The Great Canadian Talk Show on 92.9 Kick-FM found an audience across the country, and we regularly featured perspectives from experts outside of Winnipeg. No perimeteritis here. On our first Weekend Special, 'Dirty Money' Shaun Myall joins us from Victoria BC, to discuss the recent crushing defeat of the Harmonized Sales Tax that had been inposed on taxpayers in British Columbia. Despite the lectures of the Globe and Mail and others about 'morons' being allowed to vote, Myall made the case that a dishonest Liberal government got a message and explained how in BC, issues of unethical behavior had sunk previous governments.
We also compared notes on how repeated CBC reruns of our Dragons Den appearance in October 2007 has resulted in the odd situation where people have come up to us the past few months saying "oh I just saw you on TV", and we had no idea what they were talking about. DM also went into how the 'reality' show is so heavily edited, that the real drama of our 45 minutes in front of the Dragons demonstrating professional wrestling as a marketing device and business model was lost in favour of a recreated storyline - not that the contract didn't allow for it. Heck, when else are 675,000 people going to hear us do play by play of a match?
Tom Brodbeck's column about the murders of 3 innocents this summer got a lot of supportive online comments which are also highlighted. The Saturday Episode can be heard on the player on this blog to the right, or by visiting the tgctspod.podbean.com hosting site.
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/09/03/tgcts-saturday-sept-3-2011-will-the-mood-that-destroyed-hst-in-bc-shift-to-manitoba/
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Episode 5 now online: Selinger’s health care spending problem, goodbye Sylvia
Listen to the Friday podcast on the player to the right of this column or, to download go directly to our host site
The blaring Winnipeg Sun headline yesterday caught a lot of eyes - "Read his lips". While Conservative leader Hugh McFadyen pronounced no new taxes and no selling Manitoba Hydro, unelected Premier Greg Selinger was heard on CJOB complaining that the Tory economic platform held the line on the health care budget.
Does Greg Selinger think he needs to throw more money at wait times and staffing shortages, and that current spending is accountable and fully defensible? Puh-Lease. An online forum where medical professionals talk about the issues without fear of reprisal from the medical system, grlforum.com, provided us with some solid examples of how incompetence is costing us money while making patients suffer needlessly due to - you guessed it- bureaucratically engineered WAIT TIMES.
Meanwhile, text messages indicate Spirited Kenny is ecstatic that the Manitoba Liberals have endorsed revising Sunday shopping laws, he's anxious to see how the PC's respond on the concept.
The Crime Courts Public Safety update features an email from a listener about the changing nature in the last decade of panhandling in St. Boniface and downtown; a personal view about the departure of Sylvia Kuzyk from CKY, and an erev-Shabbas note about the passing of Rabbi Rafael Halperin z'l", a pioneering Israeli businessman, learned scholar, and post-war professional wrestler.
OY - I forgot to plug the contest! send us 3 questions - one each - for the party leaders and you will be entered to win a copy of Let's Get It On, the autobiography of UFC referee Big John McCarthy. Email tgcts1@gmail.com, follow us on Twitter @TGCTS.
And yes we'll try to get a Podcast out this weekend as well. Thanks for all your support this week!
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/
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Episode 3: A Sunday night in downtown Winnipeg: perception vs reality
A surprise visit from Graham Hnatiuk caused the script to go out the window for Episode 3, as the civic issues of panhandling, homelessness, and public safety in and around downtown forged to the front of the line. Graham was a regular contributor about urbanism on our radio version and it was great to have him join in again.
The Downtown Biz wants to paint a rosy picture that doesn't do justice to the injustice of how unsafe the city is when cruise night winds down. How dangerous is Marty's perception of downtown Winnipeg on a Sunday night? Plenty. How upset was Graham with the Winnipeg Sun? Plenty. How embarrassing is it that the pet project of millionaires can't pay its taxes ? Plenty.
Read more preview and take a listen here (or click on the player to the right):
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/08/31/tgcts-wednesday-august-31-2011-city-hall-revolving-door-gives-us-first-scoop/
Follow us on Twitter @TGCTS
Email TGCTS1@gmail.com
Join our Facebook group The Great Canadian Talk Show
The Downtown Biz wants to paint a rosy picture that doesn't do justice to the injustice of how unsafe the city is when cruise night winds down. How dangerous is Marty's perception of downtown Winnipeg on a Sunday night? Plenty. How upset was Graham with the Winnipeg Sun? Plenty. How embarrassing is it that the pet project of millionaires can't pay its taxes ? Plenty.
Read more preview and take a listen here (or click on the player to the right):
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/08/31/tgcts-wednesday-august-31-2011-city-hall-revolving-door-gives-us-first-scoop/
Follow us on Twitter @TGCTS
Email TGCTS1@gmail.com
Join our Facebook group The Great Canadian Talk Show
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Exclusive: Deputy CAO Alex Robinson splits from Winnipeg City Hall
TGCTS has acquired the following statement from Winnipeg Chief Administrative Officer Phil Sheegl
Good afternoon.
This afternoon, I am writing to advise that Alex Robinson is leaving the Winnipeg Public Service leadership team to seek other career opportunities, effective today.
Once a member of the former Business Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs Department, Alex returned to the City of Winnipeg in November, 2005 as an Advisor in the Executive Policy Committee Secretariat, moving into the role of Senior Advisor in December, 2006. Alex took on a new challenge in September, 2007 when he was appointed Acting Chief Administrative Officer. In April, 2008 he was appointed Mayor’s Director of Economic Development and Strategic Initiatives, and was responsible for a comprehensive intergovernmental relations strategy and the review of high profile, strategic initiatives.
In November, 2008 Alex was appointed to his most recent position of Deputy Chief Administrative Officer.
Those who have worked with Alex know him to be a leader with tremendous skills and the ability to develop strong relationships. On behalf of the City of Winnipeg, I would like to thank Alex for his many contributions to our City. We will miss his commitment and loyalty to the organization, and I know his colleagues and many friends wish him the very best as he prepares to take the next exciting step in his career.
Phil Sheegl
Chief Administrative Officer
**********
Welcome to our new readers, from media outlets, colleges and universities, and government agencies across Canada!
We are the alternative media leader, giving a voice to those who have views that challenge the established political interests and hold to account, the mainstream media that has abandoned their role as watchdog for the public interest on many issues. If Winnipeg had radio that mattered, this would be it.
Our latest episode of Winnipeg's Premiere Podcast is always available to the right of our blog stories, and to check our Podcast archive, go to http://tgctspod.podbean.com/
Good afternoon.
This afternoon, I am writing to advise that Alex Robinson is leaving the Winnipeg Public Service leadership team to seek other career opportunities, effective today.
Once a member of the former Business Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs Department, Alex returned to the City of Winnipeg in November, 2005 as an Advisor in the Executive Policy Committee Secretariat, moving into the role of Senior Advisor in December, 2006. Alex took on a new challenge in September, 2007 when he was appointed Acting Chief Administrative Officer. In April, 2008 he was appointed Mayor’s Director of Economic Development and Strategic Initiatives, and was responsible for a comprehensive intergovernmental relations strategy and the review of high profile, strategic initiatives.
In November, 2008 Alex was appointed to his most recent position of Deputy Chief Administrative Officer.
Those who have worked with Alex know him to be a leader with tremendous skills and the ability to develop strong relationships. On behalf of the City of Winnipeg, I would like to thank Alex for his many contributions to our City. We will miss his commitment and loyalty to the organization, and I know his colleagues and many friends wish him the very best as he prepares to take the next exciting step in his career.
Phil Sheegl
Chief Administrative Officer
**********
Welcome to our new readers, from media outlets, colleges and universities, and government agencies across Canada!
We are the alternative media leader, giving a voice to those who have views that challenge the established political interests and hold to account, the mainstream media that has abandoned their role as watchdog for the public interest on many issues. If Winnipeg had radio that mattered, this would be it.
Our latest episode of Winnipeg's Premiere Podcast is always available to the right of our blog stories, and to check our Podcast archive, go to http://tgctspod.podbean.com/
Fan reaction to Podcast launch; New episode explains the NDP jumping on the Jets bandwagon, candidate interview, book contest, and more.
Using email, Twitter and Facebook, listeners gave us feedback on the debut of Winnipeg's Premiere Podcast:
Hi Marty and Ken
Hi Marty and Ken
Enjoyed the podcast. You did a great job. I was surprised how professional the sound seemed done from a Mac and Microphone.
The good: Updates on the blogosphere, I know some of them but learned some new ones, Selinger/Flanders comparison, crime court and public safety, shout outs and finding out what past TGCTS staffers went on to do.
The Bad: nothing really. - I think that finding a way for the live audience participation is a good idea.
I even found something to disagree with.
Sorry, I'm really skeptical about the Jets. It seems that this is a sop to the masses to distract us from the issues (like crime, healthcare and infrastructure). Circus Minimus while Rome burns. Middle class gets to spend incredible amounts of cash to watch upper class play game to benefit upper class assuming they can get tickets. I really hope I'm wrong (and will freely admit it should it be a monster success) but I have a hunch that once the honeymoon is over in about five years we can all go down to the Forks and have another save the Jets rally. Maybe Premier McFadden can reprise Gary Filmons role.
I'm in the minority on that one and again I hope that I'm wrong.
We've lived in St. Boniface since 2004 and the neighborhood is definately getting rougher, there are a lot more panhandlers along Marion from Dominion Centre almost to Des Meurons as well as in front of St. B Hospital and the park across from the library (there were 8 drinking it up last Friday around 10am)
10 to 15 years ago you never saw folks hustling for change at intersections (lately nobody bothers to squeegee anymore and the age group has gone up by about 15 years, squeegee "kids" are a dying breed)
My wife comes home at midnight and was accosted in our parking lot.
I find it sad that all this goes on within sight of the CMHR (it looks a lot like Jabba the Hut's fortress from "Return of the Jedi")
Glad to hear the bike lanes are not a dead issue. I drive to work every single morning down Bannatyne towards HSC at around 7am and home again up McDermot at around 4pm. At the height of the summer I see maybe two going to work (seems to be the same two) and two or three on the way home. And in winter the lanes are filled in anyway forcing them into one of the only two remaining car lanes.
Here's an interesting thought. I've noticed cracks in the asphalt seem to be getting wider, particularly McDermot towards the HSC end. When they put the bike lanes in they moved over the car lanes. It seems that when the road was designed, it was designed to handle the load for the lanes that were originally installed.
Now motorized traffic straddles these original lanes and there seems to be separation in the asphalt. Did anyone think of the implications to the infrastructure by moving these lanes over in such a fashion? Are we causing more damage to the roads by doing this? I'm no engineer but it's an interesting question given what I'm observing.
Now motorized traffic straddles these original lanes and there seems to be separation in the asphalt. Did anyone think of the implications to the infrastructure by moving these lanes over in such a fashion? Are we causing more damage to the roads by doing this? I'm no engineer but it's an interesting question given what I'm observing.
I wonder what McDermot will wind up looking like after a few freeze/thaw seasons.
All that and the Fiends of Upper Fort Garry got a mention too.
Speaking of the Free Press - Did you read the review that Marion Warhaft gave the FP cafe? Four stars of course! No conflict of interest there!
Look forward to the provincial election.
John
********
| @TGCTS LOVED it! Great to hear you again, and you're right, Ned Flanders IS more exciting than Selinger! |
@TGCTS Welcome Back Marty! Your voice will once again grate against my sensibilities! ;)
*********
Jess Chapman wrote:
Great job Marty! When are you planning your recordings? If it's not between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, I can offer my services as a U.S. commentator.
********
You saved the Dr pepper This Long? |
Episode Two is now online, either by using the player on top right of this page, or by going to our Podbean hosting where it can be downloaded for future use:
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/08/30/tgcts-tuesday-august-30-2011-msm-forgets-ndp-mocked-return-of-the-jets-in-07/
Of course during our Wing meal break we decided to do a full hour, with
- lots more analysis about the upcoming election and the flier of that warm glass o'milk drinking unelected Premier, and how he tried to get Kenny in trouble with Red River College;
- Kenny also explains why Sunday Shopping should be a major election issue
- our first candidate interview with Ludolf Groulle, the Liberal hopeful in St. Paul who is relying on a viral campaign;
- how Dr. Jon Gerrard helped the Knizat family get their money from the bullies at the Public Trustee;
- a history lesson the MSM forgets - the NDP did NOT support the return of the Jets until it was convenient;
- Bombers and Goldeyes get a mention;
- and a contest to win the autobiography of UFC ref Big John McCarty "Let's get it On!", written with frequent TGCTS guest Loretta Hunt - I was sent a review copy by mistake so I'm paying it forward, with the proviso the winner writes a review for use on a future Podcast.
To sponsor these podcasts or contribute to our work, or if you have story tips, comments, etc, please email TGCTS1@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter @TGCTS
Monday, August 29, 2011
Podcast episode 1: How electable is the unelected premier, Greg Selinger?
Our inaugural podcast is TGCTS at its best, including going into overtime cause there was so much to dissect on the local scene -- especially when Spirited Kenny is in the studio.
Who's more exciting, Greg Selinger or Ned Flanders? Kenny decides. It's a fun kick-off to Winnipeg's premiere podcast with a review of how the leaders debate at the Teachers Society unionista gathering sounded on CJOB and the on-site reaction to the saturation bombing of Tory ads on the broadcast.
We also put out the call for tips about the Manitoba election - (dirty campaign tricks to report? tgcts1 at g mail dot com folks!) and set out the first plank in what we think should be an election issue -- Sunday shopping.
Also there's a Crime Courts and Public Safety update with a tremendous assessment of the abandonment of the north end from Rae Butcher, plenty to say about Winnipeg radio, newspaper and TV reporting, recommended blogs to read, and innumerable shout outs to all sorts of Winnipeggers who have supported our work. Hint: some of them went to Red River College. We even try out the new Old Dutch chip flavour, Sweet and Sour.
All that and more in Episode 1, just follow the link below. Margo, pass Stephanie some Rolaids.
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/08/28/tgcts-monday-august-29-2011-our-election-platform-sunday-shopping/
Who's more exciting, Greg Selinger or Ned Flanders? Kenny decides. It's a fun kick-off to Winnipeg's premiere podcast with a review of how the leaders debate at the Teachers Society unionista gathering sounded on CJOB and the on-site reaction to the saturation bombing of Tory ads on the broadcast.
We also put out the call for tips about the Manitoba election - (dirty campaign tricks to report? tgcts1 at g mail dot com folks!) and set out the first plank in what we think should be an election issue -- Sunday shopping.
Also there's a Crime Courts and Public Safety update with a tremendous assessment of the abandonment of the north end from Rae Butcher, plenty to say about Winnipeg radio, newspaper and TV reporting, recommended blogs to read, and innumerable shout outs to all sorts of Winnipeggers who have supported our work. Hint: some of them went to Red River College. We even try out the new Old Dutch chip flavour, Sweet and Sour.
All that and more in Episode 1, just follow the link below. Margo, pass Stephanie some Rolaids.
http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/08/28/tgcts-monday-august-29-2011-our-election-platform-sunday-shopping/
Friday, August 26, 2011
Podcasts launch next week, just in time for the Manitoba election
The gatekeepers of the Winnipeg mainstream media tried to use their power behind closed doors, to cancel our drive-home talk show, and then lies were told to cover up the actions of "role models".
Ask yourself, who benefited?
And why did anyone feel they had to lie about the true motives for canceling our show "as a first step" to eliminate the community from campus radio on 92.9 Kick-FM ? (a flimsy excuse that has since been erased from their talking points, when the brilliant minds at Red River College realized it would be illegal to do so under the CRTC licence. )
Because we made a difference and shook up the status quo, that's why.
Our civic election coverage proved, there was a silent majority in Winnipeg who want their stories told about this city, that want to hear the views and analysis of bloggers and the alternative media, are interested in the concerns of small businesses and non profits, and wanted the voiceless defended. It accomplished what the Democracy Project is now trying to - we got people engaged, gave candidates a chance to address issues and for the public to know them, and made voting important.
Thousands of Winnipeggers want real issues covered every day, and to hear politicians and bureaucrats - and the newsrooms covering them - held accountable, and exposed when they failed the public interest.
Thanks to modern technology, beyond the reach of Margo Goodhand and the Winnipeg Free Press and immune from political pressure tactics, YOUR VOICE will again be heard.
Next week regular podcasts of The Great Canadian Talk Show, about an hour in length, is going to be launched that will include the Crime, Courts and Public Safety Update, brought to you by the Winnipeg Police Association.
Spirited Kenny is hard at work on the technical details to get the Podcast ready for smartphone and online access. Check this blog daily for that audio as well as evening / overnight updates and special segments.
Along with the usual topics of interest - (hello, bike lobby; how ya doin' Manitoba Hydro?), the provincial election is front and centre. We'll interview candidates, go inside the campaigns, and ask the questions voters want answered.
And if anyone sees, knows, or hears about ANY dirty tricks on the campaign trail, any allegations of breaking the election rules, we want to know. This time, when we report on those complaints, no one can cancel us.
YOU HAVE THE POWER.
To contact us with your story ideas, news tips, comments, or to sponsor the Podcasts, email: TGCTS1@gmail.com
Ask yourself, who benefited?
And why did anyone feel they had to lie about the true motives for canceling our show "as a first step" to eliminate the community from campus radio on 92.9 Kick-FM ? (a flimsy excuse that has since been erased from their talking points, when the brilliant minds at Red River College realized it would be illegal to do so under the CRTC licence. )
Because we made a difference and shook up the status quo, that's why.
Our civic election coverage proved, there was a silent majority in Winnipeg who want their stories told about this city, that want to hear the views and analysis of bloggers and the alternative media, are interested in the concerns of small businesses and non profits, and wanted the voiceless defended. It accomplished what the Democracy Project is now trying to - we got people engaged, gave candidates a chance to address issues and for the public to know them, and made voting important.
Thousands of Winnipeggers want real issues covered every day, and to hear politicians and bureaucrats - and the newsrooms covering them - held accountable, and exposed when they failed the public interest.
Thanks to modern technology, beyond the reach of Margo Goodhand and the Winnipeg Free Press and immune from political pressure tactics, YOUR VOICE will again be heard.
Next week regular podcasts of The Great Canadian Talk Show, about an hour in length, is going to be launched that will include the Crime, Courts and Public Safety Update, brought to you by the Winnipeg Police Association.
Spirited Kenny is hard at work on the technical details to get the Podcast ready for smartphone and online access. Check this blog daily for that audio as well as evening / overnight updates and special segments.
Along with the usual topics of interest - (hello, bike lobby; how ya doin' Manitoba Hydro?), the provincial election is front and centre. We'll interview candidates, go inside the campaigns, and ask the questions voters want answered.
And if anyone sees, knows, or hears about ANY dirty tricks on the campaign trail, any allegations of breaking the election rules, we want to know. This time, when we report on those complaints, no one can cancel us.
YOU HAVE THE POWER.
To contact us with your story ideas, news tips, comments, or to sponsor the Podcasts, email: TGCTS1@gmail.com
Monday, August 22, 2011
Stephanie Forsyth controversy hits pages of Free Press; ethics complaint filed with RRC Governors
(Edit - for readers who asked, here is the link to my latest column in the Winnipeg Sun, about the night Baljinder Singh Sidhu was murdered across from the Osborne and Stradbrook firehall http://www.winnipegsun.com/2011/08/22/what-really-happened-that-night-on-osbourne)
A prominent news story all about her 'big plans' for Red River College, and a much smaller companion piece in this morning's Winnipeg Free Press - with a vague headline and no byline - has generated the kind of attention Stephanie Forsyth would prefer to avoid, as readers look past the PR spin and towards her controversial management style and priorities.
The RRC president made clear her facility envy of local Universities, as she told a remarkably uninquisitive Nick Martin how the College wants to add lights and astroturf to athletic fields, wants an indoor soccer facility, and covets the decrepit Public Safety Building, even if the main Notre Dame campus infrastructure is "in dire need of replacement", and the Union Bank Tower project is "a little behind schedule, not unexpectedly when it's a 1903 building."
She also promised to create a new administrative position answering directly to her, apparently to be responsible to facilitate her pet project of increasing Aboriginal presence in the institution.
How any of this would help cut the 2-3 year wait lists for current courses or reduce rising course costs for students is unclear.
Trying to recast herself as a conciliator, Forsyth asked "How do we develop more of a sense of community, a campus that's welcoming to students and the public?"
Well, coming clean on her role in the illegal plan to eliminate all community programming from the campus-funded Kick-FM might be a start.
And now she may not have a choice, after Advanced Education Minister Erin Selby replied to a complaint by telling a listener to take it directly to The Board of Governors, which he did very early this morning.
The listener filed notice with Forsyth's bosses that he wants an investigation, after Madame President ignored his complaint when he caught College officials trying to cover-up the facts behind The Great Canadian Talk Show being axed.
Meanwhile, in a separate story "New president fired senior staff", the newspaper of record has finally reported on the firing of two senior RRC administrators two months after the blogosphere did, adding details to Forsyth's actions but no insight into why.
A prominent news story all about her 'big plans' for Red River College, and a much smaller companion piece in this morning's Winnipeg Free Press - with a vague headline and no byline - has generated the kind of attention Stephanie Forsyth would prefer to avoid, as readers look past the PR spin and towards her controversial management style and priorities.
The RRC president made clear her facility envy of local Universities, as she told a remarkably uninquisitive Nick Martin how the College wants to add lights and astroturf to athletic fields, wants an indoor soccer facility, and covets the decrepit Public Safety Building, even if the main Notre Dame campus infrastructure is "in dire need of replacement", and the Union Bank Tower project is "a little behind schedule, not unexpectedly when it's a 1903 building."
She also promised to create a new administrative position answering directly to her, apparently to be responsible to facilitate her pet project of increasing Aboriginal presence in the institution.
How any of this would help cut the 2-3 year wait lists for current courses or reduce rising course costs for students is unclear.
Trying to recast herself as a conciliator, Forsyth asked "How do we develop more of a sense of community, a campus that's welcoming to students and the public?"
Well, coming clean on her role in the illegal plan to eliminate all community programming from the campus-funded Kick-FM might be a start.
And now she may not have a choice, after Advanced Education Minister Erin Selby replied to a complaint by telling a listener to take it directly to The Board of Governors, which he did very early this morning.
The listener filed notice with Forsyth's bosses that he wants an investigation, after Madame President ignored his complaint when he caught College officials trying to cover-up the facts behind The Great Canadian Talk Show being axed.
"I have been advised by the Minister for Advanced Education, the Hon. Erin Selby, to go directly to the Governors with my complaints about College employees. She assured me it will be investigated by you using the established College processes.
I am bringing forward formal complaints about the unethical conduct of Dean of Business Graham Thomson, and vice-president Ken Webb, in relation to being misled and treated with contempt, and then ignored when I tried to file a complaint about being lied to.
I am also filing a formal complaint against President Stephanie Forsyth, who failed to acknowledge my complaints against Thomson and Webb, or take any action to investigate when I brought it to her attention.
As a taxpayer, the dismissive attitudes and evasive responses I have encountered from your employees have been utterly unacceptable."
Meanwhile, in a separate story "New president fired senior staff", the newspaper of record has finally reported on the firing of two senior RRC administrators two months after the blogosphere did, adding details to Forsyth's actions but no insight into why.
"LATE in May, Red River College president Stephanie Forsyth abruptly fired two of the colleges's (sic) six most senior employees, vice-president of finance and administration Catherine Rushton and associate vice-president of facilities and campus services Robert Olson...
Forsyth refused to discuss personnel issues, saying only, "Positioning the college for the future, I felt that was necessary."
Rushton could not be reached.
Olson, who was a senior administrator at Red River for almost 10 years, said there was no forewarning the two would be fired an hour apart on May 27."
(our stories about: Rushton leaving the College: http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2011/06/controversial-cathy-rushton-departs-red.html ,
the College getting caught by the Ombudsman breaching privacy laws because of Rushton, http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2011/08/red-river-college-breached-privacy-law.html
and Rushtons' belated apology to Mayor Sam Katz http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2011/08/cathy-rushtons-belated-apology-to.html )
The story, by "staff writer", failed to tie together the obvious clue that escaped Nick Martin, which might help explain the mystery of the cancellation of the vice-presidents' employment on short notice. With the project over-budget and behind schedule, maybe the Free Press could have asked Forsyth who at the College was responsible for those aspects of the Union Bank Tower project ?
An online comment, that referred Free Press readers to this blog - welcome to all of you especially the many from Red River College - elaborated on how one person views Forsyth's record as a role model :
Forsyth has done some pretty awful things since her arrival.
Perhaps the article should dig more about the illegal operating tactics of the Kick FM Board at the College, the current Human Rights complaint that has been filed, how Forsyth and her cronies lied to the public, shut down a major fundraiser for a not for profit agency, and now, refuse to answer any questions. Oh yes, and Stephanie is allowing her name to stand for a seat with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors? Speak with your votes people."
Added: sample reaction from Twitter
joryh Jory Hasselmann
@progwinnipeg still this is the first I heard, of Rushton's firing. Stopped following the whole TGCT saga a while ago. Very pleased.
Favorite Retweet
joryh Jory Hasselmann
@progwinnipeg now if they got rid of Forsyth I would go back to considering RRC a decent place to learn.
joryh Jory Hasselmann
@progwinnipeg until then there's direct evidence of a double standard between taught ideals and the practices of the faculty.
@progwinnipeg well it was some good news. So thanks for reporting on WFP NOT reporting it haha.
And from a comment on the Free Press website:
kachina
If Forsythe can rationally support her behaviour, she should do so in the name of transparency and accountability. Ethical decisions are comprehensible, unethical ones are incomprehensible.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Cathy Rushton's belated apology to Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz
Welcome to our new readers from colleges and universities across the country, including the Ontario College of Arts and Design, the University of Waterloo, University of Lethbridge and Northwest Community College. We are interested in more of your comments about our stories and investigations, especially if your campus funds a radio station licenced under the CRTC.
***************
After our last post about the Manitoba Ombudsman confirming our complaint that Red River College breached provincial privacy laws and failed to correct false records created by (then) vice-president Cathy Rushton about Mayor Sam Katz and TGCTS, readers asked more about the letter from the Ombudsman:
'What did the apology Rushton sent to Katz say?'
Rushton, who admitted to blogger Graham Hnatiuk that she "was confused and incorrect" when she spread the falsehood to College and Kick-FM officials that Katz had beefed about "attacks" on our radio program, was no less confused and incorrect in her "apology" to the Mayor.
- The "incorrect assertions" were made to 4 College officials, not 3.
- There was nothing "somewhat similar" about the reason Katz called RRC president Dr. Jeff Zabudsky that would explain her connecting the call to Marty Gold.
The Mayor complained to Zabudsky about a College employee and his blog posts.
That is entirely different than "someone never employed by the College with a radio show".
- Rushton denied intending any harm Katz or to our work providing a platform for community talk radio on behalf of the station. She used the phrases "ragging " and "soap-box" to describe our coverage of the public's concerns about City Hall in conjunction with repeating the false allegation and blaming Marty Gold for the Mayor being riled up at RRC. You decide.
- Contrary to what she told Katz, Rushton never asked Marty Gold to publish the email in a future blog. In fact, it was only through discussions with an investigator from the Ombudsman's Office, that it was learned an apology had been sent to Katz at all.
Left unexplained is why Rushton wrote an "apology" to Kick-FM Board czar David Wiebe on January 19th, yet did not say a peep that she had "determined that my memory was faulty about this phone call" to Marty Gold and Sam Katz first.
It was only after this blog exposed her use of the false allegation to justify canceling The Great Canadian Talk Show that Rushton contacted them, 12 days after her email to Wiebe.
***************
After our last post about the Manitoba Ombudsman confirming our complaint that Red River College breached provincial privacy laws and failed to correct false records created by (then) vice-president Cathy Rushton about Mayor Sam Katz and TGCTS, readers asked more about the letter from the Ombudsman:
'What did the apology Rushton sent to Katz say?'
Rushton, who admitted to blogger Graham Hnatiuk that she "was confused and incorrect" when she spread the falsehood to College and Kick-FM officials that Katz had beefed about "attacks" on our radio program, was no less confused and incorrect in her "apology" to the Mayor.
- The "incorrect assertions" were made to 4 College officials, not 3.
- There was nothing "somewhat similar" about the reason Katz called RRC president Dr. Jeff Zabudsky that would explain her connecting the call to Marty Gold.
The Mayor complained to Zabudsky about a College employee and his blog posts.
That is entirely different than "someone never employed by the College with a radio show".
- Rushton denied intending any harm Katz or to our work providing a platform for community talk radio on behalf of the station. She used the phrases "ragging " and "soap-box" to describe our coverage of the public's concerns about City Hall in conjunction with repeating the false allegation and blaming Marty Gold for the Mayor being riled up at RRC. You decide.
- Contrary to what she told Katz, Rushton never asked Marty Gold to publish the email in a future blog. In fact, it was only through discussions with an investigator from the Ombudsman's Office, that it was learned an apology had been sent to Katz at all.
Left unexplained is why Rushton wrote an "apology" to Kick-FM Board czar David Wiebe on January 19th, yet did not say a peep that she had "determined that my memory was faulty about this phone call" to Marty Gold and Sam Katz first.
It was only after this blog exposed her use of the false allegation to justify canceling The Great Canadian Talk Show that Rushton contacted them, 12 days after her email to Wiebe.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Red River College breached privacy law, Ombudsman finds; lie about Mayor Sam Katz left on files for 4 months
The Manitoba Ombudsman has discovered that Red River College, which teaches journalism students about the importance of Freedom of Information laws, committed a breach of the Protection of Privacy Act.
The discovery was made after College officials had assured the Ombudsman that a false allegation regarding Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz had already been corrected using required protocols. Instead the falsehood - repeated to at least 4 people by former vice-president Cathy Rushton - that Mayor Katz had complained to former College president Jeff Zabudsky about The Great Canadian Talk Show, remained on the official College files for 4 months.
After learning of the false allegations when an Access to Information filing uncovered Rushton's emails about Katz to 2 other College vice-presidents and 2 members of the Kick-FM Board, show host Marty Gold acquired a letter from Katz describing claims he had ever complained about the show as "patently false". Gold insisted Rushton attach that letter to the files as part of a formal correction, to ensure the defamatory allegation was neutralized within the College record-keeping system.
Rushton outright refused, and Gold complained to the "Head of the Public Body" who is ultimately in charge of records kept by RRC, president Stephanie Forsyth.
Gold demanded the correction be done under the formal steps outlined in outlined in Section 39 of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and also complained about Rushton's conflict of interest - she was the designated Chief Privacy Officer and was therefore responsible for ensuring College records were accurate, but had refused to correct emails on file of a defamatory allegation she herself had spread.
Forsyth wrote back stating she was "satisfied" with Rushton's actions and that the requirements of the Act had been met.
Gold then filed a complaint with the Ombudsman that the College had refused to correct a disputed record in the legal manner required.
At first, a report from the Ombudsman stated that College officials claimed to an investigator that the correction had been entered on the files, and the complaint was denied.
But Gold wrote back to the Ombudsman, Irene Hamilton, personally, suggesting the investigator had being misled and that documented proof of the date and method of the correction to the files was required, given Rushton's stated refusal and her conflict of interest, and Forsyth's subsequent dismissive reply.
In a letter to Gold dated July 12th, the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed his concerns about Cathy Rushton and the College not meeting their legal obligations were well-founded:
"... the College conducted a review of the former employee's electronic records, but was unable to find confirmation that the records had been corrected in the manner that had been
described to our office.
The College has accepted responsibility for failing to ensure that the records were corrected in the manner previously described to our office,"...
"As a result, our office finds that your complaint about this aspect of the College's handling of your request for correction is considered to be supported."
The attempt by Red River College to brush off the Ombudsman's Office and preserve the false allegation unchallenged and on the record failed miserably. This stands as a lesson about the rights of any Manitoban to be treated fairly by public institutions -- you can't take anybody's word that they've corrected a lie about you that they spread; always insist on documented proof.
The discovery was made after College officials had assured the Ombudsman that a false allegation regarding Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz had already been corrected using required protocols. Instead the falsehood - repeated to at least 4 people by former vice-president Cathy Rushton - that Mayor Katz had complained to former College president Jeff Zabudsky about The Great Canadian Talk Show, remained on the official College files for 4 months.
After learning of the false allegations when an Access to Information filing uncovered Rushton's emails about Katz to 2 other College vice-presidents and 2 members of the Kick-FM Board, show host Marty Gold acquired a letter from Katz describing claims he had ever complained about the show as "patently false". Gold insisted Rushton attach that letter to the files as part of a formal correction, to ensure the defamatory allegation was neutralized within the College record-keeping system.
Rushton outright refused, and Gold complained to the "Head of the Public Body" who is ultimately in charge of records kept by RRC, president Stephanie Forsyth.
Gold demanded the correction be done under the formal steps outlined in outlined in Section 39 of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and also complained about Rushton's conflict of interest - she was the designated Chief Privacy Officer and was therefore responsible for ensuring College records were accurate, but had refused to correct emails on file of a defamatory allegation she herself had spread.
Forsyth wrote back stating she was "satisfied" with Rushton's actions and that the requirements of the Act had been met.
Gold then filed a complaint with the Ombudsman that the College had refused to correct a disputed record in the legal manner required.
At first, a report from the Ombudsman stated that College officials claimed to an investigator that the correction had been entered on the files, and the complaint was denied.
But Gold wrote back to the Ombudsman, Irene Hamilton, personally, suggesting the investigator had being misled and that documented proof of the date and method of the correction to the files was required, given Rushton's stated refusal and her conflict of interest, and Forsyth's subsequent dismissive reply.
In a letter to Gold dated July 12th, the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed his concerns about Cathy Rushton and the College not meeting their legal obligations were well-founded:
"... the College conducted a review of the former employee's electronic records, but was unable to find confirmation that the records had been corrected in the manner that had been
described to our office.
The College has accepted responsibility for failing to ensure that the records were corrected in the manner previously described to our office,"...
"As a result, our office finds that your complaint about this aspect of the College's handling of your request for correction is considered to be supported."
The attempt by Red River College to brush off the Ombudsman's Office and preserve the false allegation unchallenged and on the record failed miserably. This stands as a lesson about the rights of any Manitoban to be treated fairly by public institutions -- you can't take anybody's word that they've corrected a lie about you that they spread; always insist on documented proof.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Manitoba Ombudsman Cites Website Flaws In Ruling Winnipeg Public Consultation Procedures Unfair
This morning City Council was voting on a motion to allow their bureaucrats to prepare a response to the Manitoba Ombudsman, after her investigation discovered that the city had not treated residents of Transcona fairly when Plessis Road was removed from the authorized Truck Routes list.
On the city agenda, this was portrayed as revising a minor Bylaw issue. It is much more.
Never mind that the city spent an extra $10 million to rebuild Plessis to meet standards, and then in effect wasted the money by removing trucks from that roadway.
The Ombudsman, Irene Hamilton, not only rebuked the city for how the change was hidden from residents on the adjacent truck route which suffers now from the unexpected increased traffic, she found that citizens cannot be expected to navigate the vaunted city website to keep track of upcoming meetings, past and future agenda's, minutes of meetings, or participate in city processes.
The following is a speech on the wider implications of the Ombudsman's Report on public consultation by the city, as presented by Marty Gold to city council:
I'd guess that 99 % of the population, are not even noticing the importance of this matter on the agenda on TRUCKING ROUTES and how they are created and de-commissioned. Basically, in the big picture, it has no impact on their lives. They are not paying attention to this matter.
But why should they? Have you councillors? HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE READ THE LETTER FROM THE OMBUDSMAN - hands up? : (ed. note: about 5 had, including Coun's. Smith, Vandal and Wyatt)
Not the letter dated May 6th 2011, I mean the first one.
Let me explain why her findings mean you are responsible for this truck route process but also for something much bigger that affects people city wide.
The report provided to you today synopsizes the Ombudsman's findings such as
"The Ombudsman further noted that, "as a result of the absence of the matter being
reflected on the agenda at the initial stage of discussion (the East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee), Day Street residents and other area residents potentially impacted by this decision may not have been aware of this situation."
• The report added, "Most members of the general public would not know the process by which this type of issue would be elevated and be able to find the corresponding agenda and minute information."
However, your administration left out the next paragraph:
"as such, members of the public were not provided with advance notice that a decision that may affect them was being discussed.
The information that had been considered in the decision making process was not clear.
There appeared to be no opportunity for residents (other than those who signed the petition) to state or present their case(s).
There appeared to be no opportunity for potentially impacted residents to challenge or dispute any information that was considered in the decision making process."
and this was the last paragraph, that was also left out of by the administration:
"It would appear that given this situation, members of the public monitoring the city website information would not be able to interpret or be aware the issue being discussed, by which committee or office in the city, and when they would have the opportunity to make presentations.
All of which seem to support (the resident's) concerns."
"The report concluded, "it would appear that there are procedural fairness issues relating to truck route by-laws and deletions or alterations to these by-laws."
This is all written in bureaucrat. I will translate to plain English.
A citizen complained.
YOU LOST.
This is a big deal.
The people were left out of the truck route process, weren't given full information, were rooked out of protesting, and were told the city followed the rules.
But the rules weren't fair and the website is in this case misleading and incomplete, and the residents of Day Street now have hundreds more trucks going down their street.
How many of you came on The Great Canadian Talk Show on Kick-FM and told our listeners, call 311 - where do the 311 operators do? they look at the city website, and tell callers, go to the website, it's all there on the website, it's eeeeasy.
But what did the Ombudsman discover?
THE WEBSITE IS UNNAVIGABLE AND BROKEN.
Why are you not bring told that in the report that is in front of you ?
Who is going to be held responsible for this failure, this obstruction to the people's rights to fair treatment, misleading them when they complained, and refusing to make sure to protect their chance to have their say.
The Ombudsman found that access to the decision making process IN ALL CASES is unnavigateable.
IF the city website doesn't crash your Firefox, it takes 5 or 6 clicks to even get to the agenda listings -- Let alone figure out where to find things.
And god forbid the information even be there- did you know the Ombudsman discovered that the original records of Plessis Road truck route discussions were missing from the website?
So who knows what else is missing from the website on other public matters.
I bet your department chiefs don't.
And why should they, they know you don't care enough to pay attention.
And you think, all you have to do here, is vote to tell someone else go fix this ?? That is YOUR job. Where is the direction? Where is the accountability?
This is a red flag for all of you. There is no questioning, this is the same story with every single major project, never mind a truck route...
Name a project on which the city delivered fair and proper public consultation:
From bike paths on Assiniboine and Sherbrook and Berry, to the Parking Authority that has no complaint department and wants to hike rates, to a costly football stadium, to an expanding Convention Centre, to rapid bus rerouting through Parker Lands that even Councillor Orlikow complains he is kept in the dark about and might get the information with an hours notice -- so what chance do his constituents or anyone, the average person, have to fight city hall ?
Heck, it's been established that one days notice in Fort Richmond to register to speak about stadium parking is acceptable. One day. And no one at City Hall answered the phone that Friday.
THE PEOPLE KNOW YOUR BUREAUCRATS DON'T CARE.
That's the dichotomy. The departments want thing streamlined and simple and with no deviations from their plans. It's like they are allergic to feedback. Yet you as politicians say, I believe in hearing from the people, we want your input.
Well, that's what you say in October.
Then when voters complain, you ask the bureaucrats, oh, is that how we do things? and they say, yaaaaaah.
Well, this is what Irene Hamilton said about how the City of Winnipeg does things:
- It is not fair.
- The average person cannot find things, interpret things, and find out when they could intervene.
- The people on Day St were left out.
- AND the Manitoba Trucking Assoc only found out after the fact.
- And The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, their input sat on a shelf for 6 years. SIX YEARS.
Yet your officials told the Ombudsman those groups had meaningful participation, so why are those homeowners on Day squawking, 'they just missed their chance that's all'.
Who among you will move an amendment to immediately take steps to bring the website up to par using the Procedural Fairness guidelines provided on page 4 by the Ombudsman? Does that really have to wait 2 or 6 months while you go to barbeques or the lake or do whatever it is councilors do on summer break? People want to speak up NOW, about lots of issues and get involved, before you return in September.
There has to be a specific direction to correct the way the city handles all public notices and consultations, a measuring of every aspect of that against this page of standards, and Council has to stop paying mere lip service to public consultation but do something.
What is it called, a value audit? The Ombudsman just gave your website one.
It flunked. Failed. Flopped.
How do you solve disrepecting the public and discouraging them in any way from participating or worse yet, by trying to keep them in the dark that the city has failed ?
You don't just farm the problem out to the administration. You take ownership. You tell the public, we goofed, help us make it better. Have average people involved as a test group as the website is revised. Tell - presumably Mr. Sheegl, what is expected and by when. And he has to be directed, via an amendment today, to provide more accessible and easy to navigate information and background on issues immediately. IN PLAIN ENGLISH and, I suppose, plain French. Approve it now.
And another amendment, ask him to take this page of guidelines, and ask everyone in the communications office and every outside consultant and the head of public works, did we meet this standard, when did we not, and what are we doing to bring our transparency and public process up to this standard.
I support the motion but as I said, these reports from the Ombudsman are a red flag.
This is not only about truck routes delisting procedures, but about all any and all public consultation involving the city website. A number of you discussed the city website and public consultation on our radio show or in mainstream media and defended it.
The Ombudsman says, you were wrong.
You can revolutionize public consultation in this city and make it meaningful and make it work, or just limp along from vaguely worded notices nobody reads to vacant open houses to public outrage to lawsuits to letters from the Ombudsman on a case by case basis.
Use this opportunity to fix public consultation now using these guidelines that require advance notice and being given information and a meaningful opportunity to state or present their case. And, by fixing the website.
That is really the message the Ombudsman was sending, but she didn't write it in plain English.
I hope you take the translation I have provided to heart.
********************
Coming soon: The City of Winnipeg has company in the Ombudsman's bad books. Exhibit 'B': Red River College.
Follow Us On Twitter: @TGCTS
On the city agenda, this was portrayed as revising a minor Bylaw issue. It is much more.
Never mind that the city spent an extra $10 million to rebuild Plessis to meet standards, and then in effect wasted the money by removing trucks from that roadway.
The Ombudsman, Irene Hamilton, not only rebuked the city for how the change was hidden from residents on the adjacent truck route which suffers now from the unexpected increased traffic, she found that citizens cannot be expected to navigate the vaunted city website to keep track of upcoming meetings, past and future agenda's, minutes of meetings, or participate in city processes.
The following is a speech on the wider implications of the Ombudsman's Report on public consultation by the city, as presented by Marty Gold to city council:
I'd guess that 99 % of the population, are not even noticing the importance of this matter on the agenda on TRUCKING ROUTES and how they are created and de-commissioned. Basically, in the big picture, it has no impact on their lives. They are not paying attention to this matter.
But why should they? Have you councillors? HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE READ THE LETTER FROM THE OMBUDSMAN - hands up? : (ed. note: about 5 had, including Coun's. Smith, Vandal and Wyatt)
Not the letter dated May 6th 2011, I mean the first one.
Let me explain why her findings mean you are responsible for this truck route process but also for something much bigger that affects people city wide.
The report provided to you today synopsizes the Ombudsman's findings such as
"The Ombudsman further noted that, "as a result of the absence of the matter being
reflected on the agenda at the initial stage of discussion (the East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee), Day Street residents and other area residents potentially impacted by this decision may not have been aware of this situation."
• The report added, "Most members of the general public would not know the process by which this type of issue would be elevated and be able to find the corresponding agenda and minute information."
However, your administration left out the next paragraph:
"as such, members of the public were not provided with advance notice that a decision that may affect them was being discussed.
The information that had been considered in the decision making process was not clear.
There appeared to be no opportunity for residents (other than those who signed the petition) to state or present their case(s).
There appeared to be no opportunity for potentially impacted residents to challenge or dispute any information that was considered in the decision making process."
and this was the last paragraph, that was also left out of by the administration:
"It would appear that given this situation, members of the public monitoring the city website information would not be able to interpret or be aware the issue being discussed, by which committee or office in the city, and when they would have the opportunity to make presentations.
All of which seem to support (the resident's) concerns."
"The report concluded, "it would appear that there are procedural fairness issues relating to truck route by-laws and deletions or alterations to these by-laws."
This is all written in bureaucrat. I will translate to plain English.
A citizen complained.
YOU LOST.
This is a big deal.
The people were left out of the truck route process, weren't given full information, were rooked out of protesting, and were told the city followed the rules.
But the rules weren't fair and the website is in this case misleading and incomplete, and the residents of Day Street now have hundreds more trucks going down their street.
How many of you came on The Great Canadian Talk Show on Kick-FM and told our listeners, call 311 - where do the 311 operators do? they look at the city website, and tell callers, go to the website, it's all there on the website, it's eeeeasy.
But what did the Ombudsman discover?
THE WEBSITE IS UNNAVIGABLE AND BROKEN.
Why are you not bring told that in the report that is in front of you ?
Who is going to be held responsible for this failure, this obstruction to the people's rights to fair treatment, misleading them when they complained, and refusing to make sure to protect their chance to have their say.
The Ombudsman found that access to the decision making process IN ALL CASES is unnavigateable.
IF the city website doesn't crash your Firefox, it takes 5 or 6 clicks to even get to the agenda listings -- Let alone figure out where to find things.
And god forbid the information even be there- did you know the Ombudsman discovered that the original records of Plessis Road truck route discussions were missing from the website?
So who knows what else is missing from the website on other public matters.
I bet your department chiefs don't.
And why should they, they know you don't care enough to pay attention.
And you think, all you have to do here, is vote to tell someone else go fix this ?? That is YOUR job. Where is the direction? Where is the accountability?
This is a red flag for all of you. There is no questioning, this is the same story with every single major project, never mind a truck route...
Name a project on which the city delivered fair and proper public consultation:
From bike paths on Assiniboine and Sherbrook and Berry, to the Parking Authority that has no complaint department and wants to hike rates, to a costly football stadium, to an expanding Convention Centre, to rapid bus rerouting through Parker Lands that even Councillor Orlikow complains he is kept in the dark about and might get the information with an hours notice -- so what chance do his constituents or anyone, the average person, have to fight city hall ?
Heck, it's been established that one days notice in Fort Richmond to register to speak about stadium parking is acceptable. One day. And no one at City Hall answered the phone that Friday.
THE PEOPLE KNOW YOUR BUREAUCRATS DON'T CARE.
That's the dichotomy. The departments want thing streamlined and simple and with no deviations from their plans. It's like they are allergic to feedback. Yet you as politicians say, I believe in hearing from the people, we want your input.
Well, that's what you say in October.
Then when voters complain, you ask the bureaucrats, oh, is that how we do things? and they say, yaaaaaah.
Well, this is what Irene Hamilton said about how the City of Winnipeg does things:
- It is not fair.
- The average person cannot find things, interpret things, and find out when they could intervene.
- The people on Day St were left out.
- AND the Manitoba Trucking Assoc only found out after the fact.
- And The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, their input sat on a shelf for 6 years. SIX YEARS.
Yet your officials told the Ombudsman those groups had meaningful participation, so why are those homeowners on Day squawking, 'they just missed their chance that's all'.
Who among you will move an amendment to immediately take steps to bring the website up to par using the Procedural Fairness guidelines provided on page 4 by the Ombudsman? Does that really have to wait 2 or 6 months while you go to barbeques or the lake or do whatever it is councilors do on summer break? People want to speak up NOW, about lots of issues and get involved, before you return in September.
There has to be a specific direction to correct the way the city handles all public notices and consultations, a measuring of every aspect of that against this page of standards, and Council has to stop paying mere lip service to public consultation but do something.
What is it called, a value audit? The Ombudsman just gave your website one.
It flunked. Failed. Flopped.
How do you solve disrepecting the public and discouraging them in any way from participating or worse yet, by trying to keep them in the dark that the city has failed ?
You don't just farm the problem out to the administration. You take ownership. You tell the public, we goofed, help us make it better. Have average people involved as a test group as the website is revised. Tell - presumably Mr. Sheegl, what is expected and by when. And he has to be directed, via an amendment today, to provide more accessible and easy to navigate information and background on issues immediately. IN PLAIN ENGLISH and, I suppose, plain French. Approve it now.
And another amendment, ask him to take this page of guidelines, and ask everyone in the communications office and every outside consultant and the head of public works, did we meet this standard, when did we not, and what are we doing to bring our transparency and public process up to this standard.
I support the motion but as I said, these reports from the Ombudsman are a red flag.
This is not only about truck routes delisting procedures, but about all any and all public consultation involving the city website. A number of you discussed the city website and public consultation on our radio show or in mainstream media and defended it.
The Ombudsman says, you were wrong.
You can revolutionize public consultation in this city and make it meaningful and make it work, or just limp along from vaguely worded notices nobody reads to vacant open houses to public outrage to lawsuits to letters from the Ombudsman on a case by case basis.
Use this opportunity to fix public consultation now using these guidelines that require advance notice and being given information and a meaningful opportunity to state or present their case. And, by fixing the website.
That is really the message the Ombudsman was sending, but she didn't write it in plain English.
I hope you take the translation I have provided to heart.
********************
Coming soon: The City of Winnipeg has company in the Ombudsman's bad books. Exhibit 'B': Red River College.
Follow Us On Twitter: @TGCTS
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Does accepting 'Diversity and Inclusiveness' at Red River College depend on "the Quality of the People" in question ?
Last week, instructors and employees of Red River College got a dose of advanced education, Stephanie Forsyth style.
Having determined in her decade at BC's NorthWest Community College that "colonialism" had been "unknowingly perpetuated" on that campus, she ensured that RRC would get a head start at rooting out such snobbish attitudes. And so, a summer course to teach employees about being open to all cultures and tolerant of all opinions, was convened at the Notre Dame campus. Unfortunately, it was a little less impressive in practice than in theory, according to one insider.
On day one, the instructor may have uttered less than flattering things about the City of Winnipeg from the get-go, surely an embarassment for Forsyth as she seeks to ingratiate herself among business and political leaders. No less embarassing was the revelation that said instructor apparently disregarded prohibitions against texting on the celphone while driving. An exercise in having participants define "My Multicultural Self" was followed by an overwrought PowerPoint presentation that lost their attention.
On day two, the heavy anti-colonialist artillery was rolled out -- teaching the basic tenants of Aboriginal belief, if lining up guest speakers and having students present the textbook is considered teaching. Participants learned about the Aboriginal 4 Principles of "kindness, caring, sharing, truth"; of "life comes after water" such as thunderstorms, crying, and childbirth, and of "the Medicine Wheel"; were made to take part in a smudging ceremony; and watched the film "A Day Without a Mexican" before more lecturing from the instructor about tolerance.
Alas, the teachings of that day came too late to impact Cathy Rushton.
For Rushton, it appears, did not put acceptance of the principles of 'Diversity and Inclusiveness' at the forefront when it came to the radio station funded by the College, Kick-FM.
Internal emails acquired under Freedom of Information laws reveal that Rushton, the campus Vice-President who was also treasurer of licensee Cre-Comm Radio, shared a very different attitude towards a broadcaster, who last November dared to challenge the cancelation of The Great Canadian Talk Show by Rushton's now-discredited "Executive Committee".
Less than 12 hours after Kenny Atamanchuk blasted holes through the cover-up story designed to hide the involvement of Winnipeg Free Press editor Margo Goodhand and Forsyth in stifling the freedom of speech of the community via TGCTS, Rushton sent a link to an audio recording of The Kenny Show to another member of the Kick-FM Board involved in the cancelation, RRC Dean of Business Graham Thomson.
She also included College lawyer Robert Buisson in the conversation. He has claimed to have had nothing to do with the radio station prior to succeeding Rushton as Forsyth's representative on the Board on December 14th.
"This rant by Kenny certainly reinforce (sic) the decision to get Marty off the air before he could do his own rant" she huffed, forever obliterating any denial of the fact that Marty Gold was silenced in an abrupt and arbitrary manner without cause.
Not satisfied with merely finding an excuse to justify her censorship of that radio program, Rushton, a resident of Wellington Crescent, went on to look down her nose and sniff:
"And if this is an example of the quality of the people we have on the air ..... " (that's right, 5 dots)
Ken Atamanchuk is a Red River College graduate, who came into the Kick-FM fold 4 years ago as a listener wanting to volunteer with TGCTS. He contributed important stories about the floundering 511 emergency warning system and about which media moguls pocketed Spirited Energy campaign advertising dollars from the NDP, before starting his own eclectic Sunday afternoon broadcast.
When he learned of the email to College officials attacking him, 'Spirited Kenny' went directly to Rushton about her actions and demanded accountability.
From: spirited_kenny@hotmail.com
To: crushton@rrc.mb.ca
Subject: Explanation of Comment From Nov 14th 2010 Required.
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 22:39:39 -0500
No reply was received from Rushton. Ever.
So on May 11th, Kenny filed a formal Ethics Complaint with her boss, Stephanie Forsyth, about Rushton ignoring his emails and her use of a "prejudicial tone" in correspondence about him.
"As a graduate of the College, I wish to file a complaint against Rushton for investigation under the College Ethics Policy... I have brought this Ethics Complaint to you, their superior.
Accordingly, I will need to be advised of who this investigation will be assigned to, and to make arrangements to meet with them to review my documentary evidence.
I request the courtesy of a response within 7 days as time is of the essence."
Atamanchuk got no response from Forsyth within 7 days, or ever. And he could not have known, how true his remark about time being of the essence was.
Exactly two weeks after his complaint to Forsyth, Rushton packed up her desk and left the Notre Dame campus - seemingly without any investigation into his complaint about her possible breaches of the College Ethics Code being commenced.
Last week, instructors and employees of Red River College taking the course preaching 'Inclusiveness', learned of another word in the English language that does not have an equivalent in Cree.
Sacred.
Certainly to those instructors and employees, and to graduates of Red River College and volunteers at the College-funded Kick-FM , the College Ethics Code was supposed to have been.
Until it came to Cathy Rushton, and "the quality of the people" complaining about her, it seems.
************
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Having determined in her decade at BC's NorthWest Community College that "colonialism" had been "unknowingly perpetuated" on that campus, she ensured that RRC would get a head start at rooting out such snobbish attitudes. And so, a summer course to teach employees about being open to all cultures and tolerant of all opinions, was convened at the Notre Dame campus. Unfortunately, it was a little less impressive in practice than in theory, according to one insider.
On day one, the instructor may have uttered less than flattering things about the City of Winnipeg from the get-go, surely an embarassment for Forsyth as she seeks to ingratiate herself among business and political leaders. No less embarassing was the revelation that said instructor apparently disregarded prohibitions against texting on the celphone while driving. An exercise in having participants define "My Multicultural Self" was followed by an overwrought PowerPoint presentation that lost their attention.
On day two, the heavy anti-colonialist artillery was rolled out -- teaching the basic tenants of Aboriginal belief, if lining up guest speakers and having students present the textbook is considered teaching. Participants learned about the Aboriginal 4 Principles of "kindness, caring, sharing, truth"; of "life comes after water" such as thunderstorms, crying, and childbirth, and of "the Medicine Wheel"; were made to take part in a smudging ceremony; and watched the film "A Day Without a Mexican" before more lecturing from the instructor about tolerance.
Alas, the teachings of that day came too late to impact Cathy Rushton.
For Rushton, it appears, did not put acceptance of the principles of 'Diversity and Inclusiveness' at the forefront when it came to the radio station funded by the College, Kick-FM.
Internal emails acquired under Freedom of Information laws reveal that Rushton, the campus Vice-President who was also treasurer of licensee Cre-Comm Radio, shared a very different attitude towards a broadcaster, who last November dared to challenge the cancelation of The Great Canadian Talk Show by Rushton's now-discredited "Executive Committee".
Less than 12 hours after Kenny Atamanchuk blasted holes through the cover-up story designed to hide the involvement of Winnipeg Free Press editor Margo Goodhand and Forsyth in stifling the freedom of speech of the community via TGCTS, Rushton sent a link to an audio recording of The Kenny Show to another member of the Kick-FM Board involved in the cancelation, RRC Dean of Business Graham Thomson.
She also included College lawyer Robert Buisson in the conversation. He has claimed to have had nothing to do with the radio station prior to succeeding Rushton as Forsyth's representative on the Board on December 14th.
"This rant by Kenny certainly reinforce (sic) the decision to get Marty off the air before he could do his own rant" she huffed, forever obliterating any denial of the fact that Marty Gold was silenced in an abrupt and arbitrary manner without cause.
Not satisfied with merely finding an excuse to justify her censorship of that radio program, Rushton, a resident of Wellington Crescent, went on to look down her nose and sniff:
"And if this is an example of the quality of the people we have on the air ..... " (that's right, 5 dots)
Ken Atamanchuk is a Red River College graduate, who came into the Kick-FM fold 4 years ago as a listener wanting to volunteer with TGCTS. He contributed important stories about the floundering 511 emergency warning system and about which media moguls pocketed Spirited Energy campaign advertising dollars from the NDP, before starting his own eclectic Sunday afternoon broadcast.
When he learned of the email to College officials attacking him, 'Spirited Kenny' went directly to Rushton about her actions and demanded accountability.
From: spirited_kenny@hotmail.com
To: crushton@rrc.mb.ca
Subject: Explanation of Comment From Nov 14th 2010 Required.
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 22:39:39 -0500
Ms. Rushton: I have sent you a copy of an email you wrote on November 14. I am astonished that this is your attitude towards volunteers of Kick-FM.
I will start by insisting you explain exactly what you meant by your comment about the "quality of person" I am, and telling me why the remark was included in the link to my podcast sent to Robert Buisson and Graham Thomson.
I also demand an explanation why you would have sent this about me to Mr. Buisson at all, and to tell me what other conversations you had with him about me.
According to his own emails, he had nothing to do with the station in November, and I certainly had nothing to do with him.
As I have already officially complained about Buisson and Thomson to the Kick FM Board, do not even try to speak with them about my inquiry. In other words, keep it confidential.
This is between you as a College official and me as a graduate and I expect you to respect my privacy and answer my questions as you alone are accountable for what you wrote about me.
Regards,
Ken Atamanchuk
A week went by without a response, however local media reported that Cathy Rushton had been appointed to the Manitoba Immigration Council to advise the NDP government.
Kenny well understood what was taught to RRC officials only last week, that there are no words in Cree for "coincidence".
I will start by insisting you explain exactly what you meant by your comment about the "quality of person" I am, and telling me why the remark was included in the link to my podcast sent to Robert Buisson and Graham Thomson.
I also demand an explanation why you would have sent this about me to Mr. Buisson at all, and to tell me what other conversations you had with him about me.
According to his own emails, he had nothing to do with the station in November, and I certainly had nothing to do with him.
As I have already officially complained about Buisson and Thomson to the Kick FM Board, do not even try to speak with them about my inquiry. In other words, keep it confidential.
This is between you as a College official and me as a graduate and I expect you to respect my privacy and answer my questions as you alone are accountable for what you wrote about me.
Regards,
Ken Atamanchuk
A week went by without a response, however local media reported that Cathy Rushton had been appointed to the Manitoba Immigration Council to advise the NDP government.
Kenny well understood what was taught to RRC officials only last week, that there are no words in Cree for "coincidence".
Subject: Follow up to your comment about me
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:33:10 -0500
Ms. Rushton,
Surely by now you have refreshed your memory about what you said about me in that email on November 14th, what you meant by the remark about my role as a volunteer broadcaster on Kick-FM, why you sent the email to Mr. Thomson and especially Mr. Buisson, and what else you said to them about me.
In light of your new appointment by the NDP government, my complaint regarding Mr. Buisson and Mr. Thomson's improper handling of an NDP "complaint" about my broadcast (sent to the College only one month after your email about me to those officials) takes on new importance.
I would like to know exactly what you meant by "the quality of people" I am ?
-Ken Atamanchuk
RRC Grad 2001
Kick-FM Volunteer Since 2008
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:33:10 -0500
Ms. Rushton,
Surely by now you have refreshed your memory about what you said about me in that email on November 14th, what you meant by the remark about my role as a volunteer broadcaster on Kick-FM, why you sent the email to Mr. Thomson and especially Mr. Buisson, and what else you said to them about me.
In light of your new appointment by the NDP government, my complaint regarding Mr. Buisson and Mr. Thomson's improper handling of an NDP "complaint" about my broadcast (sent to the College only one month after your email about me to those officials) takes on new importance.
I would like to know exactly what you meant by "the quality of people" I am ?
-Ken Atamanchuk
RRC Grad 2001
Kick-FM Volunteer Since 2008
No reply was received from Rushton. Ever.
So on May 11th, Kenny filed a formal Ethics Complaint with her boss, Stephanie Forsyth, about Rushton ignoring his emails and her use of a "prejudicial tone" in correspondence about him.
"As a graduate of the College, I wish to file a complaint against Rushton for investigation under the College Ethics Policy... I have brought this Ethics Complaint to you, their superior.
Accordingly, I will need to be advised of who this investigation will be assigned to, and to make arrangements to meet with them to review my documentary evidence.
I request the courtesy of a response within 7 days as time is of the essence."
Atamanchuk got no response from Forsyth within 7 days, or ever. And he could not have known, how true his remark about time being of the essence was.
Exactly two weeks after his complaint to Forsyth, Rushton packed up her desk and left the Notre Dame campus - seemingly without any investigation into his complaint about her possible breaches of the College Ethics Code being commenced.
Last week, instructors and employees of Red River College taking the course preaching 'Inclusiveness', learned of another word in the English language that does not have an equivalent in Cree.
Sacred.
Certainly to those instructors and employees, and to graduates of Red River College and volunteers at the College-funded Kick-FM , the College Ethics Code was supposed to have been.
Until it came to Cathy Rushton, and "the quality of the people" complaining about her, it seems.
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