Construction Billings Owed By Mb. Gov't Exempted From Prompt Payment Law/ Guillemard Talks Fort Richmond Issues

Allegations that construction sub-trades hired under provincial contracts are being exploited by underhanded payment and contract practices struck a nerve with readers online, with one raising the issue of whether legislation already in the works would solve the problem.

Whistleblower Jocelyn Burzuik of Sundance Construction told us her own experience with unpaid invoices for completed work was echoed by voters employed in construction that she met on the hustings last weekend. 

She is seeking election in the Red River North constituency which is a new riding and therefore has no incumbent. 
Jeff Wharton, a Pallister government cabinet minister has shifted over from the former Gimli riding to establish himself as the front-runner. 

She held a protest march outside his former constituency office this summer about her own unpaid invoices but he failed to show, resulting in Burzuik taking the leap into politics to squarte off against him.

Burzuik told TGCTS that a deliberate witholding of interim payments was starving the cash flow of Manitoba-based general contractors and subtrades, warning out-of-province bidders now being handed contracts were going to learn a hard lesson.

One reader responded on Facebook about being a victim of the contract abuses:

"The cost start to mount ... the money we invested, remitting GST and source deductions... alot of us subs work for pennies compared to the big guys cause we (have) lesser overhead...but we are suffering. All we want to do is make an honest living and be paid for our services".

Another reader stated:  
"Lots of the time small construction companies can't keep footing labor costs while they're waiting for a large check to come in and get into a situation where liquidation is the only opportunity"

Another brought up a factor Buznuik hadn't mentioned:

Marty- what about the prompt payment bill in the works? From a supplier point of view, contracts are drawn up with progress payments in the deal. Lacking this, is on the contractor. ... What I am saying so there is legislation in the works to provide a legal remedy for prompt payment for contractors and GC’s. This has been in the works for over a year, most industry associations are pushing hard for it.

In a follow up inquiry, Buznuik said that the payment problems caused 

by the government department still wouldn't be resolved.

"The legislation addresses GC (general contractors) to subs and suppliers. 

Once GC gets paid,  the subs (sub-trades)do with short period of time.

But it does not address the #1 problem - delayed payment from owner, 

normally the Gov, to the GC. 

There is no provision for subs even in existing legislation to get paid 

if the GC has not been paid.

If the Gov delays, which they do, prompt payment legislation means 

nothing. 90% of the time, it's the owner delaying payment.

No one talks about that - yet it's the biggest problem.  

The fact is that today, a government Receivable is no longer a 

"good" receivable. 

She says that factor - that timely payments under a Manitoba government 

contract is not seen as worth the paper it's written on - is affecting 

access to bank credit for the GC's and sub-trades.

A former 19 year member of the Canadian Military who started her 

construction company in 2013, she outlined her own current payment 

conditions:

"Since 2015, I have told Gov departments that I get my cash is 21 days 

or less or I walk. MB Housing - 21 days always.  Hydro 30-45 days. 

MIT 30-60 if they agree on it. INR - I demand cash up front.  

FN's it's cash up front now. 

I don't order materials til 100% of that is fronted. 

I want my labour before I leave bi-weekly. 

Indigenous Services (federal) is paying on 60-180 days normally", she

said,  adding that the provincial Indigenous Northern Relations (INR)

was paying "after 45-180 days - or never."

**********

I gladly took up the invitation of Jon Reyes to drop by the opening of his dual campaign office on south Pembina Highway, where he's splitting rental costs and sharing efficiencies (like nails and hammers for signs) with caucus-mate Sarah Guillemard. 

Both MLA's were first elected in 2016 and are running again under the Progressive Conservative banner, with Reyes relocating to a newly created riding of Waverly, and Guillemard staying put in Fort Richmond. 

Watch this interview clip and see  Sarah describe the slightly altered riding boundaries, and the different issues between the U of M district and the west side of Pembina. She says that expert educators within the riding would help a re-elected Pallister government fix the shortcomings flagged by parents in the overall curriculums. 

****************
Go to this link to see how you can join the donors who stand with my independent media platform.

Donations to help cover the costs of covering the Manitoba election have come in from conservatives, liberals and yes, even NDP supporters, - and from a Green Party member last week too! 
There's more news that voters need to know about than just the stories corporate journalism puts out. 

The fundraising campaign has focused on finding 100 donors at $50 each, but some people have kicked in more, and some less. 

I appreciate every dollar that my readers contribute and will continue to work hard to bring your questions and issues forward and to hold politicians and bureaucrats accountable. 

Still to come:  
Tonight's Drug and Crime policy town hall hosted by St. Boniface Street Links at 271 Rue de la Cathedrale at 7 PM; 
- more election video with PC MLA's Shannon Martin, Reyes and Guillimard; 
- more about flawed data and methodology from the WRHA's free needle program failure, 
- and City Hall is going to get an earful about a few things too. 

Election Day: The missing details of 'Lemieux cheque' complaint / Pics of homeless-wear of the rich

On Election Day we bring listeners the exclusive story behind the dirty trick complaint that was dismissed by Elections Manitoba against NDP local Government Minister Ron Lemieux.

"Watchdog Clears Lemieux"

"Elections Commissioner Bill Bowles said Lemieux, who is running for re-election in Dawson Trail, was acting as an MLA, not a candidate, when he presented a $15,000 cheque for a playground in Landmark ...

"In his ruling, Bowles said the cheque presentation was only semi-public. Lemieux did not speak at the formal playground dedication ceremony and did not publicize his attendance. He waited until after the ceremony to give the cheque to the playground committee. A reporter from the Steinbach Carillon happened to tag along.

Bowles also said he could find no fault with a blog-style article Lemieux published a few days later on a local news site, where he touted the playground grant and posted a photo of the cheque presentation."

Listen to the podcast to hear us dissect the intellectual dishonesty of Elections Manitoba creating the new concept of a "semi-public" appearance by a cabinet minister wielding a government cheque, and then absolving him for writing as a "candidate" about his actions as a Minister, replete with a photo that just "happened". (What is "blog-style", anyways?)

More importantly, a source shared information with TGCTS about the timing aspect, which seems to have escaped scrutiny.

When was the Community Places grant cheque cut? What is the normal protocol for getting the money to the organization? What decisions did Lemieux have the option of making ? You can decide, is Elections Manitoba part of the supplicant society as described by Prof. Bryan Schwartz?

And that's not the only campaign dirty trick discussed, as while recording the show, we received confirmation of a major brouhaha over voter ID at an inner city polling station that had (has?) lawyers involved.

Two bloggers provide great insight into the Air Canada crew layover controversy.

Kevin dug up an insiders' explanation of a recent violent incident downtown that appears to have spurred the move; while the other asked why people cannot discuss the obvious connection of downtown disorder with a down-and-out and often homeless element in the aboriginal community without being labeled a racist.

Speaking of homelessness, DJ Monkey took time away from upgrading the desktop in the studio to provide some colour commentary about pictures we have acquired of the Downtown Biz CEO sleepover that illustrate how out of touch the Biz and corporate honchos are, focused more on public relations than true compassion and understanding of the homeless in the city.

For instance, whereas this was supposed to be an "outdoor" sleepover, it doesn't mean the CEO's slept under the stars.

They slept under canvas.

No staying warm under newspapers for this pretend-homeless person, with her 4 layers of clothing and a hairstyle so perfect Mary Agnes Welch is sure to endorse her for political office one day.

Nothing says "at one with the homeless" than a $600 Canada Goose insulated parka and fur-lined hood. Way to go, Brain, er, em, Brian.



In addition to the access to indoor washrooms, bright Las Vegas style lighting, and 20 security guards obstructing photographs and demanding that even visiting senior executives from Alberta show identification, the Downtown Biz couldn't very well have the high and mighty of Winnipeg experience the indignity of suffering any actual, you know, hunger, before the formal breakfast with an imported speaker last Friday.(Wait till you hear what DJ Monkey said about what the real homeless have for dessert.)



As our picture-provider said:

"They wanted to talk the talk of homeless people but they sure didn't walk the walk."

Here is the link to the Election Day podcast:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/10/04/election-day-the-missing-details-of-lemieux-cheque-complaint-pics-of-homeless-wear-of-the-rich/

Air Canada pullout over safety exposes Downtown Biz, politicians living in denial

The dirty tricks pile up as Election Day draws near, CBC flunks math, and reporting the gritty reality of downtown crime and disorder started a Twitter assault by the Downtown Biz on the Winnipeg Sun this weekend.

Listen to the podcast for details about
- the fliers attacking Liberal candidate Joe Chan,
- the excellent blog post by L.L. about the dangers of living and working downtown, after the pollyannas and the politicians complained that Air Canada pulled their crews from staying at Portage and Smith,
- the Tweets back and forth smacking down Stefano Grande (and what broadcaster and former downtown resident Andrea Slobodian wrote),
- opinions of a listener about the Biz' CEO Sleepover PR stunt
- and another listener had some observations about the election campaigns and health care bureaucracies.

The Free Press coyly refusing to give credit to our podcast for the Selinger/Heatbag records picture and story, alcoholism wreaking havoc on our city coming up in court last week, Gordo making excuses for teen killers, the passing of a Winnipegger whose name is well known in the sports scene even if he is not anymore, and my weekend on the road with the legendary Honky Tonk Man in Beausejour and La Broquerie for Western Wrestling Tours, round out the show.

Special thanks are in order for our Marquee Sponsor for October, Osborne House. We'll have lots to say about their service to the community and how you can help, all month long.

Here's the link:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/10/03/monday-oct-311-air-canada-pullout-over-safety-exposes-downtown-bizpoliticians-living-in-denial/

Tomorrow: Maybe Elections Manitoba can be fooled but we aren't - exclusive details behind a campaign dirty trick;

PLUS! see for yourself the Downtown Biz PR stunt and how pampered the CEO's were, while pretending to the public they would, in any way, be able to better understand the challenges of a homeless person after sleeping outdoors at 201 Portage. You will not want to miss it.

The reaction to our Selinger photo exclusive; CJOB poll off key?; Words from Gerrard; The cost of stolen signs

It started on Twitter, with notices from James O'Connor of the Brandon Sun and local news site Chris D. Then the national online aggregator, Bourque.org, posted a link right to our story "The One Photo Greg Selinger Does Not Want You to See in an Election Brochure"

http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2011/09/one-photo-greg-selinger-doesnt-want-you.html

beneath stories about the federal NDP leadership race and the Ontario election. So there is no denying, the alternative media made a big splash in the provincial election on Friday.

CBC TV picked up our story about Greg Selinger alienating police by posing with the Heatbag Records crew bandana, and even led the TV newscast with it at 5 PM, barely an hour before the Leader's debate. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitobavotes2011/story/2011/09/23/mb-selinger-photo-110923.html

On Saturday, The Winnipeg Sun added details about the past violent record of convictions of one of the group and got more police reaction

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2011/09/23/selinger-in-photo-flap#disqus_thread;

Even the Winnipeg Free Press managed to crank out a few paragraphs online about the controversy, making sure not to identify our podcast as the source.

And Rae Butcher wrote on her blog about how it reinforces her concern about clueless politicians, when it comes to dealing with crime and public safety in the north end:

http://adayinthehood.blogspot.com/2011/09/dumpster-fires-galore.html

Today our inside story of how the story was brought to light and how the mainstream media reacted to it, what the commenters and politicians said, and how this picture of Greg Selinger being duped actually relates to a story told by my mentor Yoram Hamizrachi about Pres. Bush Jr. and the middle east.

Also today:

a dissection of the CJOB/MREA poll that had fewer than 470 respondents; a few words with Liberal leader Dr. Jon Gerrard;

why stolen election signs are a big and expensive deal;

a wait list scandal involving echocardiagrams,

and in the crime update, Richard Cloutier uttered the C word today at 9.47 AM. The 6 letter one we've been talking about since the podcast launched.

Plus, shout-outs to our new Twitter followers and don't forget to read part 3 of my profile of RCMP Commissioner-applicant, psychologist Dr. Michael Webster !

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2011/08/01/18495896.html

Here is the link for the Monday podcast:

http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/26/tgcts-mon-sept-26-how-msm-handled-the-selinger-photo-exclusive-is-ob-poll-off-key-stolen-signs/

Twitter: @TGCTS

North end Liberal candidate says campaign dirty tricks "bullying"

The outspoken Grit candidate in Burrows, Twyla Motkaluk, told TGCTS today that campaign signs being stolen and illicitly removed are not the only tactics being used to try to derail her campaign. As you will hear, she claims that racism has been wielded to dissuade voters from supporting her at the ballot box.

Calling it the behavior of NDP bullies, she also told of one example of government waste that led her to seek election, a Healthy Baby subsidy program for pregnant mothers that Motkaluk claims provides about 33c per day for nutritious groceries while the administration of the funding consumes over 80% of the monies.

Along with reviewing the Liberal platform released this morning - which included Dr. Jon Gerrard endorsing our longtime call for having Legislative meetings and Question Period archived online! - a bloggers' hypothetical script for a faux Greg Selinger job interview TV ad, an email from a listener who got surveyed online about their voting intentions, Dan Lett's views on downtown safety, and the ethics of an NDP cabinet-ista ( no, not Theresa Oswald, the subject of yesterday's exclusive) - appearing in a community TV ad, are on the agenda for today.

Oh, and a great quote from my cousin Avi Saper.

Here's the link: http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/21/tgcts-wed-sept-21-2011-north-end-liberal-candidate-says-campaign-dirty-tricks-bullying/

Monday podcast: CJOB debate highlights Selinger's weaknesses

The outcry about the cheating tactics of the NDP campaign hit the pages of both the Sun and Free Press, and the credibility issues resulted in Greg Selinger facing pointed arguments from his opponents for the Premier's seat, OB callers, and host Richard Cloutier this morning (who seems to have identified an issue today about full time home care jobs being created as part of a "sweet deal" with the MGEU to the detriment of patient care. Imagine being told you get one bath a week, it was going to be on an afternoon you go to a church activity, and it was being cut back to 25 minutes from an hour).

Today's podcast recaps the weekend announcements and the topics of the morning debate and juxtaposes the campaign priorities the PC's and Liberals set out on strokes, diabetes, emergency response and care homes, with Selinger's performance on-air and increasingly irritated retorts to accusations of using his a way-back machine and his "Crocus calculator" to create a "phony reconstruction of the 1990's".

Harping on the supposed Filmon record rather than account for the NDP record after 12 years in power is losing traction with voters and some local media types who want answers and accountability, not homilies to "optimism" and the wonders of the WRHA. The phrase "Brian Sinclair" was heard today on CJOB, as it is in many forums now.

Also today, another phrase not heard - but it could have been - was Cheez Whiz as the price of milk in remote communities was Cloutier's punch line at the end of the debate, we report on more dirty elections tricks against a non-NDP candidate, and ask, is it proper for public and institutional officials like Dauna Crooks, Elliot Levin and Suzanne Hrynyk to be pumping the NDP campaign ?

The CCPS update looks at the plan of the University of Winnipeg and other groups to demolish the Merchants Hotel with public money. The question is why? or is it because the wine and cheese poverty pimps think it's ok for some neighbourhoods to have beverage rooms close by, but not the beer drinking working class areas of the north end they claim they want to see revitalized? Plus, what a pleasure to see that our "controversial" exposes about idiotic traffic circles in River Heights during last fall's civic election was in fact, quite on the money, with Councillor Orlikow stating what was obvious to all of us last year:

"You can’t throw out information and say the citizens are engaged."

Here is the link for the Monday Podcast: http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/19/monday-podcast-cjob-debate-highlights-selingers-weaknesses/

PS - coming up tomorrow: A star candidates' brochure says some wonderful things about Manitoba trying to woo voters but does the reality of their own life reflect those beliefs ? plus the Greg Selinger job interview parody, a great FP feature from the weekend about BiPole dividing west-side community opinions, and an exclusive insight into the gentrification of the local crack epidemic.

Twitter: @TGCTS

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/2344284529/

Radio recap of the end of election campaign week #2 made people sit up and notice

Nothing illustrated the contrasts between the strategy of the opposition parties and that of the NDP as week 2 came to a close, than the nighttime report on Friday by Kim Lawson of CJOB. A number of listeners made mention of it to us, and with good reason.

She started off by reporting that PC leader Hugh McFadyen pledged to extend operations of clinics to take the pressure off emergency brooms, add ambulances and paramedics, and initiate a specialized stroke unit to save lives; then that Liberal leader Jon Gerrard was focusing on investigating abuse of the elderly in personal care homes and the over-prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs as a way to numb patients despite the added risk of causing strokes.

Those were substantive proposals that spoke to the problems and worries of voters about their families and how health care delivery is managed.

Kim Lawson contrasted what the opposition leaders did on Friday, with what the NDP leader did.

Greg Selinger held a press conference with the owners of the Winnipeg Jets.

To hear her recap what she saw and heard in her report on the campaign day, was kind of startling to listeners. They made a point to let us know about Lawson's summary.

The un-elected Premier engaged in what the front page of the Winnipeg Sun proclaimed was outright cheating, by making a government announcement while hiding behind the purity of the Return of the Jets.

Perhaps his brain-trust figured no one would dare complain about something targeted at 'helping at-risk kids', even if they realized the law prohibited government announcements within 90 days of the vote. Maybe they planned on arguing that it was exempt from the legislation because it related to theories about child safety. But once media outlets, including ChrisD.ca and CBC, slugged their headlines as "Province and Jets team up" rather than "NDP promises to team up with Jets", it was obviously not a 'misunderstanding'. CBC, CJOB, The Sun, CTV, all picked up on the blatant breach of the Elections Act by the NDP.

If it were a misunderstanding, Selinger would not have "brushed aside questions" from reporters that morning. He would have tried to set the record straight.

Only the Winnipeg Free Press repeated, without question, the desperate cover-up spin of the NDP after being caught in a bald-faced attempt to fool the media and get an unchallenged "happy news story" in front of the public.

History
Updated on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 9:34 AM CDT:
Clarifies this was a MB gov't announcement, not an NDP party announcement

Updated on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 2:14 PM CDT:
Amends that this is an NDP campaign promise, not a Manitoba gov't announcement; includes information from Elections Act

So the Free Press reported that Greg Selinger and the NDP acted to break the elections law, then simply revised their story to match the NDP's sanitized version of their actions after Gerrard raised the ante by filing a formal complaint.

Consider it A Lesson in Journalism.

After having to think for a few hours to make an excuse, Selinger claimed to CJOB it was just a follow-up of a week-old campaign promise about mentorship, which no one buys because it was not presented that way to the media - or the headlines would have said so i.e. "NDP pledge moves forward by teaming with Jets".

We delved into this subject on Friday's podcast, as another example of the ethics and credibility gap of a party that watched over the collapse of the Crocus Fund Ponzi scheme, lies about Tory "plans" to sell Manitoba Hydro, lies about BiPole, and lies about the size of the deficit, but wants the public to be scared of a change in government to another party.

On Monday's podcast, we'll review the media and online reaction to the NDP campaign trick that failed, report on another campaign dirty trick, and reveal how the crack epidemic in Winnipeg has relocated under the NDP's watch, right under their nose. It will be online in about 2 PM.

Ethics gap grows as Selinger drags Winnipeg Jets into Election Act scandal

As the NDP campaign of attack ads continues to backfire, unelected premier Greg Selinger resorted to playing the Jets card today with disastrous results.

A feel-good presser to announce an after school program for at-risk kids was immediately identified by media outlets (here and here ) as a (prohibited) "province" or government announcement, and not an NDP election pledge. This comes on the heels of an Elections Manitoba investigation into Cabinet minister Ron Lemieux presenting a cheque within the 90 blackout period.

Today's podcast looks at the official complaint filed with Elections Manitoba and at Liberal leader Jon Gerrard's terse accusations about the NDP being "so arrogant and indifferent to Manitobans that they think they can break the law and get away with it ... What kind of lesson is Greg Selinger sending to inner city youth by breaking the law?"

For his part, the dirtiest player in politics stuck his nose in the air like something didn't stink: "Selinger brushed aside questions from reporters about the timing of the announcement during an election campaign. He and Chipman said the whole concept has been in the works for months."(CBC)

Also up for discussion, including an email from a sharp-tongued listener, is a desperate attempt to manipulate Jewish voters using scare tactics and ancient history - by a columnist who did not reveal his links to the ruling party.

Here's the link to the Friday podcast: http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/16/tgcts-fri-sept-16-2011-ethics-gap-grows-selinger-drags-winnipeg-jets-into-elections-act-scandal/

And please feel free to read Part Two of the Mike Webster story: Ruling the Ring, I am very proud of it.

The Loan Act budget trick of the NDP, and more campaign dirty tricks

A lot of important people (ie the WRHA, Manitoba Nurses Union, Health Minister Theresa Oswald) had a startling beginning to their day with the report in the Free Press that a homicide investigator had recommended the Crown lay charges against both a front line care worker, and the Health Sciences Centre, over the death of Brian Sinclair after a 34 hour wait in the emergency room in September 2008. Denials that a report had been completed, let alone charges recommended, were issued in record time, but the story had the reputation of ace cop reporter Mike McIntyre behind it, and the denials did little to quell the buzz among listeners about how "the NDP had stalled the Inquiry till after the election and now this gets out".

On todays' podcast we go into depth about the Loan Act, which is the way the NDP is shifting monies to outside agencies that can never pay it back while claiming the dollars still exist in the treasury, thereby concealing how big the deficit really is. Translation: can you say tax increase to pay for the loans? Listen for the surprise realiziation about which pet project of millionaires may have benefitted from the book-cookery while providing cover for their political allies at city hall.

Another episode, another report of stolen campaign signs. It's pretty obvious from the victims, who the perps might be, and we even have a partial physical description of one of the dirty tricksters.

FP edu-beat fella Nick Martin can't stop blogging his feelings about Dr. Jon Gerrard refering to the 'Field of Dreams' purchase of the Midway Chrysler land being an unfulfilled NDP promise (and an eyesore), and the paper quickly ran a follow up to explain why the new 'green space' at Gordon Bell HS is behind schedule ie. needing to raise $500,000 for astro turf (does that count as green space), plus another $800k on top of it. We parse the stories and comments to give some perspective on the political opportunism behind it all - without even mentioning the name Pat Martin!

Plus, by stumbling across a column about the inner city by the poverty industry in today's broadsheet, we launched into a lesson in electioneering, and explain the links between the 'grassroots organizations' being lauded and the party that was not named that was also being patted on the back and promoted. Or, as one onliner said: Are the numbers in this article just a platform for the NDP?

To conclude the show, we compare the poverty industry ways vis a vis homicide #30, as if the 15 year old killed after being knifed 6 times at College and Aikens would have been saved if only there was more recreation programs. (At 3 AM ?)

There's a 6 letter word that might, might, have saved gang-involved Clarky Stevenson - and may save other children - and TGCTS is waiting for one of the leaders to say it out loud.

Here's the link to the Wednesday podcast:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/14/tgcts-wed-sept-14-2011-the-loan-act-budget-trick-of-the-ndp-and-more-campaign-dirty-tricks/