Monday, June 30

For What It's Worth

Both Curtis Brown and Dan Lett took shots at the Tories in yesterday's Free Press and Policy Frog clubbed them on Thursday.  The reason?  A completely inept and pathetic spin job regarding the new provincial election boundaries.

To prove I'm not just piling on, but to add my own two cents, here's a portion of an email I sent to a buddy on Thursday when we were discussing it:

"A-freakin'-men about the defeatist stuff.  Feel free to add my support to that...  It was my first thought upon seeing [the article] but didn't feel like it merited its own post.  What sucks they are being about it."
 
There isn't a voter who wants to support a party who wants everyone to believe the party is a perpetual victim. And really, what voter bloc do the Tories believe will start supporting them because of this?  Is there any voter looking at this issue and really caring about the boundaries?
 
A few legitimate questions come up from the proposed map.  Does it make sense to extend Morris across the river so far just to include Niverville, rather than include it with Tache, which would appear to be a stronger geographical and historical community fit?  Should Windsor Park be split up into two different ridings considering the shared community elements of the suburb?   

These questions get lost in the huffing and puffing over "Fortress Winnipeg" and the disappointment of losing Minnedosa.*  Tough to look level-headed on the legitimate beefs and tweaks when you exaggerate the less legitimate ones.
 
PS: I've been told that the Tories submitted no proposal to the commission prior to the new maps being formed.  Can anyone confirm?
 
 
 
* - Considering that Minnedosa going bye-bye has only been predicted by almost every political watcher I spoke with over the last two years, you can't say it is that surprising.**
 
** - True story to re-enforce this: A buddy called me to let me know that the maps were live on the website.  My first question to him without seeing anything, "Minnedosa?"  How is it we didn't have a better spin developed than, "They're screwing western voters!"

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 30, 2008 | | Comments

High Fuel Prices Hurt Us All

[link]

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 30, 2008 | | Comments

Thursday, June 26

I'll Talk The Boundaries At Some Point...

But in the meantime, check out this comment found over on Curtis' blog...

Interesting post, but I feel compelled to point out that Risk for Geeks has been around for decades.

It's simply called "Risk".



Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 26, 2008 | | Comments

Wednesday, June 25

Annnnnnnnnnnd......Go!

The new maps are out.

Posted by The Hack at Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | | Comments

Your Neighbour Is Thirsty And Her Plumbing Is Broken....

Do you sit back and laugh at her misfortune, even suggest - rather snidely - that if she wants a glass of water badly enough, she'll just move in with you to get one?

Or do you offer to share a glass of water from your place? Better yet, she'll even offer you a quarter for your troubles if you do.
Which action do you take?

Whether Manitobans and Manitoban politicians want to debate water exports or not, the debate is coming at us rapidly and everyone would be better served if our leaders actually did some research and thinking on the subject rather than offer knee-jerk jingoistic reactions to the issue.
The American south is going to require drinking water. This is a fact. Before slapping their overtures to purchase what are small amounts of the annual run off, ask yourself first, what solution would you propose?

Considering all the Canadians making their lives down there during portions of the year or through permanent relocation, it is a little disingenuous to argue that Canada does not have a responsibility to help with the solutions.

And before you put too much stock in Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick's, "Any time you tamper with the natural flow of water, with water levels, you affect the life cycles of the fish and wildlife dependent on that water," you better ask yourself where you stand on the Floodway. Or Manitoba Hydro's legal mandate to regulate the water levels of Lake Winnipeg*, both of which "tamper with the natural flow of water" last time I checked.

In a previous employment life, I worked for Manitoba Conservation in the Water Rights Licencing branch. A fun and interesting job, I spent a goodly portion of my days out visiting all the drainage ditches - legal and illegal - that Manitobans had dug into the natural landscape. Over time, Manitoba has spent billions digging better trenching, better ditches and now better floodways, all in the name of removing the spring runoff as quickly as possible and there is nothing natural about that process. Water that used to take weeks or even months to leave the land and enter our waterways now gets there days after the thaw.

In short, we have already been making fundamental changes to the water flow patterns of the province and have been doing so since the very first time land was cleared for agriculture or settlement. This is an undeniable fact.

Which returns us to the original question at hand....Should we consider bulk water sales to the United States (and possibly Alberta or Saskatchewan)?

I've been thinking about this one for a few years since a Macleans article opened my eyes about some of the pressing issues at hand. After thinking about it, I cannot imagine we wouldn't want to even consider the option and wouldn't want to investigate it further. And not just from an economic position - though that certainly would be a tremendous positive of the sales.

No, there is also a humanitarian angle that must be considered. People need water. The places where people - where Canadians - are moving do not have large supplies of the resource. We do.

Are we really prepared to withhold that glass of water?

* - I've seen charts showing the natural levels of Lake Winnipeg pre-Hydro regulation and you see large swings up in wet years and large swings downward in dry years. Been theorizing for awhile that it is possible that the nutrient overloading is exasperated by the fact we no longer allow the lake to naturally "flush" itself every decade or so.

Posted by The Hack at Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | | Comments

Tuesday, June 24

Blegs

Two long term requests for people to consider:
 
1) I'm going to be looking for a ride from Brandon to Winnipeg on July 20th.  I promise gas money and at least forty minutes of interesting conversation and at least twenty minutes of filler.  Should get us at least to Portage.
 
2) Looking for delegate credentials for the national convention in November.  I'm not sitting on the Winnipeg South Centre board and imagine that their spots will fill up with board members.  Anyone sitting on a board where you know that you won't fill your slate and have an extra spot for moi?  Push comes to shove, I'll just apply for Blogger credentials which will get me in - probably cheaper as well - but I kinda like having a vote of my own for the sessions.  ('Cuz really, that's all the difference would be.)
 
I'll be posting each again in the future, but kick 'em around and see if you can help a guy...

Posted by The Hack at Tuesday, June 24, 2008 | | Comments

From The Mailbag....

A buddy weighs in....

I think this Stadium debate is rather interesting.  People are very astute in pointing out how often a stadium sits empty if its only used for pro football.

There is also quick finger wagging over issues like road/traffic congestion and parking needs.  Basically, you need a lot of space and infrastructure that can support moving a LOT of people in and out in large waves. Ideally you want to find other uses than the Bombers (keeping in mind that due to stupid conditions imposed by True North when they took government money to build an arena that the Stadium can't compete for concerts or conventions).

Then you look and remember that the UofM recently purchased Southwood Golf & Country Club.   In addition to the large amount of land they already had.  The Bisons play in a very sorry "stadium".  The Stampeders and the Alouettes have demonstrated how immensely successful partnerships between the CFL and the CIS can be.  With UofM you get the added use of the facility for Bisons games, track & field and other field sports.  I think most people would be more able to stomach a large athletic facility being built for a university with public funds (see: Investors Group Gym or Duckworth Gym).

The UofM also has an ample supply of something known as "parking" with over 6,000 spaces (currently).  The campus is also very well served by Winnipeg Transit with routes converging on the area from all parts of Winnipeg.  In the event that the wonky 19th century idea of trains ever takes hold in Winnipeg you know that UofM would be one of the first destinations planned for the route.

There is a traffic infrastructure that is more than capable of handling the increased vehicle traffic for a couple hours (total) 11 nights per year.  Chancellor Drive and University Drive would both dump traffic onto Pembina, Waverly etc. very quickly and efficiently (as they do daily).

Then you can toss in all the restaurants and lounges that already exist on Pembina.  Pre and post-game festivities are easily accessible and nearby. Very easy for Earls or Appleby's to run shuttles from their lounges to the stadium gates.

A new stadium that will make the varsity athletes at Manitoba's largest university proud.   A facility that will be used for more than 10 days a year.  No need to create or build new roads or bus routes.  This my two cents on the issue.

Posted by The Hack at Tuesday, June 24, 2008 | | Comments

Change Of Heart

By far, the most interesting comment I heard at last night's PC Manitoba dinner was the observation that Vic Toew's switch on the stadium has less to do with location and more to do with his new resolve to run in the next federal election.

The thinking being that when his judgeship fell apart due to the media attention getting too hot, the Minister re-evaluated his career options and found his gig remained his best option.  That also meant that he needed to somehow segue himself out of the stadium opposition he had so firmly entrenched himself into.

Posted by The Hack at Tuesday, June 24, 2008 | | Comments

Stars: Redux

A little more earnest of a review than I would normally go for, but lots in here that I agree with.

Posted by The Hack at Tuesday, June 24, 2008 | | Comments

Monday, June 23

Love This Draft Story

I'm a fan of the Sens' first round pick, Erik Karlsson because I trust the team's Euro-scouting. 

Course, this story also helps:
 
The Senators made the 18-year-old defenceman their top pick in the NHL draft Friday night and since he's sticking around to attend the Senators' rookie development camp this week, he parked himself at the end of the Senators' table on the draft floor at Scotiabank Place yesterday morning.

Dressed in a grey suit, open-necked shirt and a Senators cap, he didn't just kill time.

When the fourth round rolled around, the Senators were looking at drafting Swedish winger Andre Petersson, a guy they had ranked 29th and had passed over twice already.

They were taking Petersson, but they turned to Karlsson.

Thoughts, Erik?

"I've known him for five years. He's a good friend of mine," he said of Petterson, his roommate with the Swedish under-18 team. "His hands are amazing. Not many people can do things with the puck he can do. When he gets a chance to score, he'll score nine times out of 10."

The Senators took Petersson 109th overall and Karlsson made the call to his friend to tell him they had both been drafted by the same club.

"I was the one who got to send him the good news," said Karlsson, an engaging, well-spoken kid with a good sense of humour. "He was excited Ottawa picked him. We could only hope Ottawa would pick him as well."

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 23, 2008 | | Comments

Hugh McFadyen: Visionary

How else do you explain him being ahead of the Point Douglas development craze by over a whole year?

(For what it is worth, I don't believe the PD area to be ideal stadium building grounds, but hey, what do I know?  Having the railway in the background of the ball diamond is kinda cool and might add a distinct touch to a new stadium.)

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 23, 2008 | | Comments

Legend and Influence

Two words that accurately describe the legacy of the now unfortunately late George Carlin.

Will miss ya George.

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 23, 2008 | | Comments

Sunday, June 22

Heh....."poser renewal"

Course, I'd live there in a heartbeat if I could, but Progressive Winnipeg has a damned fine rant on the whole Point Douglas Stadium story going.

Truthfully, I don't give it two chances out of thirteen of ever happening, but isn't it just a wee bit funny that all of the bloggers in town seem highly against the idea thus far.  Are we really that group minded?

Posted by The Hack at Sunday, June 22, 2008 | | Comments

Saturday, June 21

Saturday Afternoon In Winnipeg

Soaking in the sun while laying near the north end of the footbridge in Assiniboine Park.  (Trying to inject colour into my skin.)
 
Had to take the company laptop with me in case I was needed to do some work, and as I type this, I cannot help but think back to 1997 when I first started hopping onto the internet while in the school library.  That was only eleven years ago, but technology-wise, might as well have been a lifetime.  Amazing, isn't it?  (Also makes me think harder and harder about investing in my own laptop and wireless accounts.  Between the convenience of this and the possibilities of more events like Monday's meeting coverage, I'm sure I would find a way to make it a worthwhile expenditure.)

Checked out the Stars concert as part of the Jazz Festival last night.  Fun show.  The audience seemed a little disproportionately good looking and the band - while perfectly capable of rocking out - tends to have a high concentration of female fans.  I went stag because when I was purchasing tickets on Wednesday morning I honestly couldn't think of a single person who would come with and I wanted to buy them while the impulse was still strong.  While no attempts at picking up took place, the fact that I sat besides and behind two sets of girls made the solo show easier to take.

The music was strong.  The band had fun with the crowd.  Overall, a great show to kick start summer.

Anyhow, time to apply more sunscreen.

Posted by The Hack at Saturday, June 21, 2008 | | Comments

Friday, June 20

I'll Miss Gibby

While interested in seeing what Cito Gaston does for the Jays, I'll miss John Gibbons.  I thought he did a good job managing the club this season, but you can only do so much when your go-to guys aren't getting it done.

Posted by The Hack at Friday, June 20, 2008 | | Comments

Damn Interesting Indeed

Damn Interesting on the secret history of New Coke.
 
On the eve of that fateful announcement, Coca-Cola officials met with their bottlers in a private gathering. They disclosed their intent to make the first major change to the Coke formula since cocaine was eliminated by switching to "spent" coca leaves in 1903. "Now we're back in the ballgame," Goizueta proclaimed, stirring his audience into a heartfelt standing ovation. Little did they know that Pepsi officials were privy to their plans, and already orchestrating a counterattack.

Posted by The Hack at Friday, June 20, 2008 | | Comments

One Can Hope...

Kudos to Sackville Sports for reminding me of one of my favorite things about Summer of '07: Bill Simmons' Diary of the NHL Draft!  What a surprise that the NHL widower actually caught and enjoyed the draft.   A better surprise was that Versus was covering the draft by running TSN's coverage.  It was if Simmons fly to Moose Jaw to watch the thing, which was all kinds of special awesome for us Canadian readers.  Here's hoping for another this year.

I'm sure it was the beginnings of his eventual return.  Based on his playoffs article a couple weeks back, I think we hockey fans are in for a rejuvenated Sports Guy next season.

A taste of his best from last year:

****

4:51: The Oilers use the sixth pick on Sam Gagner (son of Dave). We're now six-for-six for two-parent families at the NHL draft -- a higher total than the last five years of the NBA draft combined.

*****

(By the way, we also learned from Gagner that his son is delighted to go to Edmonton because he really wanted to get picked by a Canadian team. You have to love the NHL draft -- it's the only time people actually hope to go to Edmonton.)

*****

5:10: Up next: my old hockey team, the Boston Bruins. I broke up with them in 2001 because their owner (Jeremy Jacobs) is a heartless miser; now I'm an NHL widow. And you know what? I'm fine with that. I'm not even feeling any pangs of remorse because new Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli looks like Machine from "8MM," or because the great Cam Neely is introducing this pick. ... That's right, center Zach Hamill, ranked 16th on TSN's list. Awesome. Anytime you can get the 16th guy at No. 8, you gotta make that move. Burn in hell, Jacobs. Burn in hell.

*****

5:21: Prolonged shots of the two draft sliders in the crowd: Cherepanov (now frantically talking on the phone to the Ohio Russian Embassy asking for asylum) and Angelo Esposito (the consensus No. 1 last year until his intensity issues made teams cool on him). Not only is Angelo a playmaking center, he has the most Italian-sounding sports name since Vinny Testaverde. Angelo Esposito!?!?!?!? David Chase would have turned that name down in the Sopranos' writers room for being "too over-the-top."


*****

5:29: The mighty Whale (I refuse to call them "Carolina") take RW Brandon Sutter. ... Yup, from the famous Sutter family. He's the son of Brent.

"I would NEVER go against the Sutters," Announcer No. 3 tells us. Me, neither. That's one place where the NHL kills the NBA -- the NBA doesn't have a famous family like the Sutter family. Unless you count Shawn Kemp's kids.


*****

5:34: The Habs pass on the hometown kid (Esposito) and take an American defenceman (Ryan McDonagh) at No. 12. ....By the way, there's a 100 percent chance that Angelo is going to beat the living hell out of McDonagh if they meet in a junior hockey game next year. Can Janet Gretzky give me odds on this?

*****

[The St. Louis Blues] take Swedish centre Lars Eller, who just downgraded from Swedish beauties to Missouri girls in the span of three seconds. You have to feel for Lars. I don't remember a porno series called "St. Louis Erotica."

*****

5:55: My new favorite moment of the draft: Farhan Lalji interviewing Cherepanov and his interpreter in the stands. Here's the transcript:

--Farhan: "How difficult is it for Alexei right now to still be on the board?"
--Alexei (in Russian): "They're going to kill me! I'm going to be killed!"
--Interpreter: "There's nothing he can do, it's unpredictable."
--Farhan: "Do you think the transfer agreement issue between the Russian Federation and the National Hockey League is playing a part in this?"
--Alexei (in Russian): "Of course! Let me hide in your basement, Farhan! I'm begging you! They're going to kill me!"
--Interpreter: "Some part of it ... yes."

(By the way, after enduring Farhan for two hours, I'm going out on a limb and saying the original sideline reporter called in sick.)

*****

6:03: Hmmmm ... the Rangers already had a sweater ready with Cherepanov's name on the back. That's a little fishy. How did they know a top-five guy would slip to No. 17? If Esposito "drops" to the Penguins at No. 20, we'll have moved right into the Fishy Zone -- two marquee teams "fortunately" getting two marquee prospects? Even David Stern wouldn't have been this blatant.

*****

6:06: Bettman announces that Calgary just traded the 18th pick to St. Louis for the No. 24 and No. 70. He also announces the NHL has just reached agreement to expand to three more cities: Key West; Death Valley; and Bogota, Colombia.

*****

6:10: Pierre just capped off his Cherepanov/Rangers analysis by saying, "Glen Sather is smiling like a cheshire cat." Haven't heard that one in a while. Canada might be 15 years behind the United States in every respect -- this would explain the ongoing affection for Bryan Adams -- although that time-warp factor is also one of the reasons Canada remains my second-favorite country behind Australia.

(Some of the others: the superb national anthem, Bobby Orr, the NHL draft, Molson commercials, the Edmonton crowd, the city of Montreal, John Candy, Canadian money, Canada Cup '72, the sneaky sense of humor from every Canadian not associated with the NHL, Phil Hartman, the Rougeau Brothers, the sweeping love of beer, Don Cherry, the nickname "the Great One," the way they kicked the crap out of the Soviets during the famous Canada-USSR junior hockey bench-clearer in '87, [HACK NOTE: You should watch this.] Norm MacDonald, and gambling at any Canadian casino because you always feel like you have 40 percent more money than you actually do. This should be its own column.)


*****

6:18: With the 20th pick, the Penguins select ... my new goomba, Angelo Esposito! That couldn't have been more rigged. Ah, who cares? This league needs all the help it can get. Angelo, on behalf of 50 percent of my body, you make us Italians proud.

As for the rest of the NHL, I'll see you in 12 months for the 2008 draft.


HACK: That better be a promise.

Posted by The Hack at Friday, June 20, 2008 | | Comments

Thursday, June 19

Couldn't Happen To A Nicer Guy

Terry Nelson: More interested in photo ops and race baiting than he is in actually governing his reserve.

Good for the people of Roseau River for this: 
 
As the reserve went dry, residents upset with Nelson and the band council's leadership canvassed the streets of Roseau River collecting roughly 135 signatures asking the Indian Affairs minister for the removal of their leaders.
I wish the residents much luck.

Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 19, 2008 | | Comments

Damned British Labour Leader! (And What An Evil Sarko Too!)

Interfering with elections that are none of their business.

Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 19, 2008 | | Comments

Are We Really This Immature Of A Country?

Scary thing is, I just don't know.

Tories dodge McCain's Ottawa visit


Historic visit for Canada - frankly we should be honoured - by maybe the most Canadian-policy-friendly Republican in decades*, and as a country we act like self-centered brats. I blame the opposition for acting like school yard tattles. I blame the government for their lack of character. And I blame a lot of Canadians, because in the end, I know that the smears would have worked and shifted votes.

All because we would have properly treated and respected one of the two people in line for the next Presidency of the United States.

What a terrible shame.





* - Reagan maybe? I'm not sure.

Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 19, 2008 | | Comments

If Someone's Got A Different Version Of Events, I'm All Ears...

....Otherwise, the Black Rod nails the Matthew Dumas shooting highlights. The race baiters - and they know exactly what they were attempting - picked the wrong case to rail on. People should know the details of this case.

Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 19, 2008 | | Comments

Wednesday, June 18

Is The Wii Hulu Girl For Reals?

If that clip really is an ad, I for one applaud Nintendo's counter marketing strategy.  They deny, but I love this line by the dude who "recorded" it and posted it:
 

"If she had known she was being filmed she would have changed her outfit to something cuter - perhaps let her hair down, taken her glasses off, etc."

 
 

I love the blogger's snark about it:  Right, because ponytails and secretary glasses are total turnoffs.

Posted by The Hack at Wednesday, June 18, 2008 | | Comments

Tuesday, June 17

I Owe You Some Beers Frog Dude

Sure I sat through a couple hours of Robert's Rules, but Policy Frog did the research:

At a meeting attended by all four NDP-affiliated members of City Council, and run by the Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the President of CUPE Manitoba, and the next leader of the Liberal Party of Manitoba, the following Executive members were elected/acclaimed:

Chairs

  • Liam Martin — Current/former provincial NDP staffer. Son of MP Pat Martin.
  • Cindy Gilroy-Price — Current WSD Trustee. Liberal.

Research and Policy

  • Shauna McKinnon — Director of the Manitoba Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Basically the polar opposite of the Fraser Institute.
  • Chris Leo — U of W urban politics professor and infrequent but incredibly verbose blogger.

Communications and Outreach

Fundraising

Social Action

  • Allan Wise — Australian cricketer playing first-class cricket with the Victorian Bushrangers…oh wait, probably not the right one. West Alexander Community Development Coordinator for the Community Economic Development Association (CEDA).
  • Calvin Pompana — Aboriginal activist and President of the White Buffalo Spiritual Society. Former TORY candidate for Point Douglas in the 1990 election?? Wow, how did he sneak in there? David over at the Waverley West blog has more on Calvin.

My take:

This group is about as broad-based as the Mayor's understanding of urban planning. Sorry kids, but you would have been well-served to have recruited at least a token member of the centre-right. Heck, even the greens don't have any representation here. Isn't that whole environment thing kind of a big issue these days?

I wish you well, and I hope you do initiate some lively debate around urban issues, but my first impression is that you're the same group of Katz-haters with just one more meeting to attend every month.


I've basically stolen his entire post, so please click the link once or twice to make up for my malfeasance. (Seriously! Do it!) Policy Froggie did the heavy lifting of research, but I'm taking it with glee to provide a capper to the live blog from last night.



Update: Sorry I somehow managed to sneak in and you didn't man, but this passage I found hilarious....We must do beers at some point. [post]

I may have been late enough to bar my access to the event, but hey, I could feel better knowing that I did beat Dan Vandal there. I was standing to the side and carrying about fifteen CDs in my hands when I saw him breeze by, clearly rushing over from another engagement; he and I exchanged nods, not because we've ever met or anything, but because I happened to recognize him and then he figured he may as well nod back to the tall dude in the Venom shirt holding a day's worth of music.

Posted by The Hack at Tuesday, June 17, 2008 | | Comments

Thanks All

With some extra traffic thanks to last night's live blog, now is a great time to mention that sometimes shortly after May Long Weekend, my stat tracker nudged past the 250,000 hits mark for the blog.

It is greatly appreciated. Whether you are a first time visitor or one of the loyal few who still visits regularly during my far too frequent fits of writer's block or laziness, knowing that eye balls regularly come by to read my blather leaves me with a great feeling of self-satisfaction and of accomplishment.

Hope most of you stick around for 500,000 and beyond....

Posted by The Hack at Tuesday, June 17, 2008 | | Comments

Monday, June 16

Carlos & Murphy's Post Script

Sipping a cerveza and lamenting that there is nothing "special" about $4.50 Coronas, I reflect back on the evening....

Basically, it was pretty much a meat and potatos organizational meeting with very little policy discussion, which for a founding meeting is to be expected and truthfully, encouraged. If there was ever to be an AGM or policy convention, with resolution debate and such, there's no way I would want to miss the entertainment value involved.

The pro-conservative minded comments early in the evening - and the almost-to-the-point-of-non-existent tut-tutting of said comments - was a pleasent surprise, but quite honestly, there is nothing "conservative" about the make up of tonight's room unless we're talking "not changing the status quo of large gov't expenditures in social policy" and "the increasing of...".

I'm curious as hell as to how well the group gets its feet under it going forward and whether they manage to rally people are the idea of adding "organized" to municipal politics in Winnipeg. As noted earlier, I'm very much in favour of adding elements of parties to the civic level and would encourage such a trend.

One really interesting thing that is beyond obvious is the ability of Sam Katz, almost universally loved in 2004, to polarize people against him. It came up via email from a buddy a month or two ago, but someone fairly knowledgable to City Hall dealings mentioned that he doesn't meet a lot of Sam Katz supporters anymore, only former Sam Katz supporters. Couldn't agree more with the comment back then and certainly the people in tonight's room would nod their own approval tonight I'm sure.

It really is amazing as a political observer to watch.

I'm not sure that Sam would lose in a straight-up fight with Vandal. Also not sure that a true conservative as a third candidate could do anything but hand it to Vandal, but I'm really hoping the Mayor packs it in and returns to the ball club and maybe even take over being commissioner of the Northern League. Vandal with the Winnipeg Citizen's Coallition behind him vs. a solid right-wing candidate with the machines of the folks' who did well in 2006 behind him or her would make for a good match up.

Course that screws up Scotty's timing a little, doesn't it? Something to think about....

Meanwhile, another beer pour pa vour!


PS: As an aside, man, I miss hanging out here in the Village. If I ever believed that a Tory could win in the area provincially, I'd move here and live here in a heartbeat. Love the environment.

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 16, 2008 | | Comments

"Are You Ready For Some Non-Partisan Broad-Based Coallition Building?"

7:07 - " On Monday Night."

Was a little late arriving to the room tonight, but had some difficulty finding good parking on the street. *waves "Curse You Downtown" fist in the air*

Well, I made it in time for the beginning. As to be expected, it was a little delayed in getting going. Set up in a back corner near a wall socket. Ran into at least one friendly face already...Well, as friendly as a former NDP staffer can be.

I'm going to try and be as accurate with quotes as possible, but bear with me. When I quote, it'll likely be para-phrasing only. I promise to be fair however...


7:08 - Heh. We're being told that fire regulations has the room's capacity at 120 people, but we're already over. "Signs of much interest." The library staff wonders if we can go split-style with back-to-back meetings, but the room quickly kyboshes the idea. They're looking for volunteers to stand outside.

No dice here folks. I'm holding my ground. Besides, I would think such a group would want at least one hip and "progressive" blogger in the room during the deal.

And since there's no one in the room that fits the bill, I'm taking his spot.


7:12 - With enough folks tossed, the meeting has been called to order. Shauna Something Or Another is introducing herself to us and listing the issues that the planning group is concerned about. As to be expected, we've got the list of environmental and social issues that the Froggy was referencing earlier today.

7:16 - Oops. Scratch that. The opening speaker was Mary Something Or Another. Shauna (or Shawna, who knows?) Something Or Another is speaking now. She mentions that 80 folks were involved in the email and meetings leading up to tonight.

7:17 - I feel so left out. "We feel the time is now to bring together the people on the left with the people in the...centre."

7:18 - Kevin, the CUPE "labour guy" (self-professed), has arrived to go over the proposed by-laws. Must remember to grab a copy of these, because hey, the wonk needs to flex his muscles as well.

7:20 - Quick scan of the room reveals only Harvey Smith as a recognisable figure. I'm sure I'm missing someone, but faces tend to blur just enough without my specs that I can't pin point others at the moment.

7:21 - Holy Hillary Clinton! Kevin is hitting the folks up for $25 donations. Supposedly you need to by a Winnipeg resident and 18 years of age. I should kick in a few shekels, if only for the entertainment value alone.


7:23 - Yeah, I probably won't be donating.

7:23 - Because they are inclusive, some early by-laws are being read in french. Merci Beaucoup......And ala Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the exact same passage is now read in english to bring everyone up to speed.

7:25 - And we're at our first vote. The by-law provisions have been carried without negative.

7:25 - Annnnnnnnnnd there's the first Point of Order. (If you don't think this Tory loves his procedure, you have not been reading this Tory's blog.)

"Shouldn't the folks standing in the hallways be called in for the vote?"

"Good call. We were thinking about that when it came to voting for the Committee, but we'll send someone out to conduct one."

7:27 - "Can they even hear us out there?"

7:29 - Dang. Didn't grab the profiles of the candidates from the nominating committee either. Bad blogger.

7:30 - Bit of a break while they figure out where the other dude went.

7:31 - David Winter, regional director of the Prairie Region for a union (didn't catch it) is up to let us know that he will give up his spot in the room since he's not a voting delegate (dude's from Regina), but he wants to leave us with a comment that he is very happy to see the group in the room tonight. "Clearly, you have reached a tipping point here in Winnipeg."

Another person rises and asks if Mr. Winter shouldn't stay since he might be able to offer some experience to the room.

"Maybe I should leave instead." *chuckles from the room*

(Still, I believe Mr. Winter has departed.)

7:33 - Nice! A guy is standing up to ask about why all the talk is about left and centre when many of the councillors could be called "conservative" and that a lot of people voted for them as well. "Inclusion should be for everybody, not just centre left..."

(He also joked that the room might want him to leave after. Still, the room clapped when he was finished and the Kevin dude from CUPE agrees with him.)

7:37 - Huh. Speaker after speaker has risen in the last few minutes to suggest that conservatives are not to be excluded because many are very much pro-grassroots organizations and some were very "progressive". One speaker suggests doing away with the labels.

This is an intriguing development. The message is receiving what could be considered fairly strong applause.

7:38 - Shauna Whatshername is saying that everyone is welcome providing they support the group's causes. Still, she quickly tries to reign in the lost direction and moves the group to the elections.

7:39 - I'm calling it. Starting to get a wee warm in the room and I'm sitting at the edge.

7:40 - I think, but can't be sure just yet, that the Paul that went out to the hallway to gauge those standing outside is Paul Hesse. Would make sense if so.

7:42 - Just noticed Nick Ternette. (Spelling?)

7:43 - Question: Should a candidate conduct the election? Answer: No, Kevin and Paul are not candidates.

7:44 - Question: Wondering about the fee? Can we do $2 a month withdrawal or something like that? Answer: Don't have that now, but the $25 is a suggested amount and is not required to be a member.

"It is 'recommended' it says," some lady heckles.

7:46 - There's Lillian Thomas.

7:48 - Floor handed over to Paul. "Next time, we're getting the MTS Centre."

Starting with the chairs nominations.

"Cindy Gilroy-Price"

"Liam Martin"

Me: *whispering* Hey Liam.

*he looks over*

Me: Seconded.

*grins*

"Tom Simms"

"Patrick Fortier"

Liam and Cindy were nominated out of the room.

7:51 - I just heard applause from the outside, but no idea what for. One of the organizers arrives to say that Tom Simms declined. The other group must not like him that much.

(I'm kidding of course. I'm sure they were applauding the closing of nominations and the acclamation of Cindy and Liam. Mine's still funnier.)

7:53 - Debate about procedure and whether Liam and Cindy should introduce themselves. And of course, points of order about whether candidates are going to be bouncing back and forth between the rooms. What fun!

7:54 - Research and policy committee: "Chris Leo" He blogs, right? "Shauna MacKinnon" Yes! Got the right Shauna spelling! Another acclamation.

7:56 - Social Action Committee chairs:

"Betty Edel"

"Allan Wise"

"Calvin Pompana"

"Giselle Saurette-Roch"

(More applause from the other room. Wants to bet those slackers didn't nominate anyone from the floor again?)

Giselle is honoured, but politely declines. Ditto Betty. (This surprises me. I thought she was a committee suggestion.)

Point of Order: Gender equality is suggested here with only two dudes left. Said POOer suggests Mary Anne Cerilli.

8:00 - First voice of anger I've heard all night. Post Mary Anne Cerilli suggestion, another gentleman rose suggesting that the process is getting flawed. Said angry comment suggested that the nominations never closed and that open process was still open. (Or Hack translation: "Shut yer pie hole and sit down.")

8:01 - Male Voice: "I would suggest that gender parity is insulting and that it should be based on ability."

An older lady in the back: "Suuuuuure, says the male." She also muttered something about her grandmother, but I'll be honest, I was giggling too hard to really catch it.

8:03 - Mucho confusion.

"Marianne Cerrilli" has been officially added.

Oh yeah! I forgot. While we went back and forth, we learn that the other room already "acclaimed" the two who were nominated. Allan Wise and declined candidate Betty Edel. Oops.

8:07 - When Cerrilli was asked if she would accept, heckling lady responded in the positive for her. Cerrilli delayed about a few seconds - enough to be noticeable, though I believe she was seriously pondering - and finally relented to standing for the nomination.

The organizers are pretty screwed here trying to figure out how to accommodate speeches in two different rooms.

In the meantime, I'm starting to wonder if the Jays are playing tonight.

8:11 - About ten minutes ago I was texted by a buddy that Dan Vandal was leaving his evening event. He's now working the back of the room. What happened to the "Those on the outside, stay on the outside" rule?

8:13 - I guess you really can't leave the probable pony in the barn for something like this, can you?

Liam came by to mention that he already gave a speech in the other room.

We're now ready to hear the three candidates.

8;14 - Allan Wise: Firmly believes that City needs to be changed. Council level. Been involved in Coalition since beginning. Has helped at grassroots level. Inner city activist. Arrived as a refugee in '89. "Thankfully, no one has asked me to leave YET." (Hack: Nice piece of self-deprecating humour there. Very sincere.)

Calvin Pompana: I view you all as friends. Honoured to be asked. 38 years in the city. Loves it. Concerned about the young people, particularly aboriginals (his background), and I'm glad that the city has set aside money for...(missed it, I'll be honest).

Marianne Cerilli: Very committed to making this happen. Approached after last election by CUPE. Health teacher by training. Want to see community develop around health. 1st generation Canadian. Guidance councillor, recreation leader, MLA and now mentors women at a group I didn't catch. On a social planning council. Urban sprawl BOO! Child care YAY! Involved in the "Raise The Rates" campaign. (Haven't heard of it, but my hunch is that it is welfare or assistance related.)

8:21 - Caught Vandal leaving the room. Likely headed to the next one. (I wonder if they'd let me pop in there for a bit.....Likely would. Too lazy to find out.)

No Jays game tonight.

8:23 - Just spent a minute chatting with Patrick Fortier and Matt Allard (sp?) who were reading the site on a Blackberry. Gotta love the 21st Century.

Nice guys. (Or seem to be from all appearances.) *grin*

8:25 - When asked, declined a ballot. Thanks for the offer, but I'm likely campaigning against y'all in 2010, using you as a rally for the conservative cause to organize a little stronger as well. Probably a little unfair to vote in this. (And honestly, all three appear to be good people, so I doubt there's a wrong choice in the bunch.)

8:28 - I'm going to be careful because people are in the room reading at the same time I'm writing, but let's just say that I've noticed not a lot, but some quality...."talent" in the room, if you know what I mean.

Always wanted to date a lefty....

8:30 - Dan Vandal's back.

8:31 - Ballots collected and off to be counted. We're moving on to Communications and Outreach:

"Patrick Fortier"

"Debbie Jamerson"

"Rebecca Schwabb"

"Mattew Allard" *fist pump on being on a streak of correct name-spelling*

Allard is flattered in both official languages, but declines.

Schwabb's in the other room...Slight delay....

Heh. Paul Hesse at the podium: "Just to give you a head's up, fundraising is coming up next."

8:35 - Still delayed. The laptop on the lap is killing sperm by the thousands and starting to really make me uncomfortable.

8:40 - We're killing time by doing upcoming event announcements. National Aboriginal Day, the Rapid Transit group on Wednesday at the Gas Station Theatre. Tickets are $5? Missed what for though...Happy Days by the Elmwood/East K. something or another announced by Lillian Thomas....Winnipeg Not For Sale, some group against privatization. Lots of stuff going on with them...Saturday night, one of the MCs of a variety show in Old Market Square. Suggested donation ten beans, but overall, "Just come."

8:43 - Rebecca Schwab declined.

Debbie Jameson and Pat Fortier accepted and are acclaimed. (Patrick with a "Oui".)

8:44 - Fundraising:

"Georgina Sabesky"

"Robert Page"

"David Sauer"

All accepted with "Thanks to my nominator..." except Georgina, who cursed hers to a life listening to city council committee recaps on an endless loop until the end of time.

(Okay, so I made that last part up.)

8:47 - Georgina is asked to use the mic by Lillian Thomas, who gets downright pissy when Georgina attempts to simply raise her voice. Thomas, who mentions her hearing disability, was actually close to being hostile, though Georgina cracked a joke at the mic about the incident and went on with her speech.

8:48 - Georgina: Raised in a socialist household. Moved back to Winnipeg ten years ago. Helped get involved with Glen Murray's campaign the first go-around. Has seen NDP-Liberal-Tories who are unaligned get together at civic levels before and feels it possible here as well.

Robert: Ran for city council back in '73. Strong aboriginal background in his policies (but not his ethnicity). Didn't do too well. "That's why you probably haven't heard of me." Ran against Justin Swandal in the past. Didn't win and ran on no contracting out of city jobs. Ran as an NDP in a federal election. Lost that too. From Jane Jacobs school of thought: "I'm a citizen, not a taxpayer." Against MalewhatevertheheckthestuffisthatgetsridoftheSkeeters. Wants some other stuff, including banning leaf blowers if he could. Also wants to "work with the Chipman Family to bring the NHL back to Winnipeg", proving that this truly is a non-partisan evening.

David: Involved with the United Way and something with a union. Worked with the NDP and the Canadian Labour in the past. Workplace safety right now. Focus is that the city is not going into the right direction. Losing thousands, nay millions of dollars in...Something, he's going fast. Filled in a few others, name dropping his church and the United Way once again. Basically, anti-Katz's direction.

8:56 - There's Jenny Gerbasi at the back.

8:59 - I'm second guessing myself on whether "Paul" is Paul Hesse. I wonder if this is what Liam was referring to when he stopped by earlier and mentioned something about "validating" something else.

9:01 - Liam confirms it is Hesse, and our speaker is going to start. The room must be vacated by 9:30. (Couldn't help myself, but I "Yes!"ed before I could stop.) Liam also grabbed me a glass of water (and three website hits, he says), so let me just say once again, good people.

9:03 - Our speaker, Shellie Bird of People for a Better Ottawa Municipal Coalition is speaking and giving some background on the group. Wonder if she'll mention that the right-wing mayor won the last Ottawa municipal election? (Course, to be fair, Mayor Larry sounds sorta nutbar-ish, so maybe they claim victory in spirit.)

On the crimes of cuts and downloading and growth of inequality.

9:07 - "Globalization arrived to Ottawa." Faced with a $120 million potential deficit, the City of Ottawa did a widespread program review after a decade of flat lined budgets and "we came together in a crisis," at a child care meeting. They put out a call to other groups, progressive politicians and others and had 300 people show up to a meeting very much like the one tonight.

9:09 - Wanted a different type of coalition. Wanted one that didn't pit children vs. the elderly. That those needing services were not pitted against those new citizens. That "we wouldn't let our city divide us."

9:10 - In 2004, we came together and fight the good fight thru that ill-fated budget process and did not lose a single dollar from services - didn't gain much - but didn't lose.

Actually found success talking to communities and changed the debate on the issue of taxes. No one wants to be taxed, but found that people were willing to spend more taxes if it means protecting programs "like the adult crossing guard program" or the "community pool open". We were going to do the one budget only.

9:13 - Found we wanted to keep going. Facing huge deficits again year after year. (What the hell is going on there that you would face $120 and $80 millionish deficits regularly?) And why hasn't she properly tied back in her "Globalization..." line?

9:16 - Can't just run "progressives" unless they also speak to a wider community. Ottawa has a strong rural base that must also fit in.

9:17 - Hack: Looking around, there's a couple of media folks in the room, but no one I'm recognizing.

9:17 - It's a shame, but the speaker is being asked to wrap up despite obviously being not too deep into her presentation. Blows, since she came so far, but to be expected at one of these types of gigs. Focusing on the good things about bringing a broad group together rather than sticking to niche groups focusing on housing, child care, arts, etc.

9:19 - Finishes strong and receives warm applause: "When you know each other, it's hard to divide and conquer." (Good message for political scientists, lousy for their opponents.)

9:20 - Allan and Calvin beat out Marianne. Robert electoral success continued when Georgina and David won the other.

9:21 - We're being kicked out right away. Georgina's hitting the fundraising angle. People are starting to bail. Should pull out my keys and start shaking them at 'em.

9:22 - Lousy for the group's opponents. Not the political scientists' opponents.

9:23 - A quick one two with Cindy and Liam, the new chairs. Liam makes a reference to Vancouver's system as something that might work here. As a political hack, I can only hope he is right.

9:25 - Cindy wasn't here earlier because she was at a meeting tonight, but is excited by the fact that the room overflowed.

9:26 - Question: "How do we find anyone?" Answer: The website is a work in progress, but is being added to every day.

9:27 - Question: "How do we volunteer for committees?" Answer: It'll come out over the emails and the newsletter announcing the next meeting. "Don't fret."

9:28 - Last order of business: Destroy ballots? Done.

9:28 - Liam: Motion to adjourn? Room: Done. Someone else: Now get out! (Basically, that is what she said.)

I'm out of here. Time to go get beers and regale others with my tales of venturing into the belly of the beast.

Night all. Thanks for checking it out. (And based on the stats, yes, there was an increased traffic tonight.)

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 16, 2008 | | Comments

Doer's Difficulty

Manitoba's Minister-In-Waiting, Rod Bruinooge throws a potential landmine into the Manitoba Legislature with today's story on a potential Waverly Underpass. Of course the rapid-transit*, anti-car brigade will be out in full force shouting "Rapid Transit! Not Underpasses!", but let's all be honest about it, an underpass is a project that will occur sooner or later anyhow due to South Winnipeg growth. Maybe it is just me, but my hunch is the sooner the better.

So here's Rod for once signalling that the feds are ready to move on a project and leaving it up to the province to play the role of stalling bad guy. Tidy little reversal of the football stadium situation.

Also puts a goodly amount of pressure on Doer regarding the infrastructure deal. Makes for an interesting play.



Updated:

* - Forgot to do the * this morning, but I was going to say that yesterday's Freep story on rapid transit was just a little over the top in its bandwagonism. Once again, I would suggest to the Freep that inside instead of doing the easy angle again and again, you may want to occassionally investigate the other side and do the angle-rarely-chosen. Might make you a more interesting read.

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 16, 2008 | | Comments

Passing The Torch

Few experiences are more awkward or more painful to witness than holding front row tickets to the forced retirement of a former star player because he just couldn't recognize that his time in the spotlight was over.

You know how proud the person can be and you know how hurt and crushed he or she must be feeling when that final - that painfully-obvious-to-everyone-but-themselves - proclamation comes down and slaps him in the face.

Longevity is not a negative trait. Experience and wisdom must be passed along to those who are new and only a veteran of can pass those along to the rookies and newer members of the organization. However, as always is the case, there is a point of diminishing returns and when it arrives, other veterans step up to leadership roles and a passing of the torch must take place.

Sure, in his heart, the aging vet feels he has more to give to the game. Some days, that might even be true.

Sure, in our heads, we know there is no guarantees that the replacements will improve the situation. In fact, it is safe to say that it will take time for them to properly replace a veteran. Even one in the fading years of her career.

But you also know that the people currently holding the positions on the team are unlikely to return to glory years. You know that there has to be an end at some point. When your career is measured in decades, in a sport when a particularly long and successful career can be just 12-15 years, "not hurting" the team is no longer acceptable. You have to ask yourself if the team might not be able take a step forward just taking a chance on someone new in your post. Someone who might not be better than you now, but who has the potential to be something special if only properly nurtured by the parents of success - time and game experience.

Sometimes the hurt to the team comes from simply not being able to experiment with a new rookie.

When veterans refuse to leave voluntarily, foregoing an opportunity to leave the playing field with their heads held high, it also hurts and disappoints their fans. They're forced to dredge up all of the negatives from their career, rehash all the mistakes and errors, if only to help justify the unceremonious departure involved.

Hanging on too long is also unfair to the leadership who must make the final decision in the matter. No one wants to be put in a position of delivering the news to someone previously successful at their job and wanting to continue that their contributions are no longer meaningful or wanted or both. Only the most cruel would take anything but suffering out of such a meeting, and when a person is nearing the end of their career, a little consideration of others should enter the equation as well. When working on a team toward mutual goals, a little self-awareness is a requirement.

If you can recognize that your contributions are waning before others do, you're doing well and will be remembered for your glories and not your follies.

People want to celebrate those who have made amazing contributions to the team. Especially those who have been at the very top of their field in the past. We want to revel in the memories and even inflate the legend a little as time marches on and those successes become just a little bit larger and earned against just a little more tougher odds. The set backs and misjudgments fade into the darkness of the past and only the pleasant shines through to the surface.

This is how it should be. Many aging warriors get it and make the call on their own terms. Others do not and must be creatively encouraged, even outright pushed out the door.

It isn't nice, but that is how it is.

Also applies to football.

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 16, 2008 | | Comments

Live Blog Opportunity

I've got time on my hands and access to a laptop with wireless tonight.

What fortuitous timing.

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 16, 2008 | | Comments

Saturday, June 14

This Video Makes Me Want A Wii Even More...

Hypnotic.  (Mostly SFW)

Posted by The Hack at Saturday, June 14, 2008 | | Comments

Friday, June 13

*forehead smack*

How could I forget Young People Fucking from my "To See" list?! 
 
Throw it up at #4 with Hancock*.  Bump everything else down one.
 
 
 
 
 
* - A little Freudian mayhaps?

Posted by The Hack at Friday, June 13, 2008 | | Comments

Top Ten Summer Movie Rankings

Have only seen Iron Man thus far, and my excitement for that only snuck up on me in the last two weeks before opening weekend. Loved it. Going to see My Winnipeg at the Burt on the 24th with Guy Maddin narrating. Looking forward to it, though I find I never really enjoy Maddin films. Hopefully this will be the first.

(Still looking for a date. Any smart/cute/both readers interested in going?*)


Anyhow, here's the rest of 'em in order of excitement/desire to see them/desire to see them outside of the cheap theatre:

1. The Dark Knight - July 18
2. Wall-E - June 27

[big step down]

3. Hancock - July 2 (though I would prefer the stat rape R-version that existed a month ago)

[another step, almost as large]

4. X-Files 2: Whatever They're Subtitling It - July 25
5. Swing Vote - August 1
6. The Incredible Hulk - Today (another that snuck up on me only this week)

[one last step to the rest]

7. Indiana Jones and The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull - May 22
8. The Rocker - August 1
9. Get Smart - June 20
10. Star Wars: The Clone Wars - August 15

Runners Up: Pineapple Express, Wanted, Hamlet 2


* - Oh yeah. That just happened. I used the blog to troll for a date. Be happy I'm not egotistical enough to try and run a contest of sorts....

Posted by The Hack at Friday, June 13, 2008 | | Comments

Thursday, June 12

Swimming In The "Muddy" Waters Of The Red

Apparently this first appeared on Cotton's blog, but an opponent of BIll 17 emailed me this link this morning.  Tis good in context of the hog barn ban....
 

Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 12, 2008 | | Comments

Okay...This Is Funny And Makes Me Happy That My Big RRSP Has TD As Its #2 Behind Power Corp.

From Simmons' Game Three column:

Q: What has been the most eye-opening e-mail you've received in the Finals?

A: Probably this one from Toronto:

    I've noticed in your columns that you refer to the "TD Banknorth Garden" as "Whatever The Hell The Garden Is Called." We at TD Bank spent over $100 million purchasing the naming rights to the Garden. We would appreciate if you mentioned the "TD Banknorth Garden" by its proper name. With your large number of readers, it would make our investment worthwhile. Thank you.

    Sincerely,
    Ed Clark, president & CEO of TD Bank

(You know what? Ed probably has the power to screw up my credit or something. I'm going to listen to him. The TD Banknorth Garden it is!)

Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 12, 2008 | | Comments

Nerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrds!

Check out the costume contest!

And if you don't think I'm kinda crushing on the chick in the pink, you are sadly mistaken my readers.

Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 12, 2008 | | Comments

Wednesday, June 11

For The Record, I Have Never Been In A Relationship With Julie Couillard

If it hasn't arrived there already, the story now hits ludicrous speed.

Posted by The Hack at Wednesday, June 11, 2008 | | Comments

Curse You Hansard!

Like I wasn't going to try and get in a plug:

I'm going to wrap up. Just over all, it's a little disingenuous that we're debating this and rushing this bill a year after an election, rather than a year before. If that was the situation, I could understand that. I do think there are a lot of issues in this bill that clearly need to be debated. If we're going to have public discussions along Senate nominations, Senate reform, I don't see why we wouldn't hold off on this bill to include the public in a wider forum on these discussions as well.
 
Just based on the number of speakers, I would argue that clearly this bill has issues in it that touch upon more than just Manitoba's hacks and locks*.
 
* - Locks?!!!  Does that make any sense?   Bah!

Posted by The Hack at Wednesday, June 11, 2008 | | Comments

Politics Of Apology

Say what you want about the Residential Schools Apology coming this afternoon, but you cannot deny that the government is getting major mileage out of the politics of the action.  While I doubt many aboriginals will switch their votes to Tory, it's probably safe to say they aren't really the target audience. 

Posted by The Hack at Wednesday, June 11, 2008 | | Comments

What A Metaphor

[Wells]

To understand it all, you need to go back to that clip. The TV news clip of Maxime Bernier and Julie Couillard getting out of a car at Rideau Hall last August for his swearing-in as Canada's new foreign minister. The clip everyone has seen a million times, the one that revealed what a blogger for Italy's La Stampa last week called "il décolleté più fotografato del Canada," the most photographed cleavage in Canada.

So here's Maxime Bernier getting out of the car. He's been a member of Parliament, and minister of industry for 18 months, and if you must know it's gone pretty well. He's getting things done, earning good reviews. He's growing from his fief in the Beauce into a tidy regional base of power and influence across eastern Quebec. The morning papers say he may one day replace Stephen Harper. It's a good life.

But then everything starts weighing down on him. The phone rings and it's the Prime Minister's Office and Max, you're out of Industry. You're being shuffled to Foreign Affairs. The Prime Minister's on the other end of the line and there's a war in Afghanistan, Max, and the Vandoos are being rotated into the battle space. The phone's for you, five campaign priorities have collapsed to one, and it's "Get Through This War," so we need a Québécois face in front of this suddenly rather Québécois war, and there is no draft in Canada except for ministers and your number just came up. The PMO is calling and there's just one more thing, could you fire your chief of staff? She's been a bit cheeky.

So he's leaving the job he can actually do for a job he never wanted. He's being told whom to hire and fire. Sure, it's Foreign Affairs. For just about anyone else it would be the highlight of a career. But for Max Bernier it doesn't feel like the highlight of much. So he calls the new girl, Julie, the one who's so fiery and sad. He tells her to come out to the ceremony — and to wear that dress. She hesitates: isn't it a bit much? But he insists. Later, when the PMO calls yet again to complain that Laureen Harper would never wear a dress like that, he'll say, "Precisely." And what he means, with the invitation and the dress and the tiny moment of rebellion against a PMO that will not stop hemming him in, is that at least for now, in this moment, Julie Couillard is a living symbol of the quality Bernier treasures most. The ideal he came into politics to defend.

Freedom.



Posted by The Hack at Wednesday, June 11, 2008 | | Comments

Monday, June 9

Liberated.

Looks like they didn't hesitate.

Posted by The Hack at Monday, June 09, 2008 | | Comments

Friday, June 6

If I Knew Then, What I Know Now...

Wade Redden is done as an Ottawa Senator, though that is hardly a shock to any Sens watcher.  When you are asked not once, but twice to take a trade and refuse...Well, let's just say the GM is sending a message about your long term future with the club.

It's for the best.  I'm a big Wade Redden fan, going back to his years patrolling blue lines for the Brandon Wheat Kings, but it's time for him to move on.  The club had to make a decision a couple of seasons ago - Redden or Chara - and Redden rewarded that decision with some fairly mediocre play and overall inconsistent leadership.  There isn't a Sens fan who doesn't wish for a do-over.*
 
I wish Wade the best and hope that his game will return to him.  At one point he looked like he was becoming the next great Canadian defenceman.  Today, he's just another 2nd liner who hiccups far too often.
 
 
* - Though you can rip John Muckler on much, this decision is not one of those.  He made what appeared to be the best decision at the time.  History has just proven him - and all the rest of us - wrong. 

Posted by The Hack at Friday, June 06, 2008 | | Comments

Thursday, June 5

2nd National Anthem

If I was TSN, I wouldn't even hesitate.  Not for one second.

Posted by The Hack at Thursday, June 05, 2008 | | Comments

Wednesday, June 4

For The Love Of All Things Holy (And Satanic If That Kinda Thing Floats Your Boat)!

Peter Mansbridge....STOP SAYING "Canada's Most Watched Political Panel"!!!!!!!

I'm your target market....Young...Educated (mostly)...Decent disposable income...And most importantly, a dude who tunes into various news outlets for its quality of political panel.

And I'm telling you, this stupid branding exercise is just infuriating me.  Love Hebert.  Love Coyne.  Like Gregg and Martin.  And while you made a mistake going to four panelists from three (huge mistake actually), overall, yours is the panel I try to make appointment viewing.

But I'm telling ya, this branding must stop.  It sounds terrible and it insults the intelligence of the viewer.

Just stop.  No one cares about "Most Watched Political Panels".  They just care about quality political panels.*




* - And even then, it's not that many people who care that deeply about them.

Posted by The Hack at Wednesday, June 04, 2008 | | Comments

Tuesday, June 3

Times Change

One of the most amusing fallouts of the Maxime Bernier/pending cabinet shuffle chatter is how pundits are actually discussing the idea of Jim Prentice moving from Industry to Finance(and in some cases cheerleading it, like the Sun chain's Greg Weston this morning).

I think back to late January '06 and popular finance critic Monte Solberg conceding to his fans that the idea of a Prime Minister and Finance Minister from the same province was unrealistic to even consider in Canada and that he was very content with a much smaller portfolio based on the number of Alberta cabinet seats available.

A relatively short two years and change later, and my hunch is that hardly anyone other than the least self-confident eastern punditry ("Hello Toronto Star!") would see the idea of Jim Prentice at Finance as an asset to Canada.

Another small shuffle closer towards cabinets of talent rather than cabinets of region.  Andrew Coyne is pleased.

Posted by The Hack at Tuesday, June 03, 2008 | | Comments

So I've Been Thinking....

(BTW, things should hopefully be back to normal before the ole birthday rolls around.)

So I've been thinking....Could the best long term strategy of a Manitoba political party be with a strong and heavy handed approach towards urban and (not suburban) living?

On a long enough timeline, I'm positive that to be case.  But what is its medium-term prospects?

And what does that hurt in the short term?

Something to start pondering over the next few months.

Posted by The Hack at Tuesday, June 03, 2008 | | Comments

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