Is Winnipeg Soulless?

As usual Winnipeg is bogged down in controversy. Why do we need BRT? Why do we need a new stadium? Why do we need a Human Rights Museum? Why do we need a better zoo? Why do we need Bears on Broadway. Why do we need more high rise apartments in my neighborhood? Why do we need Ikea?

I don't want THAT in my back yard. Who needs art? Why should we spend money subsidizing education? Why should the city spend money on THAT development?

When did Winnipeg become such a negative place? We might well be the most unimaginative metropolis in Canada. We seem to be satisfied with the status quo.

Perhaps that is what we prefer: never-ending bitching about how bad off we are. But any time something new and creative comes our way we say absolutely not. It's ugly. It costs too much.

Previous generations of politicians at every level have spent our tax dollars like drunken sailors leaving us with a massive infrastructure deficit. Generations of piss poor civic planning in Winnipeg have left us with a real dog's breakfast of poorly maintained streets and traffic lights and sprawl. Add in a government that believes more bureaucracy is the only way to go.

Now we have to fix it. Unfortunately that fix is not inexpensive. We also have to keep living. Too many think that if we just stop spending everything will be better. Maybe, but not so much when we talk about cities. Winnipeg will not grow and prosper if we cannot provide balance. To me balance includes:
* generous social programs and training, taking care of the less privileged, helping them to become contributing citizens
* competent planning and quality infrastructure management and execution
* intelligent transit development
* then there are the intangibles that make a city warm and welcoming: trees and art and sport and culture and learning and food...

Nothing will get done properly in a vacuum. We need a real vision followed by a plan and excellent execution of the plan. That is not available in Winnipeg today. But if it were we don't seem to have the will to do it.

I have a dream of what I'd like Winnipeg to become. I have a passion for Winnipeg that allows me precious little patience for all the negativity, the naysayers and nimbiers that seem to dominate this fair burgh. We second and third guess absolutely everything.

Some will argue reality gets in the way of one's dream. True. But we do treat ourselves from time to time. Maybe splurge on a new jacket. Buy that car we've always wanted. Renovate the kitchen. Small things that are maybe a little more than we can afford but they form part of our fabric of life.

That is what museums and football stadiums and parks and art mean to a city. They also mean different things to different people. I believe we have to provide a myriad of treats for everyone to become a city that is more than mere bricks and mortar.

Or we can stop building anything that might not be necessary for the next 20-40 years while we balance the books and make our roads the envy of the country. But we might well end up a city without soul.

I don't want to live in that city.

The Coalition of The Devil — God Help Us

I just this moment heard an ad (from a coalition support group/union) supporting the coalition. The thing I find astounding is these groups ranting that the government has not got the job done. This government was just elected in October. Additionally they've not yet announced their 2009 budget (plan) and they are being labeled as "not getting the job done".

This ad in particular suggested the government has done nothing to protect jobs. Short of throwing tens of billions of dollars at "some industries" and "infrastructure" (which was done I understand) what more can be done?

• The Bank of Canada is independent no?
• The price of oil is beyond his circle of influence no?
• The housing market has been super-heated for so long now is there really any hope of extending that?
• Is there any guarantee that the Big Three will be any more solvent were Canada to throw billions there?
• Do Canadian banks need rescuing?

So what can be done? I say cooler and saner heads need to prevail to allow Canada to ride out the storm. A coalition propped up by the Bloc simply cannot "save" Canada.

Manitoba: Land of the Entitled

I was recently involved in a discussion on the woes of Manitobans. It started with a comment I heard yesterday on the Mercer Report of all places. In one of Mercer's commentaries he discussed the current state of all provinces and territories in Canada wherein he concluded Manitoba was a "never has and never will be province". Manitoba!

It continued this morning when I read Manitoba would never eliminate business taxes because "this province could never afford the poor". The notion Manitoba must afford the poor is mind-boggling.

I believe this impression we and others have of our province is hugely counter-productive to turning it around. I believe it begins and ends in this society of the entitled we've created in Manitoba.

We do have a society of entitlement here in Manitoba. The notion Manitoba is a province of the poor is absurd. It is the province of the chronically lazy. Our unemployment rate has been amoungst the lowest in Canada for a few years now. Business is SCREAMING for tradesmen yet we have Indian Chiefs crying unemployment amoung their people is epidemic.

We have some of the lowest secondary education fees in North America. Ton's of jobs. A relatively stable economy. Why aren't people working?

People argue eliminating our business taxes can't be done because we have too many poor. Stop funding these entitled people. The lowered business taxes (plus a business friendly government) will lead to more business leading to more jobs.

Jesus H. Christ we've got 10,000 plus immigrants entering Manitoba annually and they all seem to be productive taxpaying citizens immediately.

Our own people must get off their asses and get to work. And now.

Manitoba Economy

According to the statistics, Manitoba is leading the country in the following economic performance indicators:

• Manufacturing capital investment is up 29.8 per cent, compared to 5.3 per cent nationally. In the last 12 months, the number of manufacturing jobs increased by 1.7 per cent compared to a loss of 5.4 per cent nationally.
• Construction work increased 13.7 per cent, compared to 4.7 per cent nationally.
• Total exports increased 9.9 per cent, compared to 2.5 per cent nationally.
• Capital investment is forecast to be up 11.3 per cent, compared to 4.6 per cent nationally.

Source: Province of Manitoba

Discuss this further on the Winnipeg Sandbox.

Building a Sandbox

About a year ago I discovered on line forums. More to the point I discovered on line forums about Winnipeg. I quickly became addicted. And I spent far too much time pounding the keyboards while participating in many varied discussions about the old home town.

When playing in those forums you "meet" many wildly different people that share in your passion for the topic at hand. Some will agree with you. Others not so much. Some will debate passionately but politely. Others not so much.

It is the not so much peeps that strike a raw nerve in my tolerating coping centre. It is those people that will more likely than not receive an admonition from this writer. More times than naught a polite admonition. Other times less so. Usually the point is made and I move on. Other times it requires more vigorous debate. Good times. Some time.

A couple of months ago the owner and moderators of a particular favourite forum went overboard (in my view) with their moderation of that site. I felt they were going too far and told them so. Long story short they temporarily suspended a particularly popular member of the forum over a rather innocuous comment. I thought the move to be heavy handed and "suspended" myself for the same period. As did other members. These members were the top posters on that site (by volume at least).

When everyone returned from suspension and self-exile the shite hit the fan resulting in many members being banned from the site. And other members banning themselves. I was one of the self-banned members.

That was the genesis of the sandbox. Jonsing over the absence of my most pernicious time consumer I created a new forum for the banned and self-exiled members. Not having any experience in building or running such places I started by creating a Goggle Groups forum. It served its purpose but was slow and clumsy and unattractive. Which led to discussions within the small but growing membership of finding something else.

One member found a free forums site that provided just the vehicle we were looking for. I tried to create our new site with that tool but was quickly frustrated. That led me to a search for similar sites. That is when I found Forumotion.com. And the rest is history.

In very short order "The Winnipeg Sandbox" was created. Let me remind you I had zero experience in such matters. But the tool was easy to use, somewhat intuitive and attractive. Other than the constant niggling a perfectionist brings to the table the sandbox has performed exceedingly well. Our membership after a month has reached almost 50 members, and growing. We are averaging 200 posts a day and have generally outperformed our competition.

And there is little to fear about the moderators and administraters becoming more than the members and their posts. We are mostly self-moderated. The members will tell those that choose to behave innapropriately how they feel. That alone is usually enough. Oh, only after creating the Winnipeg Sandbox was I banned from the other place. The reason? Advertising another forum.

If you are a fan of Winnipeg and wish to become involved in the many varied discussions about Winnipeg why not drop by. We'd love to have ya and you might well find it worthwhile. Tell them a grumpy old man sent ya.

The Winnipeg Sandbox. One month old. Drop by and wish us a happy birthday.

New Critter Welcomed

Since Gumby passed away last year the old homestead seemed to be missing something. This in spite of the fact there remained two cats and a dog to keep me company. Pokey, a 12 year old Calico. The Queen of the manse. Dahg, a 10 year old DSH, and Toba, a 2 year old Cockapoo. Daddy's girl.

Further, Pokey - acquired 10 years ago to keep Gumby company, has become more and more clingy. While this is both good and bad I believe Pokey increasingly misses Gumby and his company. Gumby and Pokey became fast friends upon meeting in 1999. They constantly played together and kept each other company. Then Toba was added in 2006. A dog!

Suffice to say Pokey's nose is seriously out of shape.

The new addition is an adorable 2 year old Tortoiseshell. Weighing only 6.5 pounds, she is tiny. After maybe 4 hours she has demonstrated zero concern over the dog, and slight disdain over Pokey and Dahg. Since Dahg doesn't like anybody (except Dad) I have high hopes Pokey and the young girl become friends and playmates.

That said I need a name for the newest addition. I don't like the traditional names (after all, I DO have a cat named Dahg!).

So, what shall I name her?
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For those following this thread I have named her Winn. Anyone care to guess what that is short for? ;>}

Building Winnipeg to meet the lowest common denominator

Winnipeg has been slow to evolve. Slow and steady is the mantra of citizens and politicians alike. It seems that should someone come up with an innovative, never before done in Winnipeg idea, many Winnipeggers nix it even before the ink is dry on the proposal.

I wonder what it is with us Winnipeggers that drives us to shun progress with such vigour rarely displayed elsewhere.

Several good examples of late include the Human Rights Museum, the South Point Douglas/Stadium proposal, the Polo Park Stadium proposal, the Canad Inns Water Park proposal, the Assiniboine Avenue condo project...

The whining about not having these things is incredible. And yet the volume against those innovative proposals is deafening. For so many reasons. Especially the use of taxpayer money. What astounds me is the number of people who nix these proposals because they are not fully accessible by everybody.

While I believe it would be wonderful for everyone to enjoy equal access to everything, that is not the way the world works. What we get when we build to accommodate the lowest possible denominator is what we have now with many public amenities. Swimming pools and community centres are a couple prime examples. Vanilla.

Many people want other flavours. The trouble is with public amenities we cannot (or will not) afford chocolate or strawberry flavours. And the vanilla flavours are often under-used.

The proposal to redevelop Winnipeg's South Point Douglas area is a prime example. This is a part of Winnipeg that has been allowed to deteriorate to the extreme. Here is a tract of land on the banks of the Red River that is almost completely undeveloped, with little more than one or two dozen ramshackle, run down houses and some modest commercial properties.

Along comes the Aspers with a pretty neat proposal to fully develop that area. Beautiful new water park, retail development on the banks of the River and a $150 million football stadium. Nope, we don't want that here. Save the houses. Some even say we need to save the unaffected neighboring houses: can't have that, the taxes will go up.

Unfriggenbelievable.

The negative-naysayers of this city better give their collective heads a shake. And soon. What these whiners seem to ignore is the fact we don't have a whole lot of people knocking down our doors with fistfuls of loot looking to develop this burgh.

And don't whine 20 years from now at the snail-like pace of development in Winnipeg. We've had a chance to get what others have and we cavalierly waved them away.

Oh, and don't bother rebutting this post here. I see too much of that elsewhere.

Blue Bombers 2008 Quest for the Cup

Let the fearless prognostications begin... The Blue Bombers open the 2008 CFL season on Friday, June 27 against the Toronto Argonauts. The gap between the Stanley Cup final and the beginning of the CFL season seems to grow shorter each year.

But that's a good thing. Basketball does not do it for me and baseball is boring. The CFL is a terrific sport and enjoyable to watch.

In 1990 I had to give up what were great season tickets as a result of my transfer to Toronto. Since my return to Winnipeg in 2006 I have gone to maybe 4 games. This season I have acquired half a set of season tickets. Not just any tickets, but tickets on the 50 yard line, east side on the LAST row of the lowest section. Prime ducats, prime!

The bombers missed a glorious opportunity in 2007 to win the Grey Cup after QB Kevin Glen's arm was broken and the Winnipeg's were forced to start a green-as-grass rookie quarterback in the Grey Cup. In 2008 I fully expect Coach Doug Barry will have learned from that debacle by finding and playing a second string QB. It appears that QB will be Ryan Dinwiddie. The other soft spots included our special teams, all of them (except maybe Kyries Hebert). With place-kicker Troy Westwood released and a rookie in his place I don't know if we've improved there. A still suspect part of the team.

The defense looks awesome. The secondary is a weak spot but there is a gleam of improvement there with a new ball-hawking attitude. We should see an improvement on the minuscule 10 interceptions last year.

All in all I see a solid team that will improve on 2007.

My prediction? Winnipeg 14 wins and 4 losses. Winnipeg wins the Grey Cup.

Racism, profiling or good old fashioned police work?

Last week members of the Winnipeg Police Auto Theft group watched as a Chrysler 300 driven by a black man in gangsta-wear drove through a Starbucks lot twice in quick succession. That aroused their suspicions and the license plate was called into dispatch. The word came back: the car was stolen and off they went after them.

A few blocks later they and other police officers conducted a high risk take-down. Remember Winnipeg is a hostile environment where police officers are being deliberately targeted by car thieves. Several times this year punks have driven directly at police as they attempt to apprehend the punks.

In this case they had no idea who the driver was. He was black. He was dressed like a hood. He was driving a car not normally associated with a black man dressed as a hood. And they understood the vehicle was stolen.

So the police took the driver and passenger down as they would any other perp in any other situation. Guns removed from holsters, drawn and pointed at the bad guys. Forced to the ground. Then cuffed and placed into the back seat of a cruiser.

Only then did the police check the drivers ID, insurance and registration. Only then did the police realize their mistake. Only then were the driver and his passenger released.

Oops. Mistakes happen. The police officer at the scene apologized. The police chief apologized.

Was this profiling? Did the police act differently because the driver was black? Would the police act differently were the driver white but still dressed as a punk gangsta?

Watch the TV show COPS. Not every car pulled over results in a guns drawn and pointed scenario, but a goodly portion of them are. Unfortunately this is what our society has evolved to. There is such a lack of respect that the police simply don't feel safe in what at one time was a pretty innocuous event.

Call it racial profiling if that helps one's holier than thou attitude. The simple fact is the vast majority of crime is conducted by certain people. These people dress in a certain way. Combine these elements in a car not normally seen in those hands and there is cause for suspicion.

Place yourself in the role of the police officer here. They watch a car twice roll through the Starbucks drive through in quick succession. That is a little out of the ordinary wouldn't you agree? So the police did what we expect of them: check the vehicle out. That led to the unfortunate set of circumstances.

Now put yourself back in the role of police officer again. They notice the suspicious activity and do nothing. And it turns out it was a couple hoods casing the joint and eventually robbed it. I bet the uber-righteous amongst us would come down so hard on the police.

Can't win situation in my view.

Help Wanted - Yesterday!

I've recently had to deal with a few (too many) resignations at the company that pays my bills. It's a small business with four retail store-fronts and 12 employees (except for now there are 10 or 9...). So to lose two or three within two weeks of each other is a huge hit.

It means I might actually have to, the horror, serve customers. So I seek new blood. To try and save a little money I've posted ads at Kiilji, craig's list, HRDC, our web site... To little avail. The applicants, all very nice people I'm sure, simply don't stack up.

I guess I'll bite the bullet and post an ad in the Free Press at their outrageous cost. I hope that gets better results.

It is indicative of a city, Winnipeg, with record low unemployment levels. There are many jobs out there and simply not enough qualified people to fill them. It is also having an impact on salaries at the retail level. The three most recent resignations have all said they are moving on for more money. This has already had a ripple effect on the staff left behind. One approached me looking for more money and another asked for more than we were offering before accepting a promotion.

I so understand that dynamic and will respond accordingly. We have good people and I want them to know that they will receive fair pay and fair treatment when in my employ. Afterall a happy employee is a good and productive employee.

Ours is a slightly different business and requires a little more business savvy than the average retail employee. Making it all the more difficult to recruit qualified people. I can't imagine what it's like in big business in Western Canada. It must drive employers bananas.

If you know anyone looking for a job send them to RPL Ventures Inc. immediately.

Addictive Web Space and The Evil Thread Monster

Let's just start off this little ditty by acknowledging I am not even close to perfect. I can be condescending and close-minded. Long winded and opinionated. Biased and temperamental. But mostly I believe I am fair-minded, respectful and tolerant.

I participate in and contribute to a web space that is mostly about Winnipeg by Winnipeggers. There are the typical trolls, funny enough most actually are ex-Winnipeggers who maybe cannot let go but take every opportunity to tell us how great their new found home is and how terrible our home is. But mostly there are an awful lot of typical Winnipeggers that care very deeply about Winnipeg in all its beauty and all its warts.

There are a vast range of philosophies, left, right and centre. Some hard-liners. A few bleeding hearts. Surprisingly enough I don't always agree with everyone all the time. Heh heh. But often enough where I frequently become engaged in animated dialog. It really is an addictive pastime.

Almost all found-ins at this site contribute meaningfully. Some have an incredible knowledge of the history of Winnipeg. There are a few terrific photographers who contribute some amazing pictures showing the best and the worst of Winnipeg. One photographer has such a great portfolio I plan on purchasing some prints for display in my home. Another poster regularly features the history of Winnipeg through his vast archive of historical images and bite-sized historic dates.

A few have special social tendencies that have led to a group of like-minded peeps adopting a north-end Winnipeg community centre.

There are a few eccentric souls and comedians that frequent that space. One might argue I fall into both categories. It makes for a lively space at times.

And then there are the evil thread monsters. One that believes it is his divine right to ensure all claims are supported by facts (reference please). And to ensure the threads stay right on tack - not straying off topic. One who probably tells us too much about his personal situation. One who's agenda is never far from the surface no matter the topic. But mostly the immature, make it personal type that hates challenges to his threads and takes shots instead of making intelligent debate.

It takes all types to make this space what it has become. Mostly though the good far outweighs the bad at this space. So much so that I've mostly ignored my own blog space. What's the difference today you ask, that I've found time to write this new post?

My favourite site is down of course.

Edit. It turns out that the web site was not down. Rather it has blocked my IP address. And at least one other regular there has been blocked. The anonymous poster in my comments area might be a third blocked IP. Note that we have not been banned from the site.

There is one common factor: at least two of us have had unpleasant conflicts with another regular there. That regular owns the web company that hosts that site. Hmmmm.

Top 10 NDP election promises

Published in Winnipeg Sun, Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Top 10 NDP election promises

1. Add 700 more nurses and 100 new doctors over four years.
2. Build a mental health emergency room.
3. Establish a women's health centre at the Health Sciences Centre and open a women's and children's health clinic in South Winnipeg.
4. Hire 100 new cops and expand the team of Crown prosecutors.
5. Add 4,000 new apprenticeship training spots at colleges and universities around Manitoba.
6. Give the east side of Lake Winnipeg permanent protection through legislation.
7. Commit $40 million to begin negotiations for an east-west power grid.
8. Create 2,500 newly-funded child-care spaces, set up a $1-million training and recruitment fund and increase workers' salaries.
9. Eliminate the small business tax by 2010 and increase the education property tax credit to $700 by 2009.
10. Spend $60 million on community recreation centres.

It's been several months since this was published. How has our government progressed on their list?

Merry Christmas

MHRC Report Not Litter Box Worthy?

I had a discussion recently questioning how our society has (de)evolved to this point. That is such a wide-ranging discussion it boggles the mind.

But where a recent Manitoba Human Rights Commission’s report goes is one such answer to the question. Tom Brodbeck accurately ascribes this report as being not litter-box-worthy...

We have taken POLITICAL CORRECTNESS so far beyond the absurd we've almost completely paralyzed ourselves.

It's cartoonish.

We have created a double-standard that is actually seen as acceptable.

As an example, apply for a government job. You are given preferential treatment if you are a native, a woman or a person with a disability. A white able-bodied male is discriminated here. And that is okay.

Reverse discrimination has swung the pendulum too far. A perfect example is a government report that cries wolf with wholly unsubstantiated anecdotes.

Our justice system (???) coddles natives because they had it tough growing up. It nurtures the 14 year old car thieves because they are afflicted with FASD. It releases goons on time served after a vicious beating death yet keeps Robert Latimer in jail.

Then I heard of some bozo MLA (Drew Caldwell - Brandon) we've elected to serve us taunting and heckling another MLA.

And I got my answer.

This is the type of people we have leading us beyond every moronic and idiotic characterization I've described here.

God help us all if we don't change things.

And soon.

Arrogance and The Parking Authority

As I drove southbound on Balmoral Street, behind the Great West Life building, I noticed a City of Winnipeg truck parked on the east side of the street, facing Broadway. What made me give it more than a passing interest was that vehicle's driver was crossing the street with a camera in his hand to photograph an illegally parked car. It was then I noticed his truck was a Parking Enforcement vehicle, and it was parked directly in front of a fire hydrant.

Now let's add up the offences here:

1. City of Winnipeg vehicle parked on east side of the street, facing Broadway. This is a clearly marked no parking zone.
2. City of Winnipeg Parking Enforcement driver, crossing the street in the middle of the block. This is jaywalking.
3. City of Winnipeg vehicle was parked directly in front of fire hydrant. A FIRE HYDRANT.
   

I took out my cell phone with its' built in camera, and walked up to the driver, now back in his City of Winnipeg truck. I asked this fellow under what conditions was he allowed to park illegally.

His reply: "as long as he is doing his job."

It was my understanding, wrongly I later learned, that no vehicles were allowed to break traffic laws unless operating under very specific emergency conditions. Which I thought meant that Fire, Police and Ambulance drivers operate under strict conditions under which they could ignore traffic laws.

So I suggested to this individual that he was incorrect. I alerted him to the fact that not even Fire, Police and Ambulance drivers were allowed to park illegally unless under certain emergency protocols. He then drove off.

To my utter amazement he simply drove forward a few car lengths and parked. Again illegally.

So off I went to again remind him that he was not permitted to park illegally. He continued to assert his right to park illegally while ticketing illegally parked cars.

The irony here is delicious.

I didn't expect this arrogant and officious bureaucrat to change his ways. So I called the city Parking Authority. It was just before 5PM so there was nobody home to speak with. I left a message asking that someone call me the next day to discuss this situation.

I'm not so sure I'll hear from the City's Parking Authority... BUT, I mentioned it to a former member of Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz' Executive Policy Committee yesterday evening. We all shook our heads and tsk tsked. Maybe I will hear from someone...

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UPDATE
The Winnipeg Parking Authority actually called me. Credit where credit is due.

Here is the kicker. There is a city by-law that permits ANY city vehicle to park anywhere they bloody well want provided it is a "necessity" of their work.

By-law 1573/77 Section 32

PARKING EXEMPTIONS
32. The provisions of this by-law prohibiting or regulating stopping and parking shall not apply to:
(a) vehicles of the Police Department of the City of Winnipeg;
(b) vehicles of or employed by the City of Winnipeg while in use in connection with work of necessity being done in or near a highway requiring them to stop or be parked in contravention of any such provisions; and
(c) vehicles of the Government of Manitoba, the Government of Canada, or a public utility if such vehicles have the owner’s name painted thereon and are actually engaged in work of necessity on or near a highway requiring them to stop or be parked in contravention of any such provisions.

Necessity is not defined.

So, two sets of rules. One for citizens and one for the government. It is assumed therefor that writing a parking ticket is a necessity and it is acceptable to park illegally to write an illegal parking ticket.

Unbelievable eh?

Two Writers, Two POVs

Leonard Asper wants to own the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Leonard Asper wants to build a big new football stadium. Leonard Asper wants government to kick in 80m dollars.

There are two diametrically opposed schools of thought on this: one heavily weighing in against it; one thinking it would be a terrific addition to the City.

In our fair city we have a plethora (great word eh) of writers that think theirs is the definitive word. One even thinks his is the only view that matters and dismisses others with differing views. Actually, more than one. But that is another story for another day.

Read for your self. Then let's talk. What do you think?

Tom Brodbeck, Winnipeg Sun. Click here.

Randy Turner, Winnipeg Free Press. Click Here.

Is there a middle ground?

Self Worth, Self Determination, Self Help

Self worth. The first order of business is to give back a sense of self-worth. Pride naturally follows self-worth. And self-determination, responsibility and accountability follow pride.

As I read that it sounds more than a little pompous and condescending. I don't mean to be. But I'm not a professionally trained writer and maybe I struggle to put my thoughts down in a meaningful - not hurtful, way. Mine are simple ideas within an incredibly complex frame. Bear with me.

How do we begin? With hand-ups not hand-outs. There is a monstrous welfare state to tear down. We can't simply keep throwing piles of money around. That exacerbates the problem.

Employment. Education.

In one scenario a group of natives are bored silly. Every month come allowance time, we dole out a handful of cash, pat 'em on the head and say "there you go, you're good for the rest of the month."

In this scenario unemployment is almost 100%. There is nothing to do. Restless and bored, the answer is to par-tay. A few days later the money is gone, the hangover is raging, and now withdrawals are kicking in.

You see, nothing has changed. Except the money is gone. There is nothing left to buy groceries. Nothing left to clothe the children. Nothing left to fix the house.

Now in another scenario instead of simply handing out a pile of cash why not create jobs so people can earn an income? If houses and roads need repair create a company that fixes houses and roads. If children need day care then create a day care.

Instead of sitting around drinking and fighting, watching TV and procreating, now the formerly bored have a respectful job and earn an income, and stay busy. The homes they live in are clean and well kept. The children are well-cared for. Now more money is available to build more homes. Buy more equipment. Expand the businesses off reserves.

With the improved infrastructure kids stay in schools and receive an education. Graduate. On to university and community college becoming doctors and teachers and plumbers and electricians. When they return to their homes they bring with them skills to further develop the reserve.

Eventually, possibly, self-determination. Self-help.

Our Home and Native(s) Land

There has been a lot said lately about aboriginal self-determination, responsibility and accountability. In newspapers and television reports we are hearing about tragic child murders on Manitoba reserves. Amazing land claim rights. Residential school payouts. Urban reserves in and near Winnipeg. Missing university funds. Alcoholism and unemployment. So much angst...

If all that doesn't get your attention then how about reports that while aboriginals represent 10% of the overall population of Manitoba they represent 20% of Manitoba's youth under 15 and 80% of our jails and prisons.

Now have I got your attention? This blog is about to take a (temporary) detour. I invite all to come along. We won't solve anything here but perhaps we can stimulate some interesting dialog.

I don't have all the answers and I'm not prejudiced. But it might seem that way, and I might actually be wrong, and not for the first time! But I do mean well in my thoughts and ideas, musings and ramblings.

So what is the problem and can we help?

Many years ago most of Canada's aboriginals were banished to mostly remote tracts of land, ostensibly in exchange for something of value. Additionaly the government promised to take care of those aboriginals seemingly in perpetuity and keep throwing money their way with (apparently) mostly little long term thought.

Banished is probably too strong a word. In perpetuity might be overstating things just a little. However, let's assume that is pretty much the way it was.

What we accomplished (?), over many generations, was to create a society that could not or would not take care of itself. Okay, yes, I am generalizing and painting an entire civilization with the same brush. I merely wish to paint as vivid a picture of the current state in Canada, AS I SEE IT, as I can.

What we end up with is a class of people who wait for someone else to take care of them. Funnel in the money to feed, educate, house, nurse...

We took away a sense of responsibility and accountability and built a society that has a limited understanding of value leading to ever-greater problems.

Homes and other buildings deteriorate. Children are abandoned. Apathy begins. This is how the vicious cycle begins.

The environment becomes unpleasant. Infrastructure falls apart. People begin to medicate themselves with alcohol and other drugs, including some very toxic cocktails, in an attempt to forget. This is how the vicious cycle is perpetuated.

Now we have a very angry society. This is how the vicious cycle becomes inflamed.

The angriest begin demanding that every ill afflicting Canada's aboriginals be fixed, and now. Throw more money at things. Many make outrageous demands and take illegal actions.

This leads to angry retribution. Most hear only the constant demands and the rhetoric. With too little understanding of the issues, people resist. And fight back. With words. With action.

That sets the table.

We have an increasing segment of Canadian society that cannot or will not take care of themselves, while growing angrier and angrier. Some are doing well and will share with others the key's to their success. Most do nothing.

Therein lies Canada's challenge.

Is it morning again?

I have always been an early riser. Used to be a nicotine fix necessitated an early rise. However since I quit smoking many years ago and I continue to wake up at some godforsaken times, it must be the critters fault. Mostly, I awaken to Toba, the dog, and Dahg, a cat, vying for space on the bed. It is a large bed, but they must feel an undeniable need to squish up as close to my head and legs as possible.

When they demand more attention they create enough of a disturbance that the queen of the household, Pokey, a 9 pound calico, jumps up on the bed. Now there are two cats, a dog and one tired old man on the bed and no one is happy. Further compounding the matter, Dahg really does not like Pokey and vice versa. So when Pokey jumps up the growling begins.

Two cats meowing, chirping, growling. One dog whining. A tired oldish man. And, It's only FIVE am.

Get up. Where to begin. First thing is Toba goes out to do her business. It's cooler outside and frost last night leaves the grass quite damp. She piddles right away and I am pleased. Inside I wipe her feet and let her loose.

Next, to the computer. My morning ritual includes checking emails and reading one of the local newspapers on-line. Not as easy as you'd think. Toba has energy to burn before doggy daycare. And there are so many interesting things to do toys to play with. If it was only Toba perhaps I could get through it relatively easily.

Not so, as Dahg requires my undivided attention. Without fail Dahg arrives in a flash on the top of my desk, meow-purring for my undivided attention. She is an 18 pound cat that MUST be held. There is no avoiding this. She also drinks water by dipping her paw in her water dish and licking her paw. I get the added pleasure of her soggy paws and paw prints on the desktop. It's glass.

Gumby used to be at my feet. Amazingly, with Gumby gone Pokey has actually taken up this activity. This is my clue that it is time to feed the cats, clean the litter bin, drive Toba to doggy daycare and get myself off to work.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Who Says What's Right?

I've been reading, and contributing to, some interesting blog discussions lately. I'm amazed at the narrow-mindedness of some people.

In Lindor Reynolds Winnipeg Free Press blog "Talk of the Town" Reynolds wrote about the death of Gage Guimond in Another Dead Child. What gob smacked me were the many who blamed CFS but absolved the birth parents of responsibility. Even more perplexing was Reynolds dismissal of those whose position was contrary to hers.

In another Winnipeg Free Press blog, Mike on Crime, Mike McIntyre opined a piece on Winnipegger Kevin Hiebert and his struggles in a Greek prison. Mr. Hiebert has many friends and supporters who are intent on getting him out of Greece and home to a nice comfy Canadian prison. Their arguments include his was an innocent mistake and if he committed his crime in Canada he'd be out by now.

Most ignore the fact that this man's innocent mistake was to smuggle two KILOGRAMS of cocaine into Greece. For the imperially challenged that is 4.4092 pounds. 70.548 ounces. Any way you measure it, it is an incredible amount of drugs.

And to top it off the Greek government had the unmitigated gall to try the man in Greek. What has the world come to? Does this man not have Canadian rights? Oops, oh yeah. Pulled his little stunt in Greece don't cha know... C'est la vie.

Much like Reynolds above, Hieberts supporters dismiss contrary opinion out of hand. What strikes me is the level of righteous indignation they display towards those that don't agree with them.

We all have an opinion, some stronger than others. I've asked the same question twice now: who gets to decide who is right?

It is time we all took responsibility for our own actions.

-jwh

More on Gumby

I was called to pick up Gumby's cremated remains today. I'm not real sure what I'll do with them. It brings back to me the reality Gumby is gone..

Many, many times this week I thought about Gumby. I have no clue if this makes me weird or eccentric or normal.

There are so many things that happen around the house that make me think of my little buddy. I know I often find myself reminiscing. I think the one most haunting memory is a special look Gumby gave me. It was his "attend to me" look. Impossible to deny.

I went looking for photos of Gumby. Not enough for my liking. I think maybe now I understand why my sisters take so many pictures, annoying as it is. Better to have and remember than not. I do have one portrait that captures Gumby so well. Money well spent.

So, take care of your beloved pets. Take lot's of pictures. And remember the pure joy they bring into your life.