unhappy Winnipegger

[grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by trueviking

^nope.

Very articulate.

How big is this project?

196.3 acres of land. 1.5 million square feet of commercial space. 750,000 square feet for super-regional retailers and 750,000 square feet for complementary commercial uses with 6,000 parking stalls. Mixed use complementary component may include a 100-room hotel, 16-screen movie theatre, 150,000 sq ft office park, and a 500-unit multi-family residential building - 1,517 parking stalls.

http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/planning/...l/proposal.stm

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by grumpy old man

Very articulate.

I think he is expecting people to give him the benefit of the doubt since he is looking at the actual plans for the project.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by drew

^ well at least my wife will be happy. I'm sure "bath and body works" will be in there somewhere.

Not that I am encouraging the big box power centres in Winnipeg... but if they are going to be built hopefully more stores that are currently not in Winnipeg set up shop.

The last thing Winnipeg needs is a power centre with more locations of SportChek, Staples, Winners and Chapters.

Here is my wish list.

- Pottery Barn
- Crate and Barrel
- Restoration Hardware
- Bass Pro Shops
- Hockey Life

[1ajs]

wats so speacial about a place that sells potery? and a place called crate and barel?

as for restoration hardware gee that sounds like a hardwre store... something that is needed in the core either that or polics co-op opens a 2nd location downtown on the ground floor of the ave building

[grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

wats so speacial about a place that sells potery? and a place called crate and barel?

as for restoration hardware gee that sounds like a hardwre store... something that is needed in the core either that or polics co-op opens a 2nd location downtown on the ground floor of the ave building

Google them. See for yourself what sets them apart. Best of my recollection has these being higher end Linen n' Things kinda retailers.

[vid]

They're "gay stores", and when your city has "gay stores", it's World Class™. Just like the Ikea is World Class™.

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Name one over-budget project by government other than the floodway. Manitoba has proper management, and we have improving infrastructure. It took this province a long time to recover from what the last two governments did. Lets never turn back there. Right now we have improving healthcare, improving infrastructure, and a growing economy. What more could we possibly ask for?

Manitoba Hydro Tower .... is considerably over budget... and a few years past due.

Yes, the floodway is also way over budget .. but you seem willing to let that one pass... hell its only a few hundred million right? Manitoba can afford to waste its opportunity to invest in other projects.

Improved medicare .. well thats your point of view. There is still examples of hallway medicine, or even worse, people dieing in waiting rooms. There is still a massive nursing shortage... although the increased effort to attract nurses from overseas has proven to be successful.

Improved infrastructure should be credited to the increased funding of the federal Conservatives.

All of this while Manitoba is still a massive have-not province... which goes to show you Manitoba can hardly afford to ignore the books when it involves over budget mega projects. I guess all is great when you wear the necessary NDP rosey glasses.

[vid]

Originally Posted by newflyer

Improved infrastructure should be credited to the increased funding of the federal Conservatives.

It's funny that you say this, because most conservatives (big and small C) that I know are complaining that the money the Conservatives are spending on infrastructure and stimulus is a waste, and that it wouldn't happen if they had a majority where the Liberals couldn't force them to do things. So I really don't know if I would credit these investments on them. It seems to me like it's thanks to the Liberals for threatening an election if such investments were not made.

But then, that's just my perspective. BTW, a lot of the money hasn't even started flowing yet, many of the projects are now behind schedule, and our deficit is soaring faster than Trudeau can say "just watch me".

A more accurate statement is this:

Originally Posted by newflyer

Improved infrastructure should be credited to the increased funding of the federal government.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by newflyer

Manitoba Hydro Tower .... is considerably over budget... and a few years past due.

As has already been explained, that isnt a government project, though I know you don't agree...it just isn't.

Improved medicare .. well thats your point of view. There is still examples of hallway medicine, or even worse, people dieing in waiting rooms. There is still a massive nursing shortage... although the increased effort to attract nurses from overseas has proven to be successful.

It's not my opinion. There are 245 more doctors and 2000 more nurses than in 2006. There are 3 more MRIs, a PET, and equipment that we didn't have before. Waiting lists have shrunk...dramatically. It isn't an opinion.

Improved infrastructure should be credited to the increased funding of the federal Conservatives.

No, it shouldn't. This government has increased infrastructure spending every year. I love that the Conservatices are helping, but the NDP doubled the highway budget in 2006 and again in 2007...and increased it by 30 million last year and over 100m this year.

All of this while Manitoba is still a massive have-not province... which goes to show you Manitoba can hardly afford to ignore the books when it involves over budget mega projects. I guess all is great when you wear the necessary NDP rosey glasses.

Manitoba is 13% less have not than when the NDP took office. I remember reading that at one time we depended on the federal government for 40% of our revenue. Now it's 27%.

You don't like the NDP, fine, but it's impossible to deny the progress that this province has made under them.

[grumpy old man]

Manitoba is 13% less have not than when the NDP took office. I remember reading that at one time we depended on the federal government for 40% of our revenue. Now it's 27%.

Would ya have any links on this? I recall the province receiving transfer payments to the tune of less than $1 billion when Doer took over. Now Manitoba pays all those increased highway programs and improved health care from more than $3 billion in gratis welfare payments.

That would mean Manitoba's economy would have had to have more than tripled to result in a reduced percentage of 27%. And were that true surely with our robust tripled economy we'd not need any transfer payments.

And Doer was able to do this in one of the greatest global economies.

We are indeed fortunate to have had Doer and the NDP in that time...

[jmt18325]

Every province receives transfers. That 3.6B is not all equalization.

I don't have a link to the 40% number, though I've heard it before. We are less have not than we used to be.

Here is the link for the transfer program:

http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/mtp-eng.asp

Edit: The 40% number was false and was posted here earlier this year. Anyway, I know I've read that we've become less have not. Equalization will not increase in dollar figures this year from last and will actually fall as a percentage of GDP.

[grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Every province receives transfers. That 3.6B is not all equalization.

I don't have a link to the 40% number, though I've heard it before. We are less have not than we used to be.

Here is the link for the transfer program:

http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/mtp-eng.asp

Not every province receives equalization payments. I fear you're dead wrong on the less "have not" theory. In that very link you provided Manitoba received 1,601m, 1,709m (6.75%), 1,826m (6.85%), 2,063m (12.98%) in the last four years. That is almost a 30% increase in equalization payments alone from 2005 to 2008.

In 2008 equalization payments equaled 17%~ of Manitoba government revenues. We are headed down a very treacherous path.

Manitobans need to pull their collective heads out of the sand. This government is not at all good for Manitoba's fiscal health. The way Doer spends other people's money is not remotely sustainable and we will feel the pinch very painfully in short order.

[vid]

IIRC, the Conservatives have been increasing the total amount of money devoted to equalization. I would look at Manitoba's share of equalization over time, and the percentage of the budget that is dependent on equalization over time. It may have gone down in that aspect.

[jmt18325]

Manitoba has an economy and government revenue stream that is growing faster than our population. Under the new equalization determination formula, we will find our way out in not that long. The problem before was that the program was growing by massive amounts each year, because a few provinces were increasing the averages so much.

Manitoba is one the only provinces running a surplus....and he would be stupid not to spend the money available. Face it, the NDP have done good things here...but they had a large mess to pick up.

[1ajs]

o boy is it that time of year again?

ok well the economic mess was there when doer came in remember filman and how everyone booed him outa his job.... takes time to fix an economic mess yea the ndp can be screwy but being steady is the best way outa that mess... as for other problems we have yea that has alot to do with programs set up 20 years ago that we are now seeing the result off that failed misribly and were caned in the last while... the nursing shortage they are working on it but remember theres a large proportion that are ready to retire and are retiring a big issue coast to coast in this country and if i am not mistaken we are holding more students here then ever after finishing their education... but there so many varibles at play in our economy we need to step back and take the plug but in the end it only last so long till some other idiot steps in thats even worse and goes and fucks it up bam square one again....... god polics sure screw things up eh? just look at the mess started in the late 80's and the mess that resulted in the eraly 90's that was aloud to get worse.......

[jmt18325]

By the way, I'm not a socialist. I support good government decisions. It' why I sometimes support the federal government and often support the provincial government.

[jmt18325]

We should get back on topic though.

[1ajs]

no this seems on topic this thread is about an unhapy winnipeg witch all ties back to all levels of governemnt and what they do and such in the end.....

[jmt18325]

That's true. Also, there is another way to look at this. The equalization numbers can be misleading as they are based on provincial government revenue potential and not the economy. It's also worth nothing that much of the money we get back was in fact paid out by us. Manitoba's make about average for wages and we pay taxes too.

Anyway, if you look at the provincial economic and population numbers, it's easy to see that Manitoba doesn't do as bad as the equalization numbers show.

If you take the economy of BC or Ontario, and divide it by their population, and do the same for Manitoba, you'll notice that per capita, we're not that far behind. In fact, after this year, we'll be a great deal closer.

These two links are important:

http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/econ15-eng.htm
http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/demo02a-eng.htm

BC: 45,466
Ontario: 45,471
Manitoba:42,107

Add: I know someone is going to come in here griping that we're so much lower than N + L, Saskatchewan, and Alberta...but those three provinces have one thing in common, don't they?

[1ajs]

oil... umm newfound and labidoor umm don't they still have a large unemployment issue even though they have the oil feilds off the coast? witch means not as many people benifit from jobs.....