The Manitoba Provincial Politics Discussion

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Cyro

I'm surprised posters are not jumping for joy with all the news reg: Selinger and his cohorts?

I guess it may come down to "Municpal Election Burnout", although this was what caused the knives to come out among the NDP rank and file.

I'm going to quietly enjoy the situation, I'm quite ecstatic at the turn of events.

Yeah, the backbench was out in full force yesterday. Mostly looking like the hostages of a crazed captor, Eric Robinson looked especially committed to his role dressing in clothes I'm pretty sure they hand out as replacements for civilian clothing upon booking.

I couldn't even laugh. The sight of who is actively running our provincial government is absolutely pathetic. Was that Dave Gaudreau half asleep behind the premier? Was he too tired to make any further homophobic remarks?

I've seen people more put together in line at Labour Ready to peel up old commercial roofing at dawn. Get rid of this disaster already.

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Yeah, the backbench was out in full force yesterday. Mostly looking like the hostages of a crazed captor, Eric Robinson looked especially committed to his role dressing in clothes I'm pretty sure they hand out as replacements for civilian clothing upon booking.

I couldn't even laugh. The sight of who is actively running our provincial government is absolutely pathetic. Was that Dave Gaudreau half asleep behind the premier? Was he too tired to make any further homophobic remarks?

I've seen people more put together in line at Labour Ready to peel up old commercial roofing at dawn. Get rid of this disaster already.

You do have a way with words at times, It's an enjoyable read.

The Provincial Election seems so far off though, and our Dear leader appears like he's going to stay the course. This could actually hasten the parties demise, I can't believe I'm about to say this but his removal could actually benefit their party. Not save it from it's eventual demise, but save face?

Never the less, the sooner we remove this cancer the greater the the likely hood of a speedier recovery for this Province, realistically still a prolonged and difficult process but attainable.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Cyro

You do have a way with words at times, It's an enjoyable read.

The Provincial Election seems so far off though, and our Dear leader appears like he's going to stay the course. This could actually hasten the parties demise, I can't believe I'm about to say this but his removal could actually benefit their party. Not save it from it's eventual demise, but save face?

Never the less, the sooner we remove this cancer the greater the the likely hood of a speedier recovery for this Province, realistically still a prolonged and difficult process but attainable.

What's going on in Manitoba seems to be mirroring what happened in Saskatchewan. The NDP here had a long run, then got one last chance to renew but went with the old war horse (Lingenfelter) and got their asses handed to them. The new team came in riding a wave, but also had a good douse of optimism and new ideas with them. The NDP now is renewing itself and is slowly becoming a relevant force again.
Manitoba needs to sweep out all that deadwood in the Legislature and get a new attitude. The rest of the west is leaving Manitoba in the dust.

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

What's going on in Manitoba seems to be mirroring what happened in Saskatchewan. The NDP here had a long run, then got one last chance to renew but went with the old war horse (Lingenfelter) and got their asses handed to them. The new team came in riding a wave, but also had a good douse of optimism and new ideas with them. The NDP now is renewing itself and is slowly becoming a relevant force again.
Manitoba needs to sweep out all that deadwood in the Legislature and get a new attitude. The rest of the west is leaving Manitoba in the dust.

Change is needed here one way or the other, the stagnation in the economy among other sectors of the province relative to other parts of the country is really starting to give off a an undesirable odour, to put it mildly.

[bomberjet]

Manitoba needs a refresh. We all thought the NDP would put up a fight in the civic elections (unofficially of course), but they got destroyed. I can see Conservatives doing well in the Provincial election. I'm just having a hard time with Pallister as Premier. Seems like a slimy snake to me.

[biguc]

I think that's the way a lot of us feel. We want to change our government and we'll probably hold our noses and vote for Pallister, even though he is a creepy asshole. At least we'll give the NDP a four year time out to think about what they did and try to be less terrible.

Pallister has done a lousy job of appealing to the moderates most of us are, instead pandering to his base, making infidel comments and buying a mansion.

If Sellinger decides to stick out his term and lose the next election on his lack of merits, it'll give the NDP a fresh start in the opposition. Then again, I think that party's problems run deeper than their leader and I'd love to see a lot of their top MLAs go away. I guess I'll just hope the election takes care of that.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by biguc

I think that's the way a lot of us feel. We want to change our government and we'll probably hold our noses and vote for Pallister, even though he is a creepy asshole. At least we'll give the NDP a four year time out to think about what they did and try to be less terrible.

Pallister has done a lousy job of appealing to the moderates most of us are, instead pandering to his base, making infidel comments and buying a mansion.

If Sellinger decides to stick out his term and lose the next election on his lack of merits, it'll give the NDP a fresh start in the opposition. Then again, I think that party's problems run deeper than their leader and I'd love to see a lot of their top MLAs go away. I guess I'll just hope the election takes care of that.

So what is the issue with someone buying a mansion?

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by biguc

I think that's the way a lot of us feel. We want to change our government and we'll probably hold our noses and vote for Pallister, even though he is a creepy asshole. At least we'll give the NDP a four year time out to think about what they did and try to be less terrible.

Pallister has done a lousy job of appealing to the moderates most of us are, instead pandering to his base, making infidel comments and buying a mansion.

If Sellinger decides to stick out his term and lose the next election on his lack of merits, it'll give the NDP a fresh start in the opposition. Then again, I think that party's problems run deeper than their leader and I'd love to see a lot of their top MLAs go away. I guess I'll just hope the election takes care of that.

The NDP have benefited from the PC's lack of picking a sane, likeable, competent leader, Stuart Murray a guy who couldn't organize a one car funeral procession, the guy with abnormally sized head Hugh McFadyen who thought being a party leader meant doing and saying little and now the ultra right wing freakishly tall Brian Pallister with all the charisma of a wet paper bag.

And with optics in politics buying a mansion when trying to appeal to the MAJORITY of voters comes across as crass or Pallisters case a bigger douche bag!

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

So what is the issue with someone buying a mansion?

Palister is a successful, self made man. Biguc hates people like that.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Palister is a successful, self made man. Biguc hates people like that.

Wouldn't want anyone like that running Manitoba now would we?

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Palister is a successful, self made man. Biguc hates people like that.

I'm as free market as they come, so I'm not going to comment on how somebody decides to spend their own money.

But the optics are terrible. It shows that the guy is either completely tone-deaf or just simply doesn't care. And the guy needed a house in which to live because he was now going to be living in Winnipeg - I get that. But to buy the one house on the one street in Winnipeg nearly everybody knows specifically for their grandeur? This is Winnipeg; even the conservatives are everyday populists. It's a terrible political move.

And I guess there's a possibility he didn't think he'd stand a chance anyway, but what now? Come election time you can bet this house is going to be the subject of all sorts of socialist rhetoric...

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Palister is a successful, self made man. Biguc hates people like that.

Sure Pallister was successful and good politician as both an MLA and MP but he lacks that charisma and likeability factor a leader needs, he will carry the vote strongly in rural MB overwhelmingly but it's Winnipeg that he needs to win for the PC's to have any chance in the next election.


Completely agree with Simplicity, the PC's keep making it too easy for the speNDP to hold power with leaders who seem out of touch.

[VANRIDERFAN]

I will never understand Winnipeg. You run the province but you seem to do everything in your power to ensure the province remains mediocre. Its like you have never recovered from the time the Panama Canal was opened and you lost your title of "the Chicago of the North".

[Danny D Oh]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

I will never understand Winnipeg. You run the province but you seem to do everything in your power to ensure the province remains mediocre. Its like you have never recovered from the time the Panama Canal was opened and you lost your title of "the Chicago of the North".

Not sure how electing a PC government anytime in the last 15 years would have changed that. That party in Manitoba has been the definition of mediocre in that time period. Literally gifted the last two elections if they could put together any kind of coherent platform and avoid stepping in their own mess, could not either time. They actually promised more spending than the NDP in the last election campaign. Based on who is still around, I don't have much faith they'll be able to capitalize this time either.

[biguc]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I'm as free market as they come, so I'm not going to comment on how somebody decides to spend their own money.

But the optics are terrible. It shows that the guy is either completely tone-deaf or just simply doesn't care. And the guy needed a house in which to live because he was now going to be living in Winnipeg - I get that. But to buy the one house on the one street in Winnipeg nearly everybody knows specifically for their grandeur? This is Winnipeg; even the conservatives are everyday populists. It's a terrible political move.

And I guess there's a possibility he didn't think he'd stand a chance anyway, but what now? Come election time you can bet this house is going to be the subject of all sorts of socialist rhetoric...

Exactly this. He's not going to win over moderates by buying a mansion and telling people to fuck off over it.

As for him being a self-made man, I disagree. And I'm so free market I think that our city streets should be privatized. As a barely successful self-made man myself, I'd hardly hate him for that.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Danny D Oh

Not sure how electing a PC government anytime in the last 15 years would have changed that. That party in Manitoba has been the definition of mediocre in that time period. Literally gifted the last two elections if they could put together any kind of coherent platform and avoid stepping in their own mess, could not either time. They actually promised more spending than the NDP in the last election campaign. Based on who is still around, I don't have much faith they'll be able to capitalize this time either.

I've said this before and I'll say it again: nearly everybody in Manitoba is one degree from government money. Whether it's direct employment, outsourced employment, or even proximal employment by virtue of a contract to build some piece of physical or virtual infrastructure for the government, nearly everybody here is dependent in some fashion.

Consequently, we get governments whose biggest promise is to keep everything well enough alone. That's what constitutes ambition is this province: ensure your voice is heard within the government that, as a citizen, your entitlement is still well intact and you still intend to vote.

Can you imagine if a politician started talking about free enterprise and a commitment to the private sector over the public? They'd be run out of town. So instead, they appeal to the base of rural christian extremists while playing Santa Clause with federal transfer payments in the city.

We get exactly what we deserve in this province and that's why we have nothing.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I've said this before and I'll say it again: nearly everybody in Manitoba is one degree from government money. Whether it's direct employment, outsourced employment, or even proximal employment by virtue of a contract to build some piece of physical or virtual infrastructure for the government, nearly everybody here is dependent in some fashion.

Consequently, we get governments whose biggest promise is to keep everything well enough alone. That's what constitutes ambition is this province: ensure your voice is heard within the government that, as a citizen, your entitlement is still well intact and you still intend to vote.

Can you imagine if a politician started talking about free enterprise and a commitment to the private sector over the public? They'd be run out of town. So instead, they appeal to the base of rural christian extremists while playing Santa Clause with federal transfer payments in the city.

We get exactly what we deserve in this province and that's why we have nothing.

I agree with most of your premise. But the bolded part. Do you mean the mennonites? Or the Hutterites?
But look at the Winkler - Morden corridor, probably the most successful part of the province outside of Winnipeg.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

I agree with most of your premise. But the bolded part. Do you mean the mennonites? Or the Hutterites?
But look at the Winkler - Morden corridor, probably the most successful part of the province outside of Winnipeg.

Absolutely. Also one of only 19 PC seats in the Legislature.

And I'm not suggesting there's any correlation here, I'm just pointing out where the value system lies. Farmers are the probably the greatest beneficiaries of government subsidy anywhere, but they like to forget that in the good years. So even with that being the case, if you start talking about unions and social programming, you'll lose them. So the Conservatives do what they can to keep these massive subsidies intact while preying on their bible belt sensibilities - god, family, and the idea of everybody making it on their own.

Which is why I'm saying we don't really even have Conservative ideals in this province - we just have a party named for them. Which goes back to my original point about everybody being within one degree of the government. People can call themselves conservatives, but at the end of the day everybody in this province knows where their bread gets buttered...

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Absolutely. Also one of only 19 PC seats in the Legislature.

And I'm not suggesting there's any correlation here, I'm just pointing out where the value system lies. Farmers are the probably the greatest beneficiaries of government subsidy anywhere, but they like to forget that in the good years. So even with that being the case, if you start talking about unions and social programming, you'll lose them. So the Conservatives do what they can to keep these massive subsidies intact while preying on their bible belt sensibilities - god, family, and the idea of everybody making it on their own.

Which is why I'm saying we don't really even have Conservative ideals in this province - we just have a party named for them. Which goes back to my original point about everybody being within one degree of the government. People can call themselves conservatives, but at the end of the day everybody in this province knows where their bread gets buttered...

I always get a chuckle out of that one.
Please list the massive subsidies that you think farmers get:

I can name a couple
Milk, chicken and egg marketing boards?

Here are few that I remember when I was a farmer.
Railroad - Crowsnest freight rate was gone years ago
grain - The Canadian Wheat Stabilization Fund was gone years ago
Beef - outside of a few emergency feed programs in drought years there is little or no subsidies for Cattle farmers

Now the roads and other infrastructure required to get the food from field to plate can be considered a form of subsidy. But rural people pay taxes too.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

I will never understand Winnipeg.

Neither do I. Never have, never will.