Departing from the policy of avoidance practiced by members of Premier Doer's government when faced with repeated invitations to address the campus radio audience, Blaikie's people called Thursday morning and offered to make time for us the very next day.
So last Friday afternoon, 92.9 Kick-FM broadcast our exclusive question- and- answer session with the retired NDP parliamentarian, who is seeking to replace backbencher Jim Maloway as MLA for Elmwood in the March 24 byelection -- and is certain to enter cabinet if successful.
As heard exclusively on the show, Blaikie said the Disraeli Bridge reconstruction was not only the top issue with voters, it was the top issue with Doer, who Blaikie said himself takes the Freeway to go to work at the legislature every morning.
"This was a decision taken by city council, over and against the wishes of the local councillors ... anybody who'se from northeast Winnipeg knows you can't shut down the bridge down for 16 months, without creating a nightmare for people."
Noting the contractors bidding on the project are looking for techniques to maintain opening lanes and prevent a 16 month total closure, Blaikie stated,
"... if that proves possible, that may involve a longer repair time by keeping the bridge open, and if that requires more money or whatever it takes, the NDP goverment will be there to sit down with the city and make that possible."
He then emphasized, "We're not going to allow the bridge to be shut down for 16 months."
"We will find a solution to that - we hope the contractors will find it - and, and we will help make that possible", adding "if it means more provincial money to keep the bridge open or to in terms of an alternate plan (such as a second Louise Bridge), yeah, that would be my job as the MLA for Elmwood to make sure the provincial government and for that matter the federal government, that all levels of government," come to the table to fund a solution instead of the issue being used as a "political instrument".
Meanwhile, as Blaikie's words were being aired, internal City Hall email was sent to us -- that fleshed out how far the NDP might have to go to pay for his election promise.
"...Bill Ebenspanger, our Project Manager on the Disraeli project, (confirms) that a preliminary analysis by our Consultants indicates that keeping a lane in each direction open on the structures during construction would extend the length of the project by approximately 14 months and would add at least
$35 million to the cost of the project."
Hounded by the Disraeli issue when opposition candidates seized upon it, Blaikie was forced to formally raise the panic over the impending closure in a resolution at the NDP convention last weekend.
In the past few weeks, Mayor Katz had said no one from the provincial government, nor Maloway, had spoken with him about averting the closure. And even after the convention, Doer had not committed to additional money over and above the provinces' original share of the
$140M project.
With Liberal hopeful and area resident Regan Wolfrom nipping at his heels in a remarkably competitive race, Blaikie - who said he was running at the request of Premier Doer
- claimed his long career as area federal representative mitgates any perception he is a "parachute candidate"
- sloughed off suggestions that his "double dipping" - a combined MP's pension and MLA salary of $250,000 if they vote him into office -was viewed dimly by voters in the economically-mixed ward.
- said statistics showing he was tied for 10th in the most-absent MP list (with 103) during his final session on Parliament Hill was "misleading" (even though it comes from the parliamentary website), because it did not account for his actually being in the House in the role of Deputy Speaker.
Blaikie also announced that he would not resign his adjunct professorship at the University of Winnipeg if elected -- and felt it was not even a perceived, let alone actual, conflict of interest for him to sit in cabinet and choose between public subsidies for Lloyd Axworthy's U of W expansion, against competing funding requests from other post-secondary institutions such as Red River College. Doer told the Free Press last week that the upcoming budget, which will be tabled the day after the byelection, is focused on university and college infrastructure and training.
Blaikie also defended his record on crime, saying the federal NDP caucus he sat with pushed for a review of the 'inadequate' Youth Criminal Justice Act, which they had voted against in the first place.
"I don't remember exactly what (critic) Joe Comartin said but I know we were actually cooperating more with the Conservatives" on upgrading crime legislation then did the opposition Liberals. Depite Comartin's opposition to having deterence and denunciation enshrined as a sentencing principle for youth criminals, "Joe has been quite reasonable in the way he works with the government on that."
Blaikie also defended the Doer NDP 'holistic approach' to public safety despite Winnipeg being at the top of homocide, car theft, and gang statistics under his regime. "The (Manitoba) NDP government - in Ottawa - has a reputation of being tough."
With Blaikie widely viewed as a strong bet to become health minister sometime in the future if elected, the subject of public outrage towards the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority scandals involving the cover-up of the Health Sciences Centre emergency room death of Brian Sinclair, and the 'brown envelope' add-ons from undisclosed winning bidders was raised.
The NDP standard-bearer said he saw no reason to join the chorus of voices calling for WRHA honchos Dr. Brian Postl and Dr. Brock Wright to be removed.
"I wouldn't demand their resignations on the basis of either of them. The brown envelope thing ... came to light really because they were trying to be more transparent... (regarding Sinclair) there's an inquest coming and this is the kind of thing we want to learn more about obviously."
Blaming the "political right" for politicizing administrative and procedural health care issues, Blaikie admitted that if he were still an MP in Ottawa and the federal Conservatives told the public they'd have to wait 2 years for answers in such a death involving accessing public health care, he'd expect the same answer he gave us - that "proper procedures need to be followed".
He would not commit to asking to see the HSC surveillance videotape if elected, or report what it shows about the treatment of Sinclair to the public.
We ended the interview by inviting Mr. Blaikie to join us again to talk about matters political or theological, and expressed our thanks that he took time to answer the questions and concerns of Kick-FM listeners.
Audience reaction to the only full-scale media interview Blaikie gave during the campaign was swift:
"Great interview. Quite exciting from a journalistic standpoint alone. Exciting for the listener too.
Wolfrom might think there's a chance in Elmwood but it doesn't seem like it. The NDP machine is even more well-oiled than people think. They often count up exactly how many votes they need to win a riding and work to get just that many. That's what they did for Orlikow. Calculate the number they need to win, and then go to the voting lists and get on the phone to get the magic number.
It's why there are less signs in the area this year. That, and the fact that the Maloway signs had been bought and paid for many years ago. New signs are expensive and why bother if they don't need them? Maloway would often pressure for two signs on a lawn, that's no secret. But the party is spending less on signage and sticking to the phones to confirm enough votes from members and past voters, and NDP lifers. It's a numbers game and the NDP are ooooooollllllld pros at it. P. "
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" Years ago when they fixed disraeli the southbound lanes crossed over into the northbound lane after the mennonite church. they fixed each side separately. They weren't concerned about extra construction costs then. They were concerned about traffic!! I think i'm going to lose my mind if I have to try to get across Redwood in the morning. If Blaikie is listening, which I doubt cause he sounds out of it, I have to say that the costs aren;t always monetary!
Regarding the other candidate's opinions, of course they are hearing backlash about the pension and the double dipping. Because a) they are telling you what the people who aren't NDP are saying or b) they are doing what every other breathig politician would do and saying that the people are talking about it even if they aren't.
PS maloway has NO clout compared to blaikie. Maloway was invisible to the party. Blaikie is the seasoned vet who is respected by the party. Why doesn't (Conservative candidate) Adrian Schultz know this??? M."
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" I wonder what Brian Sinclair's family would think of Blaikie's chuckling during your back and forth with him about the WRHA, Brown envelopes and the emerg room death. B."
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" Wow. Did he look as uncomfortable and unprepared as he sounded when talking about the Sinclair incident? He was actually gasping for air. Maybe he should figure out where he stands exactly on some of these issues. This isn't about a soft ride into old age. His pension is taken off of MY INCOME!!! What did this guy learn in 30 years on the Hill?! A CIVILIANS PENSION DOESN'T COME OUT OF MY WALLET! E. "
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" Well! Kudos to you Marty! I didn't think it'd happen but obviously your show and it's influence has finally gotten to the NDP. I like it! I'll gladly eat my words. I didn't think it would happen. Might have something to do with actually speaking to him in the parking lot, but whatever. W"
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Coming up on Monday:
* Last-minute byelection news including a report about the race from an alternative newsletter;
* more inside information about the WRHA and hospital care;
* Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, holds a press conference to talk about rampant gangs and drug crime on reserves;
* another 311 horror story;
* which MSM newsroom needs a map to find out where the North End begins and ends?;
* The blogger Policy Frog debuts on CJOB radio as stand-in for morning commentator, Vic Grant;
* and an account from a listener, of yet another homocide in Winnipeg's downtown, as yet unreported in the MSM.
All that, plus sports with Frank the Italian Barber on the death of former NHL sniper Walt Podubny, the exciting NCAA Basketball Sweet 16 playdowns next weekend, and your calls and emails!
PS: Don't forget to support the RRC Cre-Comm class of 2010:
cre8ery hosts:
Creative Mix
March 27, 2009, 7 - 11 pm (one night only)
Appetizers will be served. Admission is free.
An exhibition & silent auction, of artwork by students in the Creative Communications program at Red River College. All proceeds from the silent auction are going to the Cre Comm 2010 Grad Committee.
Creative Mix features a wide variety of artistic forms, including: original paintings, photography, graphic designs & sculpture.
Artists: Steve St. Louis, J. Booth, Rheanne Marcoux, Sarah Lund, Meryl de Leon, Rose Dominguez, Matt Prepost, Tara Tuchscherer , Claire Gosselin, Amy Friesen, Aaron Cohen, Daniel Timmerman & more!
To view invite: http://cre8ery.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=149&Itemid=34cre8ery gallery
2-125 Adelaide St
Ph# 510-1623
And --- the 2009 Brewnos are at The Academy, Stradbrook and Osborne, on Friday night April 3rd, with 6 great bands and after-party tunes by Kick-FM's The Beat DJ's Mod Marty and Indierawker!
