Why is Manitoba not more involved with Western Canada

[VANRIDERFAN]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskat...mmit-1.2825008

What is the Selinger government thinking? Why is it not pushing to be part of the conversation regarding transportation concerns for Western Canada?

[drew]

^ because we hate you.

Maybe Manitoba wasn't invited? Who wants to go to a party you weren't invited to - especially if you need to push to get yourself invited... "hey what about me guys?" Awkward.

[Riverman]

Manitoba has been shunned from this group because they are not on the same page on literally anything.

The three western provinces are very concerned with growing commerce but that is not a priority for Manitoba.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I found it odd that Manitoba wasn't in the talks either or why they weren't in the original New West Partnership to start with.

I've always thought of Manitoba as the gateway to the West and as a central hub of transportation (rail, truck) in Canada. Of course, they might just be wondering how to more quickly sell themselves out to China so going that way wouldn't matter.

[Arts]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Manitoba has been shunned from this group because they are not on the same page on literally anything.

The three western provinces are very concerned with growing commerce but that is not a priority for Manitoba.

I think the conservative politicians in AB and its smaller affiliate SK are concerned, like HomeInMyShoes suggests, with how to more quickly sell out to China, while politicians in BC just want a piece of the action. the people of MB seem to still have some ingrained patriotic understanding of what made this country great and I don't think they are ultimately missing out on anything good by not being included in these conferences.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Arts

I think the conservative politicians in AB and its smaller affiliate SK are concerned, like HomeInMyShoes suggests, with how to more quickly sell out to China, while politicians in BC just want a piece of the action. the people of MB seem to still have some ingrained patriotic understanding of what made this country great and I don't think they are ultimately missing out on anything good by not being included in these conferences.

Attitudes like this is exactly the reason why Manitoba is increasingly becoming less and less relevant to the economic well-being of not only Western Canada but of the entire nation as well.

For the record, I'm from Manitoba and most of my family still live and work there. They are very concerned with the direction this province is heading.

[drew]

^ I don't think Arts is from Manitoba.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I'm not from Manitoba, but I am from Saskatchewan and did live in Winnipeg for two years in my university days.

[esquire]

How do we know the concerns being discussed at this gathering are even relevant to Manitoba? I don't know, I'm not losing any sleep over this.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by drew

^ because we hate you.

Maybe Manitoba wasn't invited? Who wants to go to a party you weren't invited to - especially if you need to push to get yourself invited... "hey what about me guys?" Awkward.

There was a bill tabled in the Manitoba Legislature to join the partnership.

http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/40-1/b210e.php

I don't know if it was passed. Edit - I guess it never was enacted.

Then there are the usual suspects who are against any sort of interprovincial cooperation.
http://mfl.ca/why-new-west-partnership-bad-idea

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by esquire

How do we know the concerns being discussed at this gathering are even relevant to Manitoba? I don't know, I'm not losing any sleep over this.

Well since Manitoba is an export driven economy, and the meetings are about transportation, infrastructure and getting their products to the exit points in BC
then the meetings are very relevant to Manitoba.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Then there are the usual suspects who are against any sort of interprovincial cooperation.
http://mfl.ca/why-new-west-partnership-bad-idea

The MFL dictates policy to the MB government. This is just one of the reasons we stand still.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Riverman

The MFL dictates policy to the MB government. This is just one of the reasons we stand still.

I love it.

"Since our jobs are relatively unskilled and nearly anybody could take them, we need a protectionist racket that ensures we're never at risk".

I used to like labour unions. Economically, they're good policy where you have skilled workers who demand a certain portion of revenues and profits be properly allotted to a wider audience and thusly ensuring lots of consumer spending. But we're not there anymore. These unions don't represent anybody of any real value because they don't improve with the times. They do nothing but stifle innovation and - especially in Manitoba - they've become the largest barrier to any sort of economic foresight and progress.

And they really don't represent the political power they once did. Why they aren't all just simply ignored and broken is beyond me. We don't have a world of desperate unionized tradesmanship we once did. Nobody would suffer anything beyond the very short term for just putting an end to this nonsense once and for all...

[HomeInMyShoes]

Good grief. Could the unions in Saskatchewan and Manitoba undermine healthy progress any more. Some of the stories I hear here border on bullying and gerrymandering. It's an absolute farce some days.

[Authentic_City]

I'm not sure a separate thread is required to discuss this. Surely the interprovincal bashing and anti-union rants can find a home in the Western Expresso thread?

For what it's worth, some recent research suggests that Manitoba is actually more more similar to Ontario (economically, socially, politically) than to the other 3 western provinces. Other than proximity, MB doesn't share a lot of common interests with the other provinces, particularly as the emphasis appears to be on resource exploitation, pipelines, and so forth. I think a national conversation among the provinces would be more productive rather than splitting into regional and political factions.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

I'm not sure a separate thread is required to discuss this. Surely the interprovincal bashing and anti-union rants can find a home in the Western Expresso thread?

For what it's worth, some recent research suggests that Manitoba is actually more more similar to Ontario (economically, socially, politically) than to the other 3 western provinces. Other than proximity, MB doesn't share a lot of common interests with the other provinces, particularly as the emphasis appears to be on resource exploitation, pipelines, and so forth. I think a national conversation among the provinces would be more productive rather than splitting into regional and political factions.

Change Manitoba to Winnipeg and you may have a case.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

I'm not sure a separate thread is required to discuss this. Surely the interprovincal bashing and anti-union rants can find a home in the Western Expresso thread?

For what it's worth, some recent research suggests that Manitoba is actually more more similar to Ontario (economically, socially, politically) than to the other 3 western provinces. Other than proximity, MB doesn't share a lot of common interests with the other provinces, particularly as the emphasis appears to be on resource exploitation, pipelines, and so forth. I think a national conversation among the provinces would be more productive rather than splitting into regional and political factions.

I would put Manitoba closer on par to the maritimes than I would Ontario. Although Ontario has the same problems with lots of outmoded union labour demanding the government buy it jobs...

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Change Manitoba to Winnipeg and you may have a case.

3/4 of the population of MB is in the Winnipeg region, so yes.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

I'm not sure a separate thread is required to discuss this. Surely the interprovincal bashing and anti-union rants can find a home in the Western Expresso thread?

For what it's worth, some recent research suggests that Manitoba is actually more more similar to Ontario (economically, socially, politically) than to the other 3 western provinces. Other than proximity, MB doesn't share a lot of common interests with the other provinces, particularly as the emphasis appears to be on resource exploitation, pipelines, and so forth. I think a national conversation among the provinces would be more productive rather than splitting into regional and political factions.

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I would put Manitoba closer on par to the maritimes than I would Ontario. Although Ontario has the same problems with lots of outmoded union labour demanding the government buy it jobs...

Different kettle of fish in the Maritimes. Ontario is a better comparator on many dimensions, much more so than the three western provinces.