The Manitoba Provincial Politics Discussion

[vid]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

In Canada although the NDP have held federal seats since the 1940's there have been no senators from the NDP party.

That's because the NDP doesn't allow its members to sit in the senate, as the party's official policy (along with the BQ's) is to abolish the senate. The Greens want a proportionally elected senate, while the Liberals and Conservatives (for obvious reasons) prefer the status quo for appointing members to both chambers.

There was a senator a few years ago who identified as "Independent-NDP" (senators can choose any label they want), but now identifies as Liberal. There are two PC members left, the original group after the new party was formed has slowly been defecting to the Liberals and Conservatives.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by Boreal

A bunch of useless tit-turds, each one more greasy then the next. No decent human being becomes a politician. There has to be something inherently wrong with you.

Decent human beings don't usually generalize either. The above is a disgusting statement made by someone with a very closed mind. As for the rest of your post, about dissociating Canada from its history, well, that's not a very intelligent or well thought out statement. Without the Canadian Crown, there legally is no Canada.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Believe me the best alternative is to scrap the senate entirely!

How would that make Canada better off. Some reforms are necessary and will happen over time, but how does the above make Canada better?

[rrskylar]

On the other hand we don't have a redneck rightwing nutjob like Sarah Palin in Canada. One who puts out election material with a bullseye on each incumbent who should be taken out. Trouble is, in the US there are other nut jobs who take things literally and out of context. Here is what Palin tweeted: "Commonsense Conservatives & lovers of America: 'Don't Retreat, Instead - RELOAD!" fortunately Jared Loughner was tackled before he could reload!


Target was in left column, fourth name down the list

[jmt18325]

Yes, and people put that system forward as the best form of democracy.....

[roccerfeller]

I would like to see some change in the Provincial Gov't here in Manitoba, primarily because all I've seen since I have been here is NDP.

I dont have any favourites or allegiances, but I feel changing it up is a good thing. I would like to see how the Conservatives could change up Winnipeg's economic structure...who would lead our Province into a better future? What would be best for the city? It shouldn't be vote for your party first, needs second...this is where I feel American politics is severely flawed. But alas, this is how democracy seems to work with all democratic developed nations, to some degree.




And boy am I happy Sarah Palin hasn't put one of those target's on the Peg.



I have heard however, and this is just a completely fabricated rumour that holds likely as much truth as Sarah Palin's gender, that she will play Godzilla in the sequel to that horrible 199X film ('97 I think? '98?)

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

How would that make Canada better off. Some reforms are necessary and will happen over time, but how does the above make Canada better?

See my post #253 in this thread for an answer to your question. If the Senate disappeared tomorrow, most Canadians would not notice any difference int heir lives at all....except more money for tax relief, debt reduction and improved social programs.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by khabibulin

See my post #253 in this thread for an answer to your question. If the Senate disappeared tomorrow, most Canadians would not notice any difference int heir lives at all....except more money for tax relief, debt reduction and improved social programs.

Well, the amount of money saved would be very small, and in fact there would be some difference because the Senate often helps to fix some of the more poorly thought-out legislation passed by the House of Commons. There are some very good people in the Senate; probably more than in the House of Commons. The work done in Senate committees is often quite valuable.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by khabibulin

See my post #253 in this thread for an answer to your question. If the Senate disappeared tomorrow, most Canadians would not notice any difference int heir lives at all....except more money for tax relief, debt reduction and improved social programs.

Since that is not the current state of things, you're going to have to prove it. Believe it or not, the Senate serves an important function editing and studying legislation beyond what the house of commons does.

[vid]

The real problems people seem to have with the senate seem to all come from the fact that senators are appointed on advice of the prime minister.

So, remove the prime minister from the equation.

I wouldn't be opposed to removing parties from the senate either. There isn't much point to them when the chamber's purpose is to look over bills to make them work as well as they can. Partisan politics only get in the way of that.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by vid

The real problems people seem to have with the senate seem to all come from the fact that senators are appointed on advice of the prime minister.

So, remove the prime minister from the equation.

I wouldn't be opposed to removing parties from the senate either. There isn't much point to them when the chamber's purpose is to look over bills to make them work as well as they can. Partisan politics only get in the way of that.

I would agree with that, but you have to keep the Crown out of politics. Some type of selection committee would be required, and that's something that I'd definitely like to see.

[vid]

We could have elections, or have premiers appoint senators for their provinces and territories like US states do.

[jmt18325]

I'm not sure elections are the right way to go...even though that's what we'll eventually get.

[khabibulin]

Bipole costs have soared: CTF
Last Updated: Monday, January 31, 2011 | 11:35 AM CST .CBC News
The west side Bipole route has been a source of controversy since the NDP government announced it in 2007. (CBC)
A leaked document suggests the cost of a planned Manitoba Hydro transmission line down the west side of Lake Winnipeg may be nearly double the original estimate.

The line, which is to bring hydro power from the north, was originally pegged in 2007 to cost $2.2 billion. But an internal Hydro document obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) says the cost is now forecast to be $4.1 billion.

Federation spokesman Colin Craig says it's time for the Crown corporation and the Manitoba government to come clean with the public and admit that the price tag has gone up.

“The government will try and spin this by saying the increased cost is related to this that or the other thing,” CTF prairie director Colin Craig stated in a news release.

“The bottom line is that internal Hydro documents show the project’s cost has exploded from $2.2 billion to $4.1 billion. Manitobans simply can’t afford the extra $1 billion it will cost to build a much longer line down the west side of the province.”

Hydro president Bob Brennan says the document is only a preliminary estimate and outside consultants have been brought in to give an official tally.

Brennan says the price tag has probably risen, primarily due to rising construction costs for converter stations.

Craig and the CTF released a copy of the leaked document, which the federation received in a brown envelope.

The envelope was unmarked except for an attached note advising Craig that a column he wrote for the Winnipeg Sun, titled Bipole a Ticking Time Bomb, was "right on the mark."

Controversial route
The west side route has been a source of controversy since the NDP government announced it in 2007.

Originally, Manitoba Hydro chose a route on the east side of the province but the government stepped in to overrule those plans, saying a west side route will preserve a boreal forest on the east side.

The province is seeking to have that forest area, containing 40,000 square kilometres of trees, rivers, lakes and wetlands spread across the Canadian shield and straddling the Manitoba-Ontario border, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

That meant the power line would cost an extra $640 million because the western route is 50 per cent longer.

But it also has the advantage of having the least impact on agricultural land, avoids National and Provincial Parks, and First Nation reserve lands, the government has said.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/st...#ixzz1CdgWS8r2

[rypinion]

From what I could tell from this and the Free Press article is that the cost increase is from additional costs for constructing the converter stations, which is required no matter what route is taken.

So, it doesn't seem like this effects the east vs. west argument at all. The question is still the same as before - whether or not it is worth the extra money (article above says $640 million) for the west side route.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by khabibulin

Bipole costs have soared: CTF
Last Updated: Monday, January 31, 2011 | 11:35 AM CST .CBC News
The west side Bipole route has been a source of controversy since the NDP government announced it in 2007. (CBC)
A leaked document suggests the cost of a planned Manitoba Hydro transmission line down the west side of Lake Winnipeg may be nearly double the original estimate.

The line, which is to bring hydro power from the north, was originally pegged in 2007 to cost $2.2 billion. But an internal Hydro document obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) says the cost is now forecast to be $4.1 billion.

Federation spokesman Colin Craig says it's time for the Crown corporation and the Manitoba government to come clean with the public and admit that the price tag has gone up.

“The government will try and spin this by saying the increased cost is related to this that or the other thing,” CTF prairie director Colin Craig stated in a news release.

“The bottom line is that internal Hydro documents show the project’s cost has exploded from $2.2 billion to $4.1 billion. Manitobans simply can’t afford the extra $1 billion it will cost to build a much longer line down the west side of the province.”

Hydro president Bob Brennan says the document is only a preliminary estimate and outside consultants have been brought in to give an official tally.

Brennan says the price tag has probably risen, primarily due to rising construction costs for converter stations.

Craig and the CTF released a copy of the leaked document, which the federation received in a brown envelope.

The envelope was unmarked except for an attached note advising Craig that a column he wrote for the Winnipeg Sun, titled Bipole a Ticking Time Bomb, was "right on the mark."

Controversial route
The west side route has been a source of controversy since the NDP government announced it in 2007.

Originally, Manitoba Hydro chose a route on the east side of the province but the government stepped in to overrule those plans, saying a west side route will preserve a boreal forest on the east side.

The province is seeking to have that forest area, containing 40,000 square kilometres of trees, rivers, lakes and wetlands spread across the Canadian shield and straddling the Manitoba-Ontario border, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

That meant the power line would cost an extra $640 million because the western route is 50 per cent longer.

But it also has the advantage of having the least impact on agricultural land, avoids National and Provincial Parks, and First Nation reserve lands, the government has said.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/st...#ixzz1CdgWS8r2

WTF are they talking about? The western route crosses some of the best farmland in the province! They are building a road on the east side of lake Winnipeg correct? Build the hydro line at the same time. What a bunch of ultra-maroons.

[khabibulin]

I believe the $640 million is additional construction costs only. It does not include the energy lost to the air during the additional distance it must travel to be located on the west side. Over a decade, that might bring the cost nore up to the $1 billion amount stated by the CTF.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

WTF are they talking about? The western route crosses some of the best farmland in the province!

My good friend Ted says it well here.

Most large farm equipment is now steered by satellite, which will not work in the vicinity of these lines.

[Joshy]

Not really provincial, but does have an impact on the political landscape within the city.

Plan approved to add two more wards to city in time for 2014 civic vote

By: Bartley Kives

Posted: 06/13/2011 1:46 PM


City council’s governance committee has approved a plan to add two more wards to the City of Winnipeg in time for the 2014 civic election.

The five-member governance committee voted this afternoon to approve a city report that will follow through on recommendations made in 2009 by the city’s Ward Boundaries Commission, which recommended the city beef up its number of wards to 17 from 15 to accommodate additional population growth in Winnipeg.

Right now, the population of city wards varies greatly from underpopulated St. Charles and St. James-Brooklands, which have populations in the 32,000 range, to St. Vital and St. Boniface, which have in excess of 51,000. This creates unfair financial advantages for councillors in the smaller wards and a more onerous set of duties for councillors in larger wards.



Read more here: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...123762894.html

[Riverman]

Support this effort to try to stop the idiocy.

Message to all members of the Bipole III Coalition
(message sent in ‘Blind copy – BCC’

1. Over the past few months, the Board of the Bipole III Coalition has been busy organizing efforts to return of the route of Bipole III to the east side of Lake Winnipeg. The east-side route was Manitoba Hydro’s original intention until the NDP government forced them to plan for the longer route down the west side of the province.

2. In recent months, we have been in contact with all three provincial political parties, written many letters to editors of urban and city newspapers, made valuable contact with the Keystone Agricultural Producers, managed our website at www.bipoleiiicoalition.ca, worked on a Facebook site, and given talks to Rotary Clubs, a Chamber of Commerce, and 200 members of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists.

3. Please consider attending the following information meeting.

BEER AND BIPOLE
When: Monday 27th June 2011 at 7.00 p.m.
Where: Holiday Inn Airport West, 2520 Portage Avenue
Admission is free. A cash bar will serve beverages

The presentation and question period will be from 7:00-8:30 p.m. This will be followed by time for people to mingle afterwards.

Hugh McFadyen, leader of the Progressive Conserative Party, and Jon Gerrard leader of the Liberal Party of Manitoba, will attend. The New Democratic Party has not yet agreed to participate.
The Board of the Coalition encourages you to come to this meeting, which is being organized by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

4. It is imperative that we get our message out to the voting public in the remaining months leading to the fall election. We are now in the process of designing and producing postcard advertisements that target key audiences we need to reach. We anticipate the need for more fundraising in order to print and distribute the postcards on behalf of the people who will be most seriously affected if the west-side route proceeds.
We sincerely thank those of you who have already contributed. For those who have not yet contributed, we again ask you to show your support by making a donation payable to
“Bipole III Coalition”. Please forward your donation to:
Bipole III Coalition,
c/o R. Foster,
6 Rue du Monastere,
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3V 0A8.



Jim Graham, Secretary, 14 June 2011.