donation towards buying gifts for out of town politicians.
Yes, that's right, back in 2006 when Manitoba hosted the Western Premiers' Conference, MPI and other crowns were asked to contribute towards purchasing gifts for visiting politicians. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation discovered the expenditures in 2008 so it didn't attract too much media attention, but it was discovered that MPI donated $10,000; even though they were only asked to contribute $8,000. How generous of them.
Spread the word folks, with an election coming up in 2011, candidates should be pressed to speak out against such manipulation of our crowns.
From a listener:
Marty: I did hear back today from MPI customer relations and he did admit that the value was estimated at $1.4 million which would equate to $1 per policy. So if a person owns four vehicles, their share is now $4, not $1 as they are trying to say.
Marty: I did hear back today from MPI customer relations and he did admit that the value was estimated at $1.4 million which would equate to $1 per policy. So if a person owns four vehicles, their share is now $4, not $1 as they are trying to say.
MPI also said they did not fully open it up publically but only consulted with one group of people and MPI did not feel a conflict of interest has taken place since the winning group was represented on the board.
I have made many calls to MPI general enquiries and guess what, no one can tell me exactly how many policies or customers exist with MPI. If nobody can tell me this, how do they know it is $1 per policy????????
Why did MPI not sell the land and offer up 20 different $50,000 grants to many different agencies or 40 grants for $25,000? Why is one part of the city (MPI is provincial) benefiting from this and not the whole province and many different groups. Sell the land/builing for $1.4, use $400,000 to administer the $1M in grants. This is a no brainer.
Why do our politicians continue to give young people reasons to leave this province instead of stay. We are becoming nothing more than a welfare state and we need to be progressive or this city will continue to deteriorate as the tax base waves bye-bye for better lands.
***************
Today at 4 PM, we are joined by Lee Goren and Barrett Fraser of 360Winnipeg.ca to preview theWinnipeg Lee Goren and friends Autism Invitational, and at 4.25, Dr. Tim Ball addresses the claims that "the book has been closed" on Climategate.
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Today at 4 PM, we are joined by Lee Goren and Barrett Fraser of 360Winnipeg.ca to preview the
Friday, July 9, 2010
Exclusive: Insider organization scores $1 Million building from MPI
Today at 4 PM, we will have exclusive details of how Manitoba Public Insurance concealed the details of how much the mothballed King St. service centre is really worth, and how the organization that got it for free was part of the umbrella group that MPI asked to make recommendations.
While the mainstream media blindly regurgitated the warm and fuzzy MPI spin about doing good for the North End, and how it only amounts to a dollar per ratepayer, it appears only the Great Canadian Talk Show noticed that nowhere on the MPI press release was a value attached to the donation of the garage to Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, a native community service organization.
When asked an MPI spokesman said the location has a "book value" of $95,000. However we have learned it is actually assessed at $1.2 Million dollars, with property tax revenue of over $37,000 annually.
When the outmoded facility was replaced, MPI approached a group called CLOUT for recommendations on a suitable community use.
While the mainstream media blindly regurgitated the warm and fuzzy MPI spin about doing good for the North End, and how it only amounts to a dollar per ratepayer, it appears only the Great Canadian Talk Show noticed that nowhere on the MPI press release was a value attached to the donation of the garage to Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, a native community service organization.
When asked an MPI spokesman said the location has a "book value" of $95,000. However we have learned it is actually assessed at $1.2 Million dollars, with property tax revenue of over $37,000 annually.
When the outmoded facility was replaced, MPI approached a group called CLOUT for recommendations on a suitable community use.
"CLOUT was approached because of its many affiliations within the aboriginal community... CLOUT members are:
Andrews Street Family Centre, Community Education Development Association, Native Women’s Transition Centre, North End Women’s Centre, Ndinawemaaganag Endaawak, Rossbrook House, Wahbung Abinoonjiiag, Wolseley Family Place and Ma Mawi."
A spokewoman for CLOUT told TGCTS today that despite the fact the building was awarded to one of their own members, "it may have an appearance of conflict of interest, but we don't look at it as one. "
CLOUT had hired consultants to evaluate groups that may be suitable for the donation, and a person affiliated with Ma Mawi was the contact person with them for the project.
When MPI resisted efforts to have the facility shared between smaller organizations, "when the other things weren't panning out, (Ma Mawi) was our last resort." The spokeswoman could not attribute a value to the donated building but said "some people are always going to complain."
The MPI spokesman insisted that the Board is empowered to make what he characterized as a "business" decision, although president Marilyn Mclaren told the Sun "“This is not a financial decision.” The spokeman challenged the notion that ratepayers would truly care about getting a dollar rebate from MPI had the building been sold for the assessed value on the open market.
Today, we will ask our listeners, it's your money, do you agree?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The topics and guests of the first quarter of 2009
Quarterly review
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", so I 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
***************
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.
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", so I 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
***************
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.
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Posted by: a_centrist_view
July 30, 2010 at 9:08 AM