The Manitoba Provincial Politics Discussion

[Only The Lonely..]

Originally Posted by DowntownWpg

Huh... I wonder if this is a first step towards Bill Blaikie being the next Premier of Manitoba. As in, taking over for Doer when he retires (my guess: in 2 years from now) as Blaikie would probably win a leadership contest. I'm guessing that Doer probably had this sweet prospect to offer Blaikie, to get him to come out of retirement.

I'm now predicting that the Provincial NDP leadership campaign will consist of (of the serious contenders):
- Blaikie
- Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health)
- Pat Martin (MP)


Former MP Bill Blaikie seeks provincial seat

Last Updated: Friday, December 5, 2008 | 12:05 PM CT
CBC News

After almost three decades as a federal Manitoba MP, Bill Blaikie plans to enter provincial politics. (CBC)

Former NDP member of Parliament Bill Blaikie will contest the party's nomination in the provincial riding of Elmwood.

After recently capping a federal career of nearly 30 years, Blaikie said he decided to turn his attention to the provincial arena at the urging of Manitoba Premier Gary Doer.

"It wasn't something that I had, you know, planned from before, so to speak," Blaikie said Friday.

Positive initial response from party members he canvassed about the move prompted him to pursue it, he said.

The Elmwood seat was recently vacated by Jim Maloway, who ran successfully for the NDP in Blaikie's old federal riding of Elmwood-Transcona.

Blaikie will run against Ed Innes and Darryl Livingstone for the NDP nomination. The vote is scheduled to take place Dec. 14.

Although a byelection has not yet been called for the Elmwood riding, Doer is expected to call one for the spring.

The Liberal contender is Regan Wolfrom. The Conservatives have not yet selected a candidate.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/st...k.html?ref=rss

Lets hope the Manitoba PC's get their act together in time..

A decade of Gary Loser was more than enough for me.

[Only The Lonely..]

Doer government slips in poll

By: Jen Skerritt | Winnipeg Free Press

1:00 AM | Comments (3)

The Doer government's decade-long political honeymoon could be nearing an end thanks in part to an unpopular farm bill that appears to have given the Tories a surge of support among rural voters.

The NDP government put a halt this year to further hog-barn construction in a large part of the province, spurring protests from farmers and a vigorous advertising campaign from the Manitoba Pork Council.

A new omnibus poll shows the Progressive Conservatives cut into the NDP's lead and that the two parties are in a statistical "dead heat" in the race for public support.

At 43 per cent, the Tories edged out the NDP's firm grasp on public support by two percentage points. The NDP has seen a five-point drop in support since June and is polling at 41 per cent. The Tories made dramatic gains outside Winnipeg, grabbing 63 per cent of voters outside the Perimeter Highway ---- up from 49 per cent in September.

The Liberals had the support of 10 per cent of Manitoba adults polled, according to the survey done in late November by Probe Research for the Winnipeg Free Press.

Probe Research president Scott MacKay called the drop in support "inevitable" and said Doer's NDP has had an unusually high approval rating since he took office in 1999.

While he admitted the numbers could be a mid-term "blip," MacKay said it could be a sign of a tipping point and that the public wants a change.

He said the NDP's decision to ban new hog farms in a wide swath of southern Manitoba outraged farmers in the agricultural belt, and may have helped the Progressive Conservatives gain momentum outside Winnipeg.

"The fact is parties do run out of gas and people start to yearn for change," he said. "Maybe that moment is now."

MacKay said the numbers are surprising, since Doer has had a steady grip on power for so long and the numbers were stagnant even a few months ago. However, he said Manitoba Tories could be riding on Prime Minister Stephen Harper's post-election coattails since support for the federal PC party in the keystone province is strong.

MacKay said the NDP still have a comfortable lead in Winnipeg at 50 per cent, and the poll concludes that if a provincial election were held tomorrow the NDP would capture half the vote.

Jonathan Hildebrand, the NDP's cabinet press director, said Probe's quarterly polls leading up to the election "missed the mark" and consistently pegged NDP support at 36 to 40 per cent -- significantly lower than the 48 per cent of the popular vote they picked up in the 2007 election.

"Polls go up, polls go down, the only poll that counts is the one on election day," Hildebrand said in an e-mail statement.

Tory leader Hugh McFadyen was unreachable for comment Saturday.

The telephone poll was conducted between Nov. 27 and Dec. 7. A random sample of 1,000 Manitoba adults was interviewed. With that sample, one can say with 95 per cent certainty the results are within plus or minus 3.1 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population of Manitoba were polled.

jen.skerritt@freepress.mb.ca

[Only The Lonely..]

Transcona author releases first book on provincial politics

By Jolie Toews | The Herald


Dec. 11, 2008



The NDP has had the starring role on the provincial political stage with three consecutive majority wins since 1999.

But how much longer will this last?

A university professor who lives in Transcona says it’s quite possible we could see a shift in power in the next election.

Christopher Adams lays out his reasons for his prediction in his recently-published book, entitled Politics in Manitoba: Parties, Leaders, and Voters.

Adams, who holds a PhD in political science, writes the NDP may not be able to hold onto power because it seems to be losing ground among young voters and people have been anticipating the retirement of Premier Gary Doer.

Besides touching on these predictions, Adams’ book takes readers on a journey through the province’s political history, all the way back to when Manitoba joined Canada in 1870.

The first-time author also dedicates one chapter to each of the province’s three main political parties.

What makes his book unique, says Adams, is that it is the first comprehensive review of Manitoba politics.

Adams, a senior research director at Probe Research in Winnipeg, was able to find out how Manitobans vote by analyzing voter age, gender, income, education and geographic location drawn from the firm’s public opinion database.

The firm gathered the data from more than 20,000 interviews with Manitobans over the past seven years about party preferences.

“The NDP continues to be supported by lower-income voters, women, northerners and the middle class. But they are graying. They can no longer be considered a youth-oriented party, or even a ‘left-of-centre’ party,” Adams said.

Adams says it is almost certain that the PCs would take over if the New Democrats lost power.

Over the last decade, the Liberals haven’t been much of a contender in the political battle in Manitoba.

The party currently has two seats in the Manitoba legislature.

It wasn’t always this way for the Liberals, as Adams’ book points out.

There was a time when the Grits took turns as the province’s leading party with the Conservatives dating as far back as the late 1800s.

But the Liberals haven’t been in power since 1953 (then called the Liberal-Progressives).

After the 1969 victory of the NDP government under Edward Schreyer, things changed dramatically for the Liberals.

Since then, the party has only been elected as the official Opposition once, in 1988.

Politics in Manitoba is currently available at McNally Robinson Booksellers, Grant Park. Adams will be signing copies of his book at the Polo Park location on Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. and Chapters, Polo Park on Jan. 3 at 7 p.m.

[Only The Lonely..]

Some Manitoba Liberals looking to oust leader Jon Gerrard

By: THE CANADIAN PRESS

WINNIPEG - Some Manitoba Liberals are looking to get rid of leader Jon Gerrard.

Brenden Sommerhalder, president of the party's Radisson constituency association, is trying to change the party's constitution so that a leadership convention can be held later this year. Sommerhalder says it's nothing personal against Gerrard, but voters want a change.

He points to the last three elections in which the Liberals have failed to win more than two legislature seats.

Gerrard, who has been Liberal leader for a decade, says the movement against him comes from a small minority of party members.

He says he's confident the proposal for a leadership convention will be defeated at the party's annual meeting next month.

[flatlander]

OTL is that you running in Elmwood?

[newflyer]

I kind of feel bad for the Manitoba Liberals, because both the NDP and the PCs have firmly planted themselves in the centre, with only a few key issues seperating them from each other. Its not like there is room for a third middle of the road, don't change much, political party in Manitoba.

What Manitoba lacks is a party with a backbone who is willing to sugggest that things can and should change. Thinking beyond the hum-drum doesn't seem to be the strength of those who work at the Leg. Nobody wants to scare the seniors with new ideas.

I mean really .. the key issue has remained medicare for most people in Manitoba, and as a province we have gone from a NDP promoted crisis of "hallway" medicine to a very real issue of people dieing in waiting rooms with no medical service at all... and yet an actual doctor/political leader is unable to take advantage of this glaring issue.

[vid]

Originally Posted by newflyer

I kind of feel bad for the Manitoba Liberals, because both the NDP and the PCs have firmly planted themselves in the centre, with only a few key issues seperating them from each other. Its not like there is room for a third middle of the road, don't change much, political party in Manitoba.

What Manitoba lacks is a party with a backbone who is willing to sugggest that things can and should change. Thinking beyond the hum-drum doesn't seem to be the strength of those who work at the Leg. Nobody wants to scare the seniors with new ideas.

I mean really .. the key issue has remained medicare for most people in Manitoba, and as a province we have gone from a NDP promoted crisis of "hallway" medicine to a very real issue of people dieing in waiting rooms with no medical service at all... and yet an actual doctor/political leader is unable to take advantage of this glaring issue.

The Green party has been trying this for years. Doesn't work. People hate new ideas.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by newflyer

I kind of feel bad for the Manitoba Liberals, because both the NDP and the PCs have firmly planted themselves in the centre, with only a few key issues seperating them from each other. Its not like there is room for a third middle of the road, don't change much, political party in Manitoba.

What Manitoba lacks is a party with a backbone who is willing to sugggest that things can and should change. Thinking beyond the hum-drum doesn't seem to be the strength of those who work at the Leg. Nobody wants to scare the seniors with new ideas.

I mean really .. the key issue has remained medicare for most people in Manitoba, and as a province we have gone from a NDP promoted crisis of "hallway" medicine to a very real issue ofand yet an actual doctor/political leader is unable to take advantage of this glaring issue.

Got a chuckle out of this one: especially " people dieing in waiting rooms with no medical service at all... "

[vid]

Yes, it's very funny.

[Only The Lonely..]

Originally Posted by flatlander

OTL is that you running in Elmwood?

No..but he does share a common surname and he is only 3 years younger than me.

Perhaps he likes strippers, race horses and getting rip roaring drunk at the Nor-villa as much as I do?

Anyways..

I can see Bill Blaikie being coronated in this one, but I also feel that the electorate could send a powerful message if they would elect somebody else.

I can't say i really like Blaikie's sense of entitlement.

[1ajs]

first me then only lol is this some kinda message?

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by vid

Yes, it's very funny.

Okay I'll break down my comment so even you can understand, I said "
Got a chuckle out of this one: especially " people dieing in waiting rooms with no medical service at all... "


To compare hallway medicine where people literally clogged hospital corridors under the previous PC govt.s watch to one person dieing in a hospital waiting room because someone on staff at that hospital neglected their job and didn't bother checking on that one individual who later died. To somehow say that scores are dieing in Manitoba hospital waiting rooms is a stretch.


Let me know if you want me to simplicise the comment further for you.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

No..but he does share a common surname and he is only 3 years younger than me.

Perhaps he likes strippers, race horses and getting rip roaring drunk at the Nor-villa as much as I do?

Anyways..

I can see Bill Blaikie being coronated in this one, but I also feel that the electorate could send a powerful message if they would elect somebody else.

I can't say i really like Blaikie's sense of entitlement.

"Perhaps he likes strippers, race horses and getting rip roaring drunk at the Nor-villa as much as I do?"

You too huh!

[vid]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

To compare hallway medicine where people literally clogged hospital corridors under the previous PC govt.s watch to one person dieing in a hospital waiting room because someone on staff at that hospital neglected their job and didn't bother checking on that one individual who later died. To somehow say that scores are dieing in Manitoba hospital waiting rooms is a stretch

I interpreted it as laughing at the situation, as opposed to pointing out the absurdity of his comment. Sorry.

Thunder Bay's hospital emergency room is the busiest in Ontario (one 24 hour emergency room for a quarter million people in a region as big as Texas.) and I don't think anyone has died in it but I do know they occasionally get to a point where people are sleeping in hallways. It usually doesn't last long though, my grandmother was in hospital last month and was only in the hallway until the next morning when a room was freed up. (She was a nurse and sent to her former nursing station so they got her a room to herself.)

Originally Posted by rrskylar

simplicise

It's 'simplify'

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Okay I'll break down my comment so even you can understand, I said "
Got a chuckle out of this one: especially " people dieing in waiting rooms with no medical service at all... "


To compare hallway medicine where people literally clogged hospital corridors under the previous PC govt.s watch to one person dieing in a hospital waiting room because someone on staff at that hospital neglected their job and didn't bother checking on that one individual who later died. To somehow say that scores are dieing in Manitoba hospital waiting rooms is a stretch.


Let me know if you want me to simplicise the comment further for you.

The "hallway medicine" , which was mostly NDP/CUPE political propaganda as far as I can tell, as the times I had gone to the hospital I had not seen any hallway medical procedures ocurring, but it sure make great press, righ??. Then again the unions only cried wolf leading to elections. But I remember it a news story covered by a local news network that some people being forced to be treated in the hallways under the NDP watch .. but the nurses union refused to comment. I guess its more political BS than anything and getting a true sense of the issue is difficult, with a bias union doing selctive crying. Now a number of years later we find real people dieing in the waiting room.. and numbers of others who are forced to wait hours and hours without any medical treatment, yet even acknowledgement. Alas the unions are not blaming the NDP .. nope there politcal masters are error free. Wow .. what a surprise eh. A government union covering up for the NDP incompitence, while crying wolf .. only during provincial elections, to knock off the PCs.

As far as I'm concerned there is no excuse for people dieing in the waiting room even if you, the NDP and CUPE despirately want to sweep this huge failure under the rug.
Nobody wants to take responsibilty ... what a surprise. Was there was a political issue, or was it just massive incompetence by the hospital staff?? .. were the unions covering up? Who was responsible?? .. why wasn't this issue corrected before somebody had to die. Time to get to the bottom of this through an independant review... and hold people accountable. Persoanlly I would prefer to see all patients getting medical care, even in a hallway than being ignored, while they die in the waiting room.

If you need me to simplify any of this let me know ..

[rrskylar]

^ Maybe your too young to remember the late 90's but I was a recipient of Filmon's hallway medicine, let me tell you I was pissed off. Wouldn't you know it, Filmon and his entourage made a tour of Concordia hospital as I lay on a bed in the hallway with at least another 20 patients, they were literally jogging as they past by us in shame. As a long time Conservative I was far from impressed.

[1ajs]

Auditor says '03 vote might have changed

Public didn't know about NDP finance irregularities

By: Mary Agnes Welch
27/05/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 2

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The forensic auditor hired to look into NDP campaign finance irregularities believed Manitobans might not have re-elected Premier Gary Doer in 2003 had they known his party was forced to repay $76,000 in campaign rebates.
In a letter sent to Elections Manitoba in late 2004, auditor David Asselstine raised serious objections to the way that agency alerted the public to major changes to the NDP's 1999 campaign expense returns.
"It would appear that we agree that had the general public learned of the details of the material public amendments to the 1999 Manitoba NDP returns it would have been damaging to the reputation of the Manitoba NDP and may have influenced the outcome of the last provincial election," wrote Asselstine.
After more than three years of wrangling, the NDP filed amended election returns with Elections Manitoba in April of 2003 and agreed to repay $76,000 in public rebates.
But Manitobans knew nothing of the changes until the following December -- months after the June 3 election when Doer's NDP cruised to victory. Even in December, public notice amounted to four paragraphs posted on the Elections Manitoba website that was largely ignored.
The issue dominated question period on Tuesday, with the Tory Opposition claiming Elections Manitoba treated the NDP with kid gloves and shied away from pressing charges under the elections finance act. The Tories say letters from senior NDP officials and from Asselstine suggest the NDP pressured Elections Manitoba to fire Asselstine and impeded his audit.
But Premier Gary Doer categorically denied that, saying party officials have always been instructed to cooperate fully with Elections Manitoba. And Doer said Elections Commissioner Michael Green and Chief Electoral Officer Richard Balasko reached their own independent conclusions about charges, relying on expert legal advice.
"If you trust the integrity of Mr. Green and if you trust the integrity Mr. Balasko, then you trust the integrity of their conclusions. I trust them," said Doer.
Balasko, who never speaks to the media, told MLA's Monday night at a committee hearing that his reports have nothing to do with election timing.
The NDP has always maintained that it followed all the financing rules and only agreed to repay the rebate money to avoid a lengthy court battle. And they later banned union and corporate donations to do away with exactly this kind of controversy.
On Tuesday, the NDP repeatedly recalled sins Tories committed during the 1995 election where the party secretly funded aboriginal candidates to split the vote in the Interlake.
That scandal led to the Monnin Inquiry, which recommended more oversight and more investigative powers for Elections Manitoba.
Asselstine was hired by the Monnin Inquiry to conduct forensic audits on Tory campaign paperwork. Reached Tuesday, Asselstine said he's bound by law not to comment on his investigation. Though he wasn't sure which of his letters had been leaked, he said he stands by everything he wrote in correspondence.
maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca


Rebate-gate

What happened years ago: After the NDP won the 1999 provincial election, Elections Manitoba questioned the party's campaign finance paperwork. In 13 campaign returns, the NDP's central campaign improperly counted union workers who were seconded to the election campaign as "expenses" instead of donations in kind. The NDP received more than $76,000 in rebates for those union workers, which the party payed back in 2003 after years of haggling. Except maybe for a handful of political insiders, the public was totally unaware of the matter until a Free Press story last summer.
What happened Monday: At a committee meeting, the Tories table two leaked letters. One was from the NDP to Elections Manitoba questioning the impartiality of forensic auditor David Asslestine, then investigating the 1999 returns. The other was from Asselstine, who said the NDP was impeding his review. Asselstine's letter makes it clear he has parted ways with Elections Manitoba.
What happened Tuesday: The matter dominated question period, and another letter from Asselstine emerged, this one saying Manitobans might have voted differently in 2003 if word of the rebate issue had gone public.

[jmt18325]

The auditor can say whatever....I don't think it would have made much of a difference at all.

[hexrae]

Selinger unveils new cabinet

By: Bruce Owen

Premier Greg Selinger introduced his new 19-member cabinet Tuesday afternoon.

Insiders said the new posts were being made up until the last minute. Some ministerial responsibilties have changed or departments renamed.
Related Items

Some of the changes include:

* Rosann Wowchuk - Finance
* Andrew Swan - Justice
* Stan Struthers - Agriculture
* Kerri Irvin-Ross - Housing and Community Development
* Eric Robinson - Aboriginal and Northern Affairs
* Steve Ashton - Infrastructure and Transportation
* Jim Rondeau - Healthy Living, Citizenship and Youth
* Peter Bjornson - Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade
* Dave Chomiak - Innovation, Energy and Mines
* Nancy Allan - Education Ron Lemieux - Local Government
* Jennifer Howard - Labour and Immigration, Disabilities
* Bill Blaikie - Conservation, government house leader
* Flor Marcelino - Culture, Heritage and Tourism

[newflyer]

Selinger has something for all, including polar bears
By: Bruce Owen and Larry Kusch


WINNIPEG - New Premier Greg Selinger’s first throne speech, the government’s blueprint for the coming year, has a tiny bit for every Manitoban, including orphaned polar bears.

"Tiny bit" are key words as the province is dealing with the effects of the recession and the prospect of reduced federal transfer payments next year. Those payments sent a lot of money Manitoba’s way over the past few years, but in 2010 and beyond they’ll be down considerably.

Selinger stressed the focus of government will be on limiting the impact of the recession, be it through such infrastructure projects as repairing roads, bridges and older schools, or by helping Manitobans get a solid education.

"We are probably the best performing economy in the country," Selinger told reporters. "What is the next performing economy? It’s 0.2 per cent negative growth. So what does that tell you? Flat is the new up when it comes to economic growth in the country right now."

The throne speech didn’t contain any bold policy announcements unless you consider a police helicopter the answer to the city’s crime problems.

Selinger said the cost of getting a helicopter is equal to the cost of putting 30 police officers on the street.

No details have been worked out, but Selinger said the province is ready to sit down with the city to work out the best way to buy one and operate it. It could cost up to $3 million to get one and $1 million a year to operate, according to one estimate.

"We’re simply stating that this was identified by them as a high priority," Selinger said. "We’re willing to partner with them in bringing it into place in Manitoba for increased public safety."

Selinger said the province will also introduce legislation to prevent the introduction of armoured gang vehicles in the province. Police in other Canadian cities, like Vancouver, have already seen vehicles outfitted with armour, surveillance cameras and bulletproof glass.

Much of the throne speech lacked details on specific new legislations—the province will publicize new laws and policies over the next year as they are introduced in the legislature.

Much of the speech also focused on projects and programs already announced, like the CentrePort transportation project at Winnipeg’s airport, tax incremental financing to help pay for the rehabilitation of older neighbourhoods, the new road being built up the east side of Lake Winnipeg and the cleaning up of toxic abandoned mine sites.

Selinger said the tough economic situation—more details are to released by the end of the year—could mean some projects are phased in slower than what was first anticipated, but he declined to say which ones.

However, he said the province will continue two projects related to polar bears.

In a bid to draw more tourists, the province will upgrade the existing polar bear facilities in Churchill and "make a signature contribution" to establish a new polar bear research and arctic exhibit at the Assiniboine Park Zoo.

"The polar bear is a good focus because it will attract tourists to Manitoba," Selinger told reporters. "There’s thousands of people who go North every year to see the polar bears and the beluga whales."

Opposition Leader Hugh McFadyen panned the throne speech as one that was "long on problems and short on solutions."

"We're in favour of recycling when it comes to the environment. Recycling when it comes to throne speeches though leaves you feeling a little bit underwhelmed," he said following the 45-minute speech.

McFadyen also said he was surprised that there was no mention of Manitoba Hydro in the speech.

"To spend so much time focused on the need to get the economy growing and to not mention Manitoba Hydro even once, I thought, was just unbelievable," he said, calling the Crown corporation the province's "economic engine."

However, the Opposition leader did applaud the province for committing to working with the city to obtain a police helicopter, noting that the Tories came up with the idea six months ago.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca
larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

Highlights:

Corporation Capital Tax: It will be completely eliminated for all businesses by the end of next year. It’s already eliminated for all manufacturers and processors.

Manitoba will become the country’s first income tax free zone for small business next year as the province takes the final step in eliminating the small business income tax rate. It was eight per cent a decade ago.

New resources to speed up application process for new immigrants.
Students who live and work in Manitoba to qualify for portion of tuition fee income tax rebate.

New tax credit for women and loved ones to help with cost of fertility treatment.

Manitoba to join other provinces in seeking damages from tobacco companies as some compensation for their promotion of smoking.

Maximum fines for safety violations to be increased for the first time in more than a decade.

Family Maintenance Act to be amended to improve enforcement payments and to create “best interest of the child” criteria applied by the courts.

Legislation to prevent introduction of armoured gang vehicles in Manitoba.

Legislation to create a list of known gangs to simply court proceedings.

Legislation to allow the province to deny and revoke licences of businesses that are a front for gangs.

Work with the City of Winnipeg to obtain a police helicopter.

Phasing in an adult fitness tax credit.

Condominium Act will be updated to protect condo owners.

New Home Buyer’s Protection Act to assure consumers they will not need major repairs after purchase.

A property tax deferral program for cottages to be introduced to help older cottage owners deal with recent assessment increases.

Expand recycling to include electronics and hazardous waste.

Give municipalities power to seize vacant or derelict buildings

Develop legislation to support granny suites, an attached residence on a dwelling for an elderly parent.

Source: Winnipeg FreePress