Count on Manitoba politics to accomplish something that nobody else has been able to do – make Quebec look respectable.
Remember how the Ax redefined the core area when a federal minister to include his riding of Fort Rouge? Well, now, miraculously, ‘downtown’ includes his new riding – er, fiefdom- the U of W.
Former CBC talking head Jennifer Rattray, in her new role as University of Winnipeg talking head, could barely contain herself when introducing her boss as the man who was the “champion” of the mission to recapture Spence Street from the evil motorists. This latest social engineering project led by the man who brought us the Core Area Initiative in the Trudeau era, is built on a bewildering number of twists and turns overlooked by MSM.
This is the first time anybody other than business owners are talking about the need to address safety downtown. As you will recall, last year it was certainly never an issue under the former mayor, a stance repeated by his chosen successor who openly declared while debating other candidates on CBC Radio that downtown was safe.
The only media outlet to raise the red flag on the growing dangers to pedestrians in the U of W area was The Black Rod, last February, when we reported that security guards at Portage Place, a mere 3 blocks east of the campus, were wearing body armour [emphasis mine].
[…]
This sudden concern about security on the streets also validates the anti-panhandler initiative of Mayor Sam Katz, which, of course, is being opposed by those darlings of the campus crowd, Benham and Gerbasi. The duo were conspicous by their absence as Axworthy and hostess Rattray gushed about the cooperation of His Worship and the sudden commitment of the U of W to improving the ability of citizens to walk the streets without feeling threatened.
While the usual Liberal Party smiley-faces- Anita Neville, David Northcott, John Angus, grinned like a bunch of… well, politicians, at Axworthy blowing kisses in Katz’s direction, one of the usual suspects was not seen, nor spoken of, the entire time.
That’s because the migration of crackheads, aggressive addicted panhandlers and roving girl gangs to the University’s doorstep is the legacy of that ‘man who shall not be named.’
But we will.
Urban visionary Glen Murray, take a bow.
While the former mayor was building over-priced world- class bridges and proposing world class new deals that went nowhere, he somehow failed to see the state of the neighborhoods or to hear the panic coming from the homeowners affected by the daily deterioration of their community.
How the mighty have fallen. First the good citizens of Charleswood showed their appreciation of his civic leadership by showing him the exit door. Then the Prime Minister had to shoehorn him into a patronage position against the objections of the entire opposition. And now he’s persona non grata in the city he loved almost as much as himself.
[…]
Last month the federal government submarined Sam Katz at every turn over the New Deal’s gas tax rebate and the mayor’s insistance that the money be used to fix roads and sidewalks. Then at the event, Katz told the press the top 2 issues for Winnipeggers are the streets and safety. The feds told Katz the rules are the gas tax money must go to- – you guessed it– so-called “green projects” that carry the union label – sustainable development.
And oh look, just a week ago, what new department did Axworthy reveal was in the plans for his restructured administration? A “sustainable development” office. To coincide with — the anti-car, pro-transit, pro-bicycle — new Spence Street mall.
What fate. The federal government can address both of Katz’s priorities by handing the money, not to City Hall, but to the former Liberal Godfather in Manitoba, Lloyd Axworthy hisself.
I don’t designate many links as must read.
This is one.
What!? People can get in cars and go places whenever they want without permission? This can’t be tolerated!
Vancouver’s been there and done that …with disastrous results. Granville St., North of the Granville St. Bridge,was converted from a vibrant night and day business and entertainment centre into a pedestrian strip (buses allowed)a number of years ago. It destroyed the neighborhood and turned it into a drug and crime infested commercial slum.
Over the past few years efforts have been made to resurrect it but I wouldn’t go down that street after dark without a couple of bodyguards (and a biohazard suit).
Best of luck to Winnipeg in their efforts to re-invent the slum. 😉
Perhaps Lloyd can bring the full force of “softpower” to bear in order to insure the streets of Winnipeg are safe.
We all know how well that concept worked out when he was Minister of Foreign Affairs…
Carsbad:
“People can get in cars and go places whenever they want…”
Indeed.
That’s the REAL reason the econuts and government busybodies hate automobiles.
22 years ago I spent 3 months in Winnipeg – it was the longest year of my life. Pedestrian street mall in the coldest, windiest city in Canada – what a great idea! +15 – another reason we’re smarter in Calgary!!!
Liberal corporatism has badly blurred the distinction between the public and the private in this country, which has opened the secret door to all manner of harm to the common good. The public got a peak through one of those doors, via Gomery, just enough to let us know that there might be less harm done to the country if Liberal cronies were sent directly to muck about in the senate-trough, instead of remaining at large to opportunistically nose around the various business/government incest-zones that the Libs/Provincial ND’s have created.
Manitoba’s Crocus fund, created by labour and government together, was another of those sparklingly iffy initiatives. Having private shareholders buy shares from a group that is both public and private in return for tax credits was in itself pretty dodgy, but when you add in “virtually no oversight by CROCUS directors (G&M) and a CIO with a $1.8 million expense account, and huge consulting fees, the smell becomes all too familiar.
Just over a month ago CROCUS was put into receivership, amid a “flurry” of investigations, including by the RCMP. I’m guessing that any investigation will hit the ‘Quebec wall’: previously, when things went south, CEO Sherman Kreiner asked for and received money from a Quebec Labour fund which was described as “the granddaddy of labour-sponsored funds in Canada”. When he received the money, he announced that CROCUS could then make more investments…
Sherman Kreiner retired. Now, he will be sitting alongside Lloyd Axworthy on the board of directors of the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation” which Axworthy says “…will play a stragetic role in the revitalization of (the)downtown.”
Whenever you see a grinning politician, former or current, making an announcement, there’s probably some blurring of the distinction between the public and the private going on. Axworthy says “as an academic institution, we’re not in the development business..” and then, by way of clafification, “the UWCRC will be the University’s development arm, which will examine the feasabilty of a broad range of needs including the creation of a pedestrian-friendly transit mall “with commercial development that would bring new stores, financial services and restaurants to the area…”
And of course “the University is currently in the process of seeking funding…from various levels of government to support the work of the Corporation”.
Plus they gave a patronage Job to Rey Pagtakhan at the U of W.